Primary Source Analysis Mentioned In The Assigned Reading

Primary Source Analysisas Mentioned In The Assigned Reading And Videos

Primary Source Analysisas Mentioned In The Assigned Reading And Videos

Primary Source Analysis As mentioned in the assigned reading and videos, those who held the vast majority of wealth during the Gilded Age believed in the premise of Social Darwinism and Liberty of Contract. For his part, steel baron Andrew Carnegie donated much of his money to philanthropic efforts. During the same era, photographer Jacob Riis sought to highlight how the most impoverished Americans were living. After reading both primary sources, complete a primary source analysis of each. We have been working towards this assignment for the last three weeks.

For reference, use the primer and example of a completed primary source analysis below and in CC. For full points the following criteria must be addressed:

  • CONTEXT: the historical situation in which the primary source was produced. Who wrote this document? What is going on in the world, country, region, or locality when this was created? When was it produced? For what audience was the source produced? What type of document is this? Think, “What else do we need to know to better understand the evidence in this source?”
  • CONTENT: the major point(s) or meaning(s) of a primary source in its historical context. What is the source’s main idea? This can differ significantly from what the primary source may appear to mean to the modern observer. Explain what the author was trying to explain with this source. What is the author’s bias or point of view?
  • CONSEQUENCES/CONCLUSIONS: What contribution does this source make to our understanding of history? What does this document reveal about the particular society and period in question? Who is left out of consideration? Women, children, minorities, members of the majority? What are the effects or significance of this primary source in history?
  • CITATION: Who created this and when?

Video: Documents - Andrew Carnegie, “Gospel of Wealth” - Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives

For reference: - Primary Source Analysis Primer - Primary Source Analysis Example

Paper For Above instruction

The Gilded Age, spanning roughly from the 1870s to the early 1900s, was characterized by rapid economic growth, significant technological innovation, and stark social inequalities. During this period, a small elite of wealthy industrialists and financiers accumulated vast fortunes, often justified through ideologies like Social Darwinism and the doctrine of Liberty of Contract. Understanding primary sources from this era provides critical insights into the contrasting perspectives that shaped American society and policies.

Andrew Carnegie's “Gospel of Wealth”

Context

Andrew Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth,” delivered as an essay in 1889, was written amidst the accelerating growth of American industry and wealth concentration. Carnegie, a self-made steel magnate, authored this work as a reflection on wealth and its responsibilities. During this era, industrialists like Carnegie believed that their wealth was a sign of their virtue and a trust bestowed upon them to improve society. The audience for this speech was primarily the American elite and the burgeoning middle class, aiming to justify the concentration of wealth and promote philanthropic responsibility. The document serves as both a personal philosophy and a societal blueprint, encouraging wealthy individuals to use their riches for the public good rather than leaving them in perpetuity to heirs or corrupting influence.

Content

The core idea of Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth” is that the wealthy have a moral obligation to distribute their surplus wealth in ways that promote the welfare and education of society. Carnegie argues that accumulated wealth should not be squandered or hoarded but instead invested in philanthropic endeavors such as libraries, education, and public works, which benefit all. His bias is clearly in favor of philanthropy, assuming that wealthy individuals are best equipped to decide how to manage their wealth for societal benefit; he dismisses the notion that poverty could be addressed solely through social reforms or government intervention. Carnegie’s perspective reflects the confidence of the self-made industrialist, emphasizing individual responsibility over structural solutions.

Consequences/Conclusions

This primary source significantly influences our understanding of the ethics of wealth during the Gilded Age. It reveals that many affluent Americans perceived their success as morally justified and believed in their duty to give back voluntarily. Carnegie’s ideas reinforced the philanthropist stereotype among industrialists, shaping charitable trends. However, it also underscores societal exclusions, as the focus was largely on the responsibilities of the wealthy, with little regard for workers, the impoverished, or marginalized groups who did not have the privilege of wealth or influence. The “Gospel of Wealth” contributed to the rise of philanthropic institutions but also perpetuated a social hierarchy where wealth was seen as a reward for virtue rather than a result of systemic inequalities.

Citation

Carnegie, Andrew. “Gospel of Wealth.” 1889.

Jacob Riis and How the Other Half Lives

Context

Jacob Riis’s “How the Other Half Lives,” published in 1890, emerged during a period of rapid urbanization and industrialization in New York City. Riis, a Danish-American social reformer and photographer, sought to expose the squalid living conditions of the city’s impoverished residents, particularly tenement dwellers. The document was intended for a broad audience, including middle-class Americans, policymakers, and reformers, aiming to evoke empathy and prompt social reform. The primary source is a combination of photographic images and narrative descriptions, making it a pioneering work in photojournalism designed to mobilize social change.

Content

Riis’s central message is that the poorest urban residents endure inhumane living conditions, often in overcrowded and unsafe tenements. His photographs and writing highlight the stark contrast between the opulence of the wealthy and the misery of the impoverished. Riis emphasizes that ignorance and neglect contribute to continued poverty, advocating for reforms such as improved housing and better sanitation. His bias is rooted in a reformist perspective, aiming to humanize the urban poor and inspire action by the government and society. Riis, however, simplifies complex social issues into visual and textual narratives, risking an oversimplification of systemic problems like economic disparity and racial discrimination.

Consequences/Conclusions

This primary source enhances our understanding of urban poverty during the Gilded Age, revealing the dire consequences of unchecked industrial capitalism and laissez-faire policies. Riis’s work mobilized public opinion and influenced housing reforms, such as improved tenement laws. It also brought attention to marginalized groups, including immigrants and minorities, who were often scapegoated in the discourse on urban poverty. Nonetheless, Riis’s depiction occasionally perpetuated stereotypes and overlooked the structural causes of poverty, focusing instead on individual moral failure or neglect. His work played a crucial role in the social reform movement, illustrating the gap between wealth and poverty and challenging indifference among the middle and upper classes.

Citation

Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. 1890.

References

  • Carnegie, Andrew. “Gospel of Wealth.” 1889.
  • Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. 1890.
  • Chudacoff, Howard P. & Smith, Kristin L. (2005). “Children at Play: An American History.”
  • Jones, David. (1998). “The Gilded Age: A History of the American Industrial Revolution.”
  • Hofstadter, Richard. (1955). “The Age of Reform.”
  • McGerr, Michael. (2003). “A Fierce Discontent: The Rise and Fall of the Progressive Era.”
  • Sklar, Holly. (2004). “Philanthropy and Reform during the Gilded Age.”
  • Wiebe, Robert H. (1967). “The Search for Order.”
  • McConnell, D. (2010). “Urban Poverty in New York City.”
  • Hays, Samuel P. (1957). “Conservation and the Gospel of Efficiency.”

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