The Gilded Age is very simply explained in a quote from Mark Twain and Charles Warner’s book The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, which states, “American Society that despite its appearance of promise and prosperity is riddled with corruption and scandal.” There were many things that affected the American Society, politics, and economy. The railroad, 1896 election and the four themes of The Gilded Age all had their involvement during this part of American History. Whether or not Mark Twain’s quote is on point, he clearly saw something that not everyone can see through the way American History is typically presented.
The Railroads
The American society, politics, and economy was completely changed by railroads during the Gilded Age. As the engine of the new industrialized economy, they facilitated the faster movement of materials and goods from one side of the country to the other. This new form of transportation also carried people out wet where they settled on the frontier. These “iron horses” had a great influence on the government and presidents. They were eventually pushed to pass laws to regulate the new industry such as, the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. After the Civil War, Robber Barons like, Cornelius…show more content… Political managers like William Tweed, also known as Boss Tweed, in New York City collected power and riches by going after shaky outsiders living in the urban communities' poorest areas. In return for their votes, managers guaranteed to give social services and in some cases even physical security. These political machines became unimaginably effective well into the twentieth century and came to overwhelm nearby governmental issues and even impact national governmental issues. Almost every U.S. president in the middle of Grant and Truman could follow their roots back to nearby and state party