TOPIC 6.7
Labor in the Gilded Age

THEMATIC FOCUS Work, Exchange, and Technology (WXT)
The interplay between markets, private enterprise, labor, technology, and
government policy shape the American economy. In turn, economic activity shapes
society and government policy and drives technological innovation.

Unit 6: Learning Objective E
Explain the socioeconomic continuities and changes associated with the growth of industrial capitalism from 1865 to 1898.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS
KC-1
As the price of many goods decreased, workers’ real wages increased, providing new access to a variety of goods and services; many Americans’ standards of living improved, while the gap between rich and poor grew.1. By 1900, 10% of the U.S. population controlled 90% of the nation’s wealth.
KC-2
Labor and management battled over wages and working conditions, with workers organizing local and national unions and/or directly confronting business leaders.​
KC-3
The industrial workforce expanded and child labor increased.