Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. After the Civil War, the US experienced significant industrial and economic growth. This period was referred to as “The Gilded Age” by author Mark Twain. Consider what you know about this period. Who were some of the notable wealthy tycoons during this age? Why was wealth relatively easy to amass? What were some of the major industrial projects built during this time?

Teaching Suggestion: This question offers the opportunity to introduce historical context to the period before Sinclair’s novel, the Gilded Age. Students may already be familiar with this era from US history courses. Immediately following the Second Industrial Revolution, the Gilded Age saw unprecedented industrial growth, directly leading to unprecedented wealth earned by a small cohort of US businessmen. As a result of this wealth expansion, these men focused on maintaining their amassed wealth by raising the output of products.

Furthermore, the rise of the railroad industry led to easy product shipment, ultimately increasing demand. With little to no regulations on business, a few wealthy people could control their businesses by bribing local officials.