19th Century

Though the 19th century saw the rise of populism, the labor movement and Jacksonian democracy, it also ushered in the Gilded Age, when men like Cornelius Vanderbilt and J. P. Morgan wielded vast control over politics and business.

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Illustration by Eduardo Ramón Trejo. Photos from Getty Images.

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As American industrialists and financiers accumulated incredible wealth during the Gilded Age, they strove to outdo one another with lavish spending.

Facing economic threats and violence, early Chinese immigrants banded together and created communities to survive—and thrive.

The swift, often comfortable ride on the Transcontinental Railroad opened up the American West to new settlement.

The Klondike Gold Rush was a mass influx of prospecting migrants to the Canadian Yukon Territory and Alaska after gold was discovered in those regions in 1896.

Labor Movement

Labor Movement

Analyze the impact of the labor movement in America throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

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19th Century

From ancient Roman sausage to Nathan's Coney Island hot dog, the history of tubular meat may stretch back millennia.

The Star-Spangled Banner, written by lawyer Francis Scott Key in 1814, emerged as a popular patriotic song before becoming the U.S. national anthem in 1931.

Legend has it that a meatpacker from Troy, N.Y. may have been the inspiration. But the term may have predated him.

An 1861 trek laid the foundation for organized summer camps in the United States.

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The Good Roads Movement, which gave America its highways, was started by a group of wealthy cyclists who were tired of muddy rides.

Even though a widely-accepted account says the outlaw was shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett in New Mexico, murky details have led to other theories.

Long before today's billionaire philanthropists, Andrew Carnegie gave away nearly all his fortune—not simply to charity, but to build institutions designed to serve generations to come.

America didn’t always extend citizenship to those born within its borders.

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The amazing true story of Bass Reeves, the formerly enslaved man who protected the Wild West.

The battle, which began June 25, 1876, was neither the deadliest nor the most lopsided U.S. Army defeat in conflicts with Native Americans.

These remarkable sites offer a window into the United States’ pioneering past.

19th Century

How the British Empire Secretly Took Control of India

Uncover how Britain used the East India Company and shifting power to conquer India and transform its history in this fascinating episode.

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19th Century

How Prussia Forced Its Way Into Great Power Status

Uncover how Prussia transformed from a small principality into a European powerhouse through bold military innovation, visionary leadership and cultural change.

19th Century

Who Really Won the War of 1812?

Uncover how the War of 1812 shaped the destinies of the U.S., U.K., and Canada—and find out who truly came out on top in this pivotal conflict.

Their fortunes fueled industries, funded philanthropy and sparked debates over inequality.

Some of the modern world's most groundbreaking technologies emerged during this 30-year period.

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