Questions to respond to:

• What and when was the Gilded Age (why "Gilded")?

• What were the major characteristics of the second industrial revolution"? (What caused the explosive economic growth and drive to industrialize?)

• Explain why industrialists like Carnegie and Rockefeller might be considered either "captains of industry" or "robber barons". (Can you make an argument for both?)

• How do you explain the rise of BIG corporations during the Gilded Age? (Consider: pools, trusts and monopolies for example.)

• What were the effects of Gilded Age industrialization on different types of workers? (How were different workers affected differently? Explain.)

• Overall, what do you think were the most important consequences of rapid economic growth and industrialization during this time period?

• What did the Democratic and Republican political parties stand for in the 1880s? Who, in general, supported which party and why?

• What are some of the most interesting and/or important examples of political corruption during the Gilded Age? Explain.

• What were some of the important ideas underlying and explaining the nature of Gilded Age industrialization and the 1870s-1890 political economy?

• What did you find interesting or important? What stood out to you and why? What would you like to learn more about?

• What questions do you have? What is fuzzy or unclear?

Be sure to:

• Make one or more references to the reading assignment.

• Make one or more references to at least one website or news article.

• Respond to one or more of the questions posed above.

• Respond to at least one classmate.

• Practice good netiquette and also be mindful that the topic of race is a sensitive one! It is OK if we disagree with each other, but the conversation must remain respectful and academic.

• Write at least one "meaty" paragraph (200-300 words) in your initial post and ~100 words in your reply post