Believe it or not, history repeats itself. In LHS, we have learned about many parts of history, but recently, with 10th graders learning about the Gilded Age, a wave of thoughts has emerged. Is America going through a second Gilded Age? It’s up for debate, but there are some similarities between the time period from the 1870s to the 1900s and now.
With the issues of the rich holding the power, immigration issues, and laws like the Laken Riley Act and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, patterns are arising. Back in the Gilded Age, there were similar circumstances with the rich holding power, and immigration issues and laws like the Page Act (1875) and the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882). However, there is a difference in the groups of people getting targeted. In both eras, you could say that there is an intense shift in the social world.
In the Gilded Age, there was a rapid growth in industrial business, whereas today there is rapid growth with technology. The Gilded Age was known for its new ideas and innovations to grow industries and today we are constantly seeing growth with new ideas and innovations, especially regarding technology.
In the 21st century, we have seen a lot of change. There has been a great development in economic inequality. In the Gilded Age, the majority of companies were owned by men called Robber Barons. Now, billionaires and large corporations dominate much of the economy. This leaves little to no room for small businesses to be successful. Income inequality has now become comparable to that of the late 1800s, and the wealthiest Americans hold a massive share of the nation’s resources.
Then, it was railroads, electricity, and steel. Today, it’s a bit different. Now, it’s the internet, A.I., and digital monopolies. We have companies comparable to Carnegie’s steel or Rockefeller’s oil empires, some examples being Amazon, Apple, and Google.
In the 21st century, we have seen increasing issues with immigration, discrimination, and prejudice. During the Gilded Age, millions of immigrants arrived in America seeking jobs and opportunity. However, they often faced discrimination and poor living and working environments. Native-born Americans worried that immigrants threatened their jobs and culture, leading to widespread nativism.
Today, immigration remains a hot topic. With people arriving from Latin America and elsewhere seeking safety, work, and a better life, there are debates over border patrol, undocumented workers, and cultural change. This seems all too similar to the Gilded Age, raising the question of who gets to be included in the “American Dream”.
Could we be in a second Gilded Age? With many similarities, you can’t help but think that history really does repeat itself. How many times will America cycle through the same or similar events?
