REFORM in the Gilded Age [APUSH Review Unit 6 Topic 11] Period 6:1865-1898

Understanding Reform Movements in the Gilded Age

Overview of Industrial Capitalism

• The video aims to explain how various reform movements emerged in response to industrial capitalism during the Gilded Age.

• A significant shift occurred from artisanal production to factory-based mass production, leading to a new economic landscape.

• Laissez-faire capitalism allowed businesses to flourish with minimal government intervention, resulting in wealth concentration among the elite while workers faced dire conditions.

Societal Impact and Responses

• Workers endured long hours (12-14 hours daily), dangerous working conditions, and low wages, creating widespread discontent.

• Various groups, including agrarians, utopians, socialists, and advocates of the social gospel, sought reforms to address these societal issues.

Key Figures and Their Ideas

Henry George

• Politician and economist Henry George proposed a "single tax on land" as a solution to wealth inequality caused by land ownership.

Utopian Perspectives

• Edward Bellamy's novel Looking Backward envisioned a future socialist utopia where capitalism was replaced by community ownership of production.

Socialism's Rise

• Although socialism gained traction during this period due to perceived failures of capitalism, it did not achieve significant popularity in America compared to Europe.

• Eugene V. Debs founded the Socialist Party of America in 1901 but struggled for electoral success.

The Social Gospel Movement

• Advocates of the social gospel believed Christian principles should extend beyond personal morality to address societal issues like urban poverty.

• Many Protestant preachers called for middle-class involvement in solving urban poverty as part of their Christian duty.

Women's Reform Movements

Settlement Houses and Suffrage

• Women played a crucial role in reform efforts; Jane Addams established settlement houses for immigrant assistance.

• The women's suffrage movement gained momentum with leaders like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony founding the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA).

Temperance Movement

Reform Movements in the Gilded Age

Women's Christian Temperance Union and Its Impact

• The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was formed in 1874 to combat the impoverishment of working classes through advocating for total abstinence from alcohol. By 1898, it boasted around 500,000 members.

• The WCTU, alongside organizations like the Anti-Saloon League, primarily employed peaceful methods such as protests and lobbying Congress to enact laws against alcohol consumption.

Radical Approaches to Prohibition

• A more radical faction emerged among women who were impatient with legislative processes; Carrie Nation is a notable example of this group.

• Carrie Nation famously described herself as "a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus," indicating her fervent commitment to her cause against alcohol.

• Nation became known for her aggressive tactics, including entering saloons with a hatchet to destroy liquor barrels, challenging societal norms and expectations regarding women's behavior.

Contextualizing Reform Movements