Heimler's History: Rise of the Middle Class during the Gilded Age
Key Themes
Development of the middle class due to industrialization and immigration.
Structural changes in large corporations.
Rise in middle-class leisure activities.
Philanthropy and the Gospel of Wealth.
Structural Changes in Corporations
Three-Layer Structure:
Executives at the top.
Laborers at the bottom.
Managerial Layer (Middle Managers):
Managed day-to-day operations.
Known as white-collar workers.
Support Roles:
Accountants, legal services, healthcare.
Growth in clerical work, especially for women.
Role of Women:
Women learned typing with the advent of the typewriter.
Rise in employment opportunities for women, particularly in clerical roles and teaching.
Rise of the Middle Class
Middle class emerged between the lower working class and the elite upper class.
Economic Characteristics:
Higher wages than working class.
Shorter working days.
Leisure and Consumption:
Increase in leisure time activities.
Coney Island:
Largest amusement park at opening.
Featured electric lights and roller coasters.
Spectator Sports and Entertainment:
Popularity of P.T. Barnum's circuses, baseball, and American football.
Philanthropy and the Gospel of Wealth
Andrew Carnegie's Philosophy:
Wealthy should use riches to benefit society.
Goal to reduce societal distance between rich and poor.
Focus on creating opportunities, not handouts.
Investment in cultural institutions: libraries, universities, concert halls.
Phoebe Apperson Hearst:
Advocate for women's suffrage.
Education for the poor at the same level as the upper class.
Established schools to provide educational opportunities.
Conclusion
The efforts in philanthropy, inspired by the Gospel of Wealth, contributed to the rise of opportunities for lower-class individuals to join the middle class.
These developments are crucial for understanding the social dynamics of the Gilded Age and are part of Unit 6, Topic 10 of the AP U.S. History Curriculum.