America In The Gilded Age

Words: 466
Pages: 2

The political elements of America in the Gilded Age had an active impact on the power distribution throughout American cities. During this time, there were organizations that craved power known as political machines. These political machines became very dominant in almost all large American cities due to favorable relationships with real estate and businesses, as well as by mobilizing large blocs of immigrant and working-class voters (Keene, 508). There were many contributors to the rise of political machines such as urban growth, the spread of white male suffrage, as well as support from the poor and immigrants. These political machines, through the act of extortion, gained an abundance of power by intimidating voters to vote in their advantage, ensuring success for their political parties in the polls. The political elements concerning political machines and their unfair power distribution made a huge impact on urban life during the Gilded Age of …show more content…
Two major reasons that allowed women to take on new roles in the society were a rise in education and their increased involvement in social clubs. Rising education permitted women to interact with other women and develop ideals about women’s rights, and their participation in more clubs empowered them the chance to express their political opinions as well as expand their leadership abilities. Eventually, Americans began to use the term “New Woman” to describe these women who pursued higher education and engaged in political activism (Keene, 516). Women began to take part in their nation in many ways due to the new roles they placed themselves in and in turn, changed the way others had viewed them in the past. Therefore, the social elements during this time created new expectations among women of the Gilded Age and led to sparks throughout history changing the roles of