The late 19th century of America witnessed the birth of the modern industrial economy that we live in today. It was an era of incredible technological advancements, such as a national transportation system and communication network. And the early 20th century saw man take to the skies for the first time with the invention of the airplane. The gilded age experienced the incandescent light bulb being created, the first camera, and many other wonderous feats of technology that we still take advantage of today.
Those innovations would not have been possible without the rapid urbanization that occurred during this Gilded Age and Progressive Era of American history. The industrialization of America during this time led to an expeditious increase in individuals leaving the rural side of the country to populated cities, such as Chicago, New York, and Detroit in order to capitalize on the increase in careers these major cities had to offer.
Many historians often point out the issues that urbanization led to within these cities. For example, the increase in population led to overcrowding, the spreading of diseases, and a surge in dangerous crime that started to become commonplace in urban communities. Pollution and sewage also plagued these metropolitan areas. Furthermore, the corruption from local political leadership blocked the ability to make improvements to these critical issues.
While these unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances are troublesome when we reflect on them, I believe that if we hadn’t gone through this difficult period, we wouldn’t have the country that we live in today. The gilded age, however flawed it may have been, was the launching point for our present-day society socially and economically as a result of its rapid urbanization.
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Ian Traver