Reform and Education

During the late 19th century, Gilded Age reformers strove to reinforce American morals. Rapid industrialization produced social, political, and economic changes which many feared were undermining traditional values. Reformers tackled a number of causes including urban poverty, temperance, education, suffrage, labor, and crime. Although each movement targeted a different problem, the common goal was to improve the fundamental well-being of society. However, behind these good intentions lay hidden motives and the harsh realities of the Gilded Age.