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Industrialization and Urbanization
The Growth of Industry and the City during the Gilded Age of 1875-1900
Planning this mini-unit
Industrialization and Urbanization is the first mini-unit of Unit 6: The Gilded Age. This mini-unit is taught after “Reconstruction” (last mini-unit in Unit 5: The Civil War and Reconstruction) and before “Immigration and Society During the Gilded Age” (second mini-unit of Unit 6: the Gilded Age). Click 
HERE to get a copy of my pacing guide.
Pacing
Teachers should plan three to five days to teach this unit on a traditional schedule with one-hour class periods. However, for those on a block schedule with 1 1/2 hour classes, teachers should plan for 2-3 days. An effective way to structure this unit includes:
Openers
- Vertical Integration
- Robber Baron: Standard Oil
- Knights of Labor
- The Growth of Cities
- Poverty and Progress
This FREE resource includes 5 openers to use in order to supplement this unit. Begin each class with an opener question. Opener questions can be found on this webpage as an image (see “opener questions” at the bottom of this webpage) or free on TpT (see link). Give students 3-5 minutes to complete the opener question and allow 5-10 minutes for class discussion. Instead of openers, teachers may use this as an end of class check for understanding.
see link). Give students 3-5 minutes to complete the opener question and allow 5-10 minutes for class discussion. Instead of openers, teachers may use this as an end of class check for understanding. 
Lessons
After the opener, begin the Google Slides lesson. Students can take notes on paper using the note-taking guide provided with the Google Slides lesson, or they may take notes digitally with the electronic version (also included with the Google Slides).
- TEACHER TIP: I post a PDF version of the Google Slides to Google Classroom so that students can review their notes if they are absent. To do this, click “File, Download, PDF” on the Google Slide.
- TEACHER TIP: Some teachers post Google Slides in their Google Classroom and digital note-taking guides for students to complete as homework.
- TEACHER TIP: When pressed for time, I will edit the note-taking guides to include answers for some boxes or delete boxes and slides entirely. Teachers should feel free to modify the lesson to meet their students’ needs and individual learning targets.
- After teaching a concept, take a break from the lecture and show a quick review video to reinforce the concepts. Suggested videos to enhance the lesson are on this webpage.
- Mix up your unit by having the students complete the PROP (Point, Reason to lie or distort, Other sources, Public/private) analysis. For a free resource that reviews PROP, click HERE.
- TIP TEACHER: Group students together to complete this activity. This strategy sparks conversation and encourages critical analysis. Discussed as a class.
- Review additional suggested activities found on this webpage:
- FREE: The History of Immigration Law in the United States from the Bill of Rights Institute
- FREE: The History of Immigration in the United States from the Bill of Rights Institute
- FREE: Irish in 19th Century America from Stanford History Education Group
- FREE: Albert Parsons (Haymarket Riot) from Stanford History Education Group
- FREE: Homestead Strike from Stanford History Education Group
- FREE: Child Labor from Stanford History Education Group
5. Print the Prove It activity included in the Google Slides lesson at the end of the unit. Students read statements and determine if they are true or false. If the statement is false, they correct it. This lesson encourages students to review their note-taking guides.
key terms to know
People to Know
- Andrew Carnegie
- J.D. Rockefeller
- Eugene V. Debs
- J.P. Morgan
Key Terms
- Gilded Age
- Industrialization
- Urbanization
- Vertical Integration
- Horizontal Integration
- Laissez-Faire
- Bessemer Process
- Unions
- Strike
- Scab
- Xenophobia
- Trust
- Monopoly
- Sherman Anti-Trust Act
- Social Darwinism
- Robber Baron
- Captain of Industry
- Knights of Labor
- American Federation of Labor
Events
- Railroad Strike of 1877
- Homestead Strike
- Haymarket Riot
Essential Questions
1. Compare and contrast life in 1860s with life in the early 1900s.
2. Outline vertical integration and horizontal integration. Examine why each was used as a business model as well as the effects of the use of each model on the American economy.
3. How did industrialists use the land to build the economy during the Gilded Age?
4. Analyze the ways in which industrialists and laborers came into conflict during the Gilded Age. How were those conflicts resolved?
5. To what degree did the government practice laissez-faire during the Gilded Age? Explain your reasoning.
6. How were vast differences in income and wealth explained during the Gilded Age? Why do you think those strong economic gaps existed?
7. Compare and contrast the qualities of a Robber Baron with those of a Captain of Industry. Who would you characterize as a classic example of a Robber Baron? Who would you characterize as a classic example of a Captain of Industry? Explain your reasoning for both individuals.
26 Slides (editable) with graphic organizer note-taking guide and summative assessment worksheet. This Google Slides reviews how America transformed into an industrial power 1875-1900.
This Google Slides:
- Editable
- Has checks for understanding/thinking questions throughout the Google Slides
- Interesting and varied graphic design
- A variety of different sources to catch your students’ attention and engage them with the content: maps, charts, primary sources, quotes, newspapers, etc.
- Major Concepts Reviewed:
- Industrialization
- Urbanization
- Laissez-Faire
- Vertical Integration
- Horizontal Integration
- J.D. Rockefeller
- Bessemer Process
- Andrew Carnegie
- Push and Full Factors of Immigration
- Eugene Debs
- Labor Unions: Strikes and Scabs
- Great Railroad Stroke of 1877
- Homestead Strike
- Haymarket Riot
- J.P. Morgan
- Sherman Anti-Trust Act
- Social Darwinism
- Robber Barons and Captains of Industry
Note-Taking Guide with a Teacher’s Key:
- Works with Google Classroom (students can type in a document, or handwrite)
- Includes ideas on how to use this in your lesson
- Great for IEP, 504, EL students or students who need modifications
- Helps students be accountable for information during lecture
- Comes with print and digital notetaking guides.
Post-Notes Analysis Worksheet with a Teacher’s Key:
- Works with Google Classroom (students can type in a document or handwrite)
- Includes ideas on how to use this in your lesson
- Has a True/False checking for understanding
- Includes a document that connects to information from the slides.
- Comes with print and digital post-notes analysis guides.
- Students are asked to ” Prove It,” “Analyze It” “Personalize It” and “Explore Limitations.”
Helpful Videos for Your Students
Unit Activities
Click on the images below to access these suggested resources
The History of Immigration in the United States
Bill of Rights Institute
The History of Immigration Law in the United States
Bill of Rights Institute
The Homestead Strike
Bill of Rights Institute
Child Labor
SHEG: Stanford History Education Group
Albert Parsons SAC
(Homestead Strike)
SHEG: Stanford History Education Group
Irish in 19th-Century America
SHEG: Stanford History Education Group
quick links
hey there
Thank you for stopping by Teacher Bistro. I created this place as a resource for educators who wanted a easy way to find resources. In my first ten years of teaching I can’t tell you how many hours I spent gathering lesson plans, video guides and lectures. Hopefully, you have added this site to your bookmarks, and this place can make teaching a little bit easier.