Big Business Dbq

In the years following the industrial revolution and the Civil war the United States began to emerge into an economic superpower. The corporations of the United States grew significantly in number, size, and influence as well. From the post Civil War period to the turn of the twentieth century America witnessed its greatest period of economic growth in American history. During this time the country became what it is today with thousands of technological advances and outbreaks. The growing economy led to the creation of big business. An example of big business is railroads. Railroads were America’s first big business and it did much to advance industrialization. The impact of big business on the economy, politics, and the American people were positive in changing the way of American life and America as a developing country. The growth of big business was fueled by innovations in energy, transportation, communications, manufacturing, and business strategies. An innovation in transportation was railroads, which made the country smaller and easier to connect people and goods.
Big business created a large uneven distribution of wealth in the country. Many people were filthy rich and many were stuck in low wage, low skill industry jobs. The working men and women responded by, “demand[ing] a reduction of the hours of labor” (Document G). They also claimed, “That the lives and limbs of the wage-workers shall be regarded as sacred” (Document G). Workers demanded better working conditions and wages and eventually were given these policies as pure capitalism became regulated capitalism. This capitalist system also led to the “American Dream”. The theory that brought thousands of immigrants over to America in search of opportunity. The influx of immigrants worked low paying jobs which aided in supporting the growing economy. The American people benefitted from big business by receiving