The American Industrial Revolution

Mark Twain called it "The Gilded Age." The era that ran from the Civil War's end to 1900 saw America's population double, agrarian ideals fade, and huge corporations emerge. Super-rich capitalists became known as "barons" and the working poor joined labor union movements in massive numbers. The era set the stage for American strength and global influence in the 20th century. These important issues and more are touched on in this excellent 27-minute production, which is illustrated with classic still and live action images. While the discussion of organized labor is a little short compared to the amount of time spent on farms, ranches, and homesteads, the only factual glitch seems to be the statement that unions of that time supported equal pay for women. (They didn't.) Also be aware that the recommended viewing grades of 7-12 might be generous at the lower end...my 8th graders would have trouble with a lot of the general vocabulary in the narration. The upside is that this would be an excellent resource for history survey classes in college as well as high school. The teacher's guide is also excellent and includes blackline masters for handouts or homework. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C. (R. Reagan)