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EXHIBITION 4: MODERNIZING AMERICA

Curator: Emily Wu

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THE SECOND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The following exhibits highlight events from the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad to the 1920s. It also explains the impact of the Second Industrial Revolution in multiple aspects such as political, environmental, social and technological advancements.

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THE GILDED AGE: POLITICS AND THE ECONOMY (1870-1914)

This exhibit compares the roles of monopolists and laborers in the Gilded Age and their impact on the economic development of the country.

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THE GILDED AGE: SOCIETY AND CULTURAL DIVISION (1870-1914)

The Gilded Age birthed many technological advancements and was responsible for the development of new ideas and some of today’s greatest inventions. These achievements are mostly tangible, in objects and machines that we now use everyday, but it is also important to touch upon the societal effects of the Gilded Age. It offers perspective on what the laborers living during this time thought this new technological revolution meant to them, which can be compared to its legacy and current effects. These exhibits explore how the rapidly changing economy started to contribute to social and cultural divides and gaps.

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IMMIGRATION IN THE GILDED AGE (1850-1914)

Immigration played a big role in the Gilded Age, not only contributing to the huge economic boom with their labor, but also allowed a lot of acculturation to happen. This section also can lead in to the fifth exhibit, “Racial Literacy and Justice”, as the attempt at integration of immigrants and other races/cultures revealed many societal stigmas that were present and the ongoing issue of racial oppression in America.

Exhibition 4: Inventory
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