Contemporary Connection

Between 1865 and 1914, the United States needed to make post-Civil War decisions that would develop the country into a world power, like how to unite the North and the South, how to handle racist segregation, and how to industrialize the economy. During the Gilded Age, developments in technology transformed every aspect of life in the United States. A host of new inventions were introduced between 1865 and 1914, like the typewriter, radio, motion picture, and publishing. With these new methods of technology, the United States emerged as a world power. In comparison with the 21st century, the development of technology correlates directly with the whirlwind emergence of Apple. The company came out of the clouds and introduced products that have taken over the world. Steve Jobs first introduced the iPod and developed from there the iPhone, iMac, and iPad, each of which are updated every few months to even more technological advancements. The legacy of Steve Jobs brought the United States into a world market, as citizens of countries all over the world started ordering iPhones and iMacs, bringing others together to celebrate an advancement more powerful than any seen during the Gilded Age. As Thomas Edison was hailed as the "English Wonder of the World" during the Gilded Age, Steve Jobs deserves to be coined the newest "Wonder of the World." Yet, during the Gilded Age, the advancements in technology, one of the more popular early American literary device, poetry, didn't exactly benefit from industrialization. Many poets that had been popular before saw a diminishing role in magazines and newspapers. Similarly, because of the advancements in technology in the 21st century, newspapers and magazines are seeing a less important role in culture. By using the iPhone or iMac, digital newspapers and magazines or newspapers on iPhone applications have attracted audiences all over the world. Instead of waiting daily for a magazine which is a hassle to read, audiences can press a few buttons on their technological devices and find news at any time, anywhere. In the end, technological advancements in the Gilded Age helped the United States become the world power it is today.