The Glitter and Grime of the Gilded Age
Words: 576 1533To the casual observer, the term "Gilded Age" might evoke images of opulence, luxury, and the grandeur of the late 19th century in America. And while the era was certainly characterized by rapid industrialization and conspicuous consumption, the term 'gilded', coined by none other than Mark Twain, suggests something gold on the outside but made of baser material within. Indeed, beneath the shimmering surface of prosperity lay stark disparities of wealth, wrenching social upheavals, and rampant political corruption. The Gilded […]