The Gilded Age

The Gilded Era, a term coined by author Mark Twain, is named for the years between 1865 and 1900 when the United States experienced a nation wide industrialization. America once was a nation of agriculture, however with the introduction of the railroads and steel industries, more and more citizens were urbanizing into major cities for the opportunities they held. This occurrence dramatically altered the demographics of the U.S., socially and economically, with more emphasis put on factory made goods, rather than rural farm products. Twain came up with this name, as he viewed it as an era of serious social and political problems, disguised by a thin gold gliding. Farmers as well as industrial workers both experienced problems during this period, which prompted organizations, like labor unions, to form, as well as strikes and boycotts to occur.

The first major national organization formed to aid farmers was the Department of Agriculture, established during the Lincoln Administration. When farmers first began settling the frontier, they depended on the price of their products at market to earn a living, and many times were subject to steep price drops, resulting in low profitability. Farmers were partly responsible for this, as the over production of goods dramatically dropped the overall price. The Department of Agriculture was created to educate farmers on prospects, and to give them a voice in government. This gave farmers, when facing a problem, the possibility for their troubles to be handled in Washington quickly and efficiently. This was beneficial as farmers lived in extremely rural areas and had little, to no definitive way in voicing their opinion in the federal government. And it was this organization who initiated the Granger Movement, to alleviate loneliness on the frontier. The National Grange of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry purpose was to provide and promote unity and to create a community of farmers over a period of time. However, as time passed, it began to organize cooperatives in which farmers would pool their money to purchase stores, establish businesses, and even provide marketing campaigns. This movement furthered the development of farmers as major factors in the economic system of the United States and established their stronghold in the frontier. The Grange was eventually replaced with a new national organization called the Farmer's Alliance, which sought to get farmers political power at the national level. The Farmer's Alliance's national agenda included regulation of the railways, money based on a silver standard, the institutionalization of a graduated income tax, and public  elections. A leading advocate for farmers was Mary Elizabeth Lease, and under her guidance, the Farmer's Alliance merged with the Southern Democrats and formed the Populist Party. The Populist Party appealed to southern and western farmers, as well as industrialists in the northeast. The Party was very successful