Objectives:
- Explain the characteristics of the second Industrial Revolution.
- Analyze the rise of big business.
Scene 1 — Engage
Student Activity
Students are introduced to the Gilded Age and the goals of the experience. They review the meaning of the word “gilded,” then read a short excerpt from Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner’s novel The Gilded Age describing “beautiful credit” and speculative debt. Using the definition and excerpt, students post predictions on a class wall about the characteristics of the period that Twain and Warner labeled the Gilded Age.
Teacher Moves
Clarify the meanings of “gilded” and connect them to the idea of a shiny surface covering deeper problems. Provide historical context for the Gilded Age as a time of rapid economic growth, widening inequality, and corruption in business and politics. Use student predictions from the wall to surface initial ideas about wealth, poverty, and corruption and to frame the learning for the rest of the lesson.
Scene 2 — Explore
Student Activity
Students examine an image of an early skyscraper and read background text on the second Industrial Revolution, focusing on new technologies, urban growth, and the emergence of the United States as a modern industrial power. They then use The Gilded Age Part 2, The Rise of Big Business, and The Corporate Revolution to learn how big business developed and how corporations operated during this era. Using information from these resources, students complete a graphic organizer by defining key terms—corporation, economies of scale, bureaucratic hierarchy, vertical integration, and horizontal integration—in the context of the Gilded Age. Next, they create a concept map that shows major characteristics of big business, such as large scale, millionaire ownership, new management systems, and corruption.
Teacher Moves
Decide whether students will view the video in or out of class. Support students as they work with the texts, clarifying economic vocabulary and helping them connect examples from the readings to each term. After students complete the concept map, summarize and highlight the key characteristics of big business that will be important in later scenes.
Scene 3 — Explain
Student Activity
Students view an image of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s mansion and respond to a poll about whether they have heard of or visited institutions such as Rockefeller Center, Vanderbilt University, Carnegie Hall, the J.P. Morgan Collection, and Carnegie-Mellon University. They learn that these institutions were funded by four leading Gilded Age industrialists—Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and J.P. Morgan—and read brief descriptions of each man’s main business. Students watch the first 3:30 minutes of The Gilded Age, Part 1, then post responses on a class wall explaining what critics meant by calling these men “robber barons.” Next, they read an excerpt from Carnegie’s essay “The Gospel of Wealth” and complete a graphic organizer summarizing what Carnegie says the wealthy should do with their fortunes (live modestly, provide for family, and use wealth to benefit society). Finally, they revisit the earlier list of institutions and respond on a class wall to a prompt about whether the ultra-wealthy have an obligation to donate some of their wealth to charity, citing evidence to support their views.
Teacher Moves
Use the poll to introduce the four industrialists and explain that these institutions were funded by their fortunes. Prompt students to compare the Gilded Age “big four” with contemporary billionaires in terms of business practices, treatment of workers, and philanthropy. After students post about “robber barons,” share an exemplary response and explain how the term reflected concerns about unfair practices such as controlling resources, influencing government, exploiting workers, and creating monopolies. Guide students through the “Gospel of Wealth” excerpt, ensuring they identify Carnegie’s expectations for the wealthy. During the final discussion, connect Carnegie’s ideas to current debates about billionaire philanthropy, using examples such as space ventures and the “giving pledge” to deepen student reflection.
Scene 4 — Elaborate
Student Activity
Students examine an image illustrating Standard Oil’s impact on small refineries and read an explanation of supply and demand, unfair competition, monopolies, and the changing relationship between the federal government and big business during the Gilded Age. They learn how Rockefeller’s Standard Oil became a monopoly and how the Sherman Antitrust Act was introduced to address such concentrations of power. Drawing on this information and on Standard Oil Company, students write two paragraphs on a class wall: one explaining how antitrust laws protect individuals and another explaining how they protect businesses.
Teacher Moves
Clarify key economic concepts such as market economy, monopoly, and antitrust, using the Microsoft–Netscape example and Standard Oil as concrete illustrations. After students post their paragraphs, share strong examples and explain how antitrust laws promote healthy competition, fair prices, consumer choice, and innovation, and how they protect businesses by ensuring competition is based on merit rather than unfair practices.
Scene 5 — Evaluate
Student Activity
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher Moves
Facilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.