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American Origins
Authors Samuel Clemens ("Mark Twain") and Charles Warner coined the term "Gilded Age" in 1873 to characterize contemporary society. Despite its appearance of promise and prosperity, the United States was, in Clemens and Warner's estimation, essentially materialistic and corrupt. Although political scandals and conspicuous consumption seemed to confirm their skepticism, the lives of the individuals represented in this gallery suggest that the nation was also in the process of moving rapidly beyond its past.
Developments in science, technology, and industry -- not to mention the arts, literature, and consumer culture -- were transforming long-standing habits and beliefs throughout America. And although the Civil War had reaffirmed the union of the states, many conflicts still confronted the nation. The place of women in society, the rights of labor workers, and the status of African Americans and Native Americans were only some of the questions left unsettled during this period. |