Early Reforms of the Gilded Age

EARLY REFORMS OF THE GILDED AGECh 3.4

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Daily goal: Understand how the Social Gospel and Social Darwinism differed in opinion on how to deal with societies issues. Understand what the term “Gilded Age” implied about society.

Notes Analysis-Use your notes from 3.3 and explain

What did immigrants come to the cities looking for?

How did they end up in tenements? How did political machines use

immigrants to keep power?

3.3 Notes Analysis Sample Most immigrants moved to the cities

looking for jobs, but ended up living in poor conditions often in tenements because it was all they could afford. Corrupt politicians and political machines offered immigrants jobs and other services to win their votes and remain in power.

The Gilded Age The term Gilded Age was coined by

Mark Twain to point out that beneath the wealthy surface of society lay poverty and a huge gap in wealth between the rich and poor.

Individualism- The belief that any American no matter how poor, had a chance to be rich.

Who is this guy?

Survival of the fittest

Social Darwinism Social Darwinism- Applied “survival of

the fittest” theory to humans in Society. Argued that people were poor because

they were weak, lazy and should not be helped by the gov’t.

Herbert Spencer- first proposed the idea of Social Darwinism.

I give away my money to give back to the world which has given me so much.

Philanthropy Philanthropy- The idea that the

wealthy should give back to the poorest in the Society which made them wealthy.

Can you think of any other big Philanthropists?

Warren Buffet Mark Zuckerberg William Hilton Walton Family

Give them help The Social Gospel movement-

Advocated improving conditions in cities based on the Biblical ideas of Charity and Justice.

Settlement Houses- helped new immigrants learn English, get temporary housing, find work, etc.

Public Education Public Schools open to educate and train

students to meet the demand of the growing economy.

African Americans are discriminated from Schools.

Booker T. Washington- leader of the movement for Blacks to form their own schools.

Filling the Void Dwight L. Moody- President of the

YMCA who believed in helping the poor, but emphasized saving their souls.