The Gilded Age – 1865-1910 (OLLI)

The Gilded Age was an era of unimaginable opulence and wealth for a few, much private and public corruption, and crushing poverty for many struggling to survive. Mark Twain coined the term because he saw the serious social and economic problems of the era as being masked by a thin gilding of extraordinary affluence. It was a fascinating and exciting period of our history, filled with heroes, bosses, and colorful personalities. It was a time of workers vs. employees, old money vs. new, and nativists vs. immigrants as millions were flocking to seek America’s promise of a better life. The course examines the amazing people and events that made this era a historical turning point for what our nation would aspire to become.