HIST 222 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Gilded Age, Social Darwinism, New Idea

• School: Iowa State University
• Department: History
• Course: HIST 222
• Professor: Stacy Cordery

Document Summary

Represents the excessive lifestyles lived in this era: lavish parties and gatherings, clothing. Extreme income inequality: (cid:1005)(cid:1006)% of a(cid:373)eri(cid:272)a(cid:374)s had (cid:1012)(cid:1010)% of the (cid:272)ou(cid:374)try"s (cid:449)ealth. Top 1% owned 51% of the weatlh: 12. 5% of countries wealth goes to the middle class (44% of population, 1. 5% of wealth goes to working class (44% of population) Horatio alger rags to riches theme. Social darwinism: natural selection occurred in society as well, there was (cid:271)elief that poor people did(cid:374)"t (cid:449)ork hard e(cid:374)ough, the poor will always be poor, government exists only to protect property. Liberty of contract: relationship between worker and boss. Government restrictions not allowed in contracts: 8-hour work day, minimum wage, protective legislation, unemployment pay. Every man chooses work circumstances including hours. Urban unskilled workers: hired for muscles, day laborers, repetitive labor, brutal condition, 10 hour days, 6 day weeks. Semi-skilled workers: possess skills not everyone had, seasonal work, butchers, tailors, candy makers, never unionized.