Gilded Age Quiz

Why was the period from the 1870s to about 1900 called the “Gilded Age”?

• Because it was a time of gold rushes across the U.S.

• Because it looked wealthy on the surface but had poverty underneath

• Because the government handed out gold to the poor

• Because there was no corruption in politics

Which man was a leader in the steel industry during the Gilded Age?

• John D. Rockefeller

• Andrew Carnegie

• J.P. Morgan

• Cornelius Vanderbilt

John D. Rockefeller made his fortune in which industry?

• Railroads

• Oil

• Banking

• Steel

Which term describes business leaders who gained wealth by unethical or ruthless means?

• Philanthropists

• Robber Barons

• Populists

• Progressives

Which development helped expand cities and connect the nation during the Gilded Age?

• The Pony Express

• The Transcontinental Railroad

• Telegraph wires

• The Interstate Highway System

What was one major problem faced by workers during the Gilded Age?

• High wages and short workdays

• Unsafe working conditions and long hours

• Too much paid vacation

• No access to farmland

What was the main goal of labor unions during the Gilded Age?

• To end all immigration

• To secure better wages and working conditions

• To promote industrial monopolies

• To support only wealthy businessmen

What is inflation?

• A general increase in prices and a decrease in the value of money

• A sudden drop in wages and working hours

• A government tax on imports from other countries

• The growth of cities due to immigration

What was one effect of rapid immigration during the Gilded Age?

• Cities shrank in size

• Population in cities grew rapidly, often leading to overcrowded tenements

• Immigrants were always treated equally

• There were fewer workers for factories

The wealth and poverty of the Gilded Age showed a major gap between:

• North and South

• Immigrants and Native Americans

• Rich and poor

• East and West