19th Century: The Rise Of The Gilded Age

The 19th century was an era of corruption, serious social problems and economic growth.These were all veiled by a thin gold lining. This era was referred to as the “Gilded Age”This name, given my Mark Twain means that this era was glimmering from the surface and corrupt from within and though centuries have passed, many can agree that we are still facing similar problems in our current time.From politics, foreign policy, economics and social issues it is as if we are reliving the Gilded Age in a modern form. Rather than growing as a country it seems we have been wilting like a flower in the shade. The Gilded Age was a time of rapid industrialization,urbanization, railroads,technology and rise in big business. The growth was astounding and
Women's rights were a major social issue as well. Women did not gain the right to vote until the 1920’s but until then, protest and campaigns were held.This was referred to as the women’s suffrage movement.Right after the Civil War Susan B. Anthony, a strong women’s activist demanded equal voting rights for females as well as black males.In 1869 she, and Elizebeth Cady Staton Founded the women’s sufferage assosiation, eventually more and more women joined this movement and brought awareness to the situation.Another important women’s rights activist was Anna Julia Cooper.She grew up as a slave child and built her own foundation up to success.She believed in Civil Rights, and intellectual equality for women as well as voting rights. She once wrote, “Our Caucasian barristers are not to blame if they cannot quite put themselves in the dark man’s place neither should the dark man be wholly expected fully and adequately to reproduce the exact voice of the black women.” She also played a role in the women’s club movement in organizing the women’s league, that then collaborated with the national association of colored women. These movements not only gained women the right to vote in 1919, but sent a stronger message of political and economic
For instance gender equality,where women and men are not treated the same based on biased assumptions. In almost every state,millennial women are more likely than Millennial men to earn a college degree, yet the millennial woman have higher poverty rates. By the time a college educated woman will have lost about $800,000 due to the gender wage gap. The struggles for woman range according to race, social status and region. Woman in the south are the worst off when it comes to earnings and employment, typically mid south. For example, nationally woman had the median annual earning of $38,400 in 2014. Meanwhile, in Arkansas and Mississippi woman made an annual earning of $30,000. Though black women,have the annual earnings of $25,000. Women with higher paying jobs still manage to make less than male peers, this would explain why 14.5 percent of women aged 18 and older fall below the federal line of poverty due to family incomes.Women are not only earning less, but are treated with the attitude that they are weak or not as strong as men. This goes beyond strength, woman are thought to be more nurturing,intuitive and better parents than men hence the reason they’re expected to stay home with the kids.Meanwhile men are expected to behave in a “manly” manner, and protect the women.Melanie Tannenbaum explains in Scientific American that, “It seems nice enough, but how does this ideology help the women that wants to work full