Gilded Age Research Paper

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The late 19th century and early 20th century was a time of great civil divide. Specifically, between 1875 and 1910 America was evolving through social and political developments which fundamentally changed the nation's culture. Several factors contributed to America’s growth. The most significant proved to be immigrant migration to America. Additionally, the nation had recently freed itself from obligations to the Reconstruction. The government’s attention and resources could be now focus fully on capitalizing off of the Industrial Revolution's success. The Gilded age was born out of the Industrial Revolution’s advancements and it was an age noted for profound economic, technological and industrial growth. American had emerged as the top industrialized…show more content…
Initially, immigrants with industrial experience began to arrive in the country mostly originating from northern and western Europe, where industry had once thrived. These immigrants where largely of German or Irish decent, literate, Protestant and were familiar with democracy. They possessed much needed skill sets and were mostly welcomed with open arms by native born Americans. However, the turmoil surrounding the Civil War discouraged continued migration from these areas. By the 1890’s over half of the immigrants who were arriving were unskilled and came from southern and eastern Europe, Russia and Asia. Many were escaping poverty or political persecutions in their home lands. Americans didn’t received unskilled workers with the same enthusiasm as skilled workers. It was feared that too great an influx in immigration would result in job insecurity for native…show more content…
They migrated to the West to pursue work in mines and on railroads. The Chinese were noted for their diligence towards hard work, refined eating and bathing habits, aversion to alcohol and willingness to accept less wages than native born Americans. This created a cash between Chinese immigrants and Nativist. Chinese immigrants became the victims social injustices and vigilante attacks by disgruntle citizens. By May 1882, when the Chinese Exclusion Act was enacted, there were 105,000 Chinese immigrants on the West Coast. The Act was designed to prevent any further Chinese immigration for the next 10 years. In 1892 the policy was extended for an addition 10 years. The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first Federal attempt to control undesirable immigration to American. Following the Chinese Exclusion Act the government would leverage it power to establish several policies in regards to immigration control. Such policies included collecting a head tax for every immigrant entering the country. The government also set policies in place to prevent undesirable immigrants such criminals, lunatics or any person deemed unable able to take care of themselves from entering the

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