Final answer:
The Gilded Age refers to a period of superficial prosperity during the late nineteenth century in the United States, which concealed underlying social and political issues like corruption and inequality. It saw the rise of industrialists and growth in infrastructure alongside widespread graft, but it also experienced movements that challenged these powers, such as labor unions and suffragists.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'Gilded Age' characterizes American society in the late nineteenth century as a period marked by great economic achievements that masked underlying social and political corruption. Coined by Mark Twain, the phrase highlights the contrast between the glittering surface of prosperity and the questionable ethical and economic practices of the time. Although the era was marked by rapid industrial growth and expansion of infrastructure, it was also notorious for the stark economic inequality and the dominance of a few powerful industrialists and politicians, often involved in graft and bribery. These corrupt practices were not wholly representative of American society at the time, as many Americans lived independently of these influences, either in rural areas or small towns. Furthermore, the period also witnessed significant grassroots protests against corruption and the push for democratic expansion, including the New Departure and the suffragist movement.
While the Gilded Age may bring to mind the image of corruption and the power of monopolies, it's important to acknowledge the era's complexity and the coexistent grassroots efforts to challenge industrialists and corrupt officials. Strong movements that underlay the shimmering facade of the Gilded Age include groups like the Readjusters, Grangers, and labor unions, which formed to resist industrial and political domination, and initiatives like the New Departure and suffrage activism that sought to expand democratic rights.