Final answer:
The Gilded Age, coined by Mark Twain, is characterized by superficial prosperity but underlying corruption, political manipulation, and economic inequality between 1870 and 1900.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period from 1870 to 1900, referred to as the Gilded Age, is known for its rapid economic growth and the apparent prosperity of the nation.
However, the term "Gilded Age"—coined by Mark Twain—contains a critical undertone, as gilded implies something that is merely covered in gold on the surface but is made of lesser material underneath.
This gilded facet, therefore, alludes to a superficially successful society that, in reality, was rife with vast economic inequalities, corruption, and political manipulation.
While the era was marked by the expansion of industry and democracy, it was also an era where the majority of wealth was controlled by a few, and numerous Americans lived in poverty away from the prosperity seen in growing urban centers.
Many historians vacillate over the use of this label, suggesting that calling an entire period the Gilded Age might oversimplify the complexities of the time, which also saw achievements such as personal standards of living increases and grassroots movements against the prevailing corruption.
However, industrialists and politicians often engaged in corrupt practices such as graft and bribery, with incidents like the scandals of Tammany Hall evidencing widespread corruption in local and national politics.
Despite some prosperity, the era ended with economic depression, highlighting the precariousness and imbalances of the burgeoning Capitalist system.
Therefore, the Gilded Age, as assessed by Twain and many others, is characterized by America's glossy exterior of success and the underlying issues that belied this facade.