1877–1914
1877–1914: Industrial America and Reform
Industrialization transformed the United States into an economic powerhouse, but at great cost to workers and the environment. Immigration swelled cities. Jim Crow laws reimposed racial oppression across the South. The Progressive movement emerged to reform political corruption, regulate industry, and expand rights.
Why This Era Matters
The tensions between industrial capitalism, immigrant democracy, racial oppression, and progressive reform that defined this era are still recognizable today. The Gilded Age and Progressive Era produced many of the institutions, debates, and inequalities that shaped twentieth-century America.
Key Themes
- Industrialization
- Immigration
- Jim Crow
- Progressive reform
- Labor
Key People
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Susan B. Anthony
- W.E.B. Du Bois
- Booker T. Washington
Key Documents
- 📜Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
- 📜Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)
Key Places
- 📍New York City
- 📍Chicago
- 📍Ellis Island