Vassar College
Vassar College: 1896: Trusts and Monopolies
As part of a large site dealing with the election of 1896 is this article on Trusts and Monopolies. Although the focus is on the Republicans' anti-trust sentiments in the election, you can read about the rise of big business, monopolies,...
Other
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston: Crash of 1907 [Pdf]
A very interesting look at the Panic of 1907, the crash of stocks, the lack of faith in banks by depositors, especially in New York and Boston, and the rescue of the banks by J.P. Morgan. Calling on news reports of the time, this pdf...
CPALMS
Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Captains of Industry: Second Industrial Revolution
This tutorial looks at the Second Industrial Revolution in the United States and the most famous and successful industrial entrepreneurs of that time. A PDF file of the tutorial is available.
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Ap Us History: Unit 5: A New Order
This extensive learning module examines the impact of the Gilded Age upon new cultural and intellectual movements, expansion of foreign trade, and political debates over economic and social policies, as well as the impact of the rise of...
Country Studies US
Country Studies: The Struggles of Labor
This site discusses how for much of the latter half of the 1800s, the life of the common laborer was horrendous. Working in a unsanitary factory, for at least 10 hours a day, making far less than needed to survive, the struggles of the...
Digital History
Digital History: The Supreme Court Decides [Pdf]
An explanation of the Supreme Court decision in 1911 that broke up the monopoly of Standard Oil, charged with unreasonable restraint of trade. Read commentary that claimed that the decision did not really increase competition in the oil...
Digital History
Digital History: The Industrial Revolution [Pdf]
This site covers both the initial Industrial Revolution in the United States in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and the second revolution that highlighted new inventions and the businessmen who financed industry. Read brief...
Digital History
Digital History: The Theory of Laissez Faire [Pdf]
The economic philosophy of laissez-faire was espoused by Adam Smith in his book, Wealth of Nations. Read about the concepts of this philosophy, how it pertained to American business in the late 19h century, and what the drawbacks to...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Gilded Age (1878 1889)
After a brief description of the economy in the Gilded Age, find links to stories about many cultural events of the age. Read about Jim Thorpe, the Johnstown flood, and the first Coca-Cola, among other stories.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Extreme Oil: The History
Part of an interactive timeline which focuses on the history of exploration, development, and use of oil and petroleum products in the United States from 1855-1919 with links at the bottom that continue through 2004.
Curated OER
Smithsonian Institution Archives: Louise Pearce (1885 1959)
Physician and pathologist Louise Pearce (1885-1959) was known for her work on sleeping sickness. She trained at Stanford University (A.B., 1907) and Johns Hopkins University (M.D., 1912). After working for many years at the Rockefeller...
Curated OER
Ida M. Tarbell
Excerpt from Ida Tarbell's magazine expose of Standard Oil's manipulation of the American oil industry contrasted with excerpts from John D. Rockefeller's autobiography in which he defends the practices of his company.
Country Studies US
Country Studies: Corporations and Cities
Brief historical description of the growth of corporations and trusts at the end of the 1800s and how that trend led to the growth of urban areas to house this corporate movement.