On the fifth episode of American

History Too! we dive into a time period that, economic history aside,

often gets lost in historical discussion – The Gilded Age.  We parse out the main issues of the era such

as the end of Reconstruction and the establishment of segregation in both North

and South, the prevailing culture of corruption, and the inexorable rise of big

business. 

We encounter colourful characters along the way, including

Boss Tweed and the Molly Maguires, while Malcolm reveals his distaste for one

of the Gilded Age’s shining lights (terrible pun intended), Thomas Edison.  In case you were wondering who invented the

modern world – it was all down to the Serbian Nikola Tesla.  Also, find out what presidential election,

according to Mark, featured the best named combatants in American History.

All this and much more on this week’s American History Too!

We hope you enjoy the podcast and we will be back in two

weeks with a Christmas special.

Remember to get in touch at @ahtoopodcast, @contestedground

and @markmclay1985

Cheers,

Mark and Malcolm

Reading List

Kevin Kenny, ‘The Molly Maguires in Popular Culture’, Journal of American Ethnic History, 14:4

(Summer, 1995), pp. 27-46

Richard Schneirov, ‘Thoughts on Periodizing the Gilded Age:

Capital Accumulation, Society, and Politics, 1873-1898,’ Journal of the Gilded Age and

Progressive Era 5:3 (July 2006)

Nicolas Barreyre,

‘The Politics of Economic Crises: The Panic of 1873, the End of Reconstruction,

and the Realignment of American Politics,’ The Journal of the Gilded Age and

Progressive Era, 10:4 (Oct. 2011)

Kenneth D.

Ackerman, Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New

York (Carroll & Graf, 2005)

Podcast

Recommendation

In Our Time on

Social Darwinism - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03vgq1q