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Learning How To Relax: Culture Of Leisure In The Gilded Age, Alex Voigt

Curriculum Unit on the Gilded Age in the United States

America as a whole was undergoing dramatic changes during the last quarter of the 19^th century. Industrialization was a major part of that change, as it pushed industry to new heights and sparked the biggest wave of immigration in U.S. history. It also helped create a new emphasis on leisure among American workers, as improved production led to shorter work days and higher wages meant those workers had more money to spend with their newfound free time. Additionally, the boom in railroad production and advancement of subways and electric trollies in urban areas made transportation easier and encouraged people …