1870 – 1920
The Gilded Age and the Progressive Era were two important periods in American history. The Gilded Age, from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, was marked by rapid industrial growth, urbanization, and a surge in immigration. Cities expanded quickly, leading to extreme wealth for some and widespread poverty and social problems for many others. In response, the Progressive Era emerged in the early 1900s, focusing on social reforms to address these issues. Progressives worked to improve working conditions, regulate businesses, and expand democracy, leading to significant changes that shaped modern America.
Turn-of-the-Century Immigration
Inventions, Engineering, and Transportation
Picture books
The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams
Inspiring story of reformer Jane Addams and the community center she built
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Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented
Award-winning story about the invention of Monopoly in response to the Gilded Age
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Jacob Riis’s Camera: Bringing Light to Tenement Children
Compelling picture book about a journalist and reformer whose photographs captured life in tenement slums
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A Race Around the World: The True Story of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland
Exciting story of two women racing each other around the world
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The Man Who Loved Libraries: The Story of Andrew Carnegie
Introduction to Carnegie’s life and libraries in their context of the Industrial Revolution
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Fannie in the Kitchen: The Whole Story from Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements
Charming story about a girl learning about Fannie Farmer’s innovation- precise measurement
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Steadfast: Frances Perkins, Champion of Workers’ Rights
Inspiring story of the reformer and Secretary of Labor
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A Green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park
Lovely story about the creation of New York’s Central Park during rapid urbanization
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Road Trip!: Camping with the Four Vagabonds: Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs
Fun story of four real industrialists and inventors on a camping trip
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Chapter books
All-of-a-Kind Family
Charming story of a Jewish family of five girls in New York City in 1912
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Uprising
Powerful novel from multiple perspectives, centered on the Triangle factory leading up to the fire
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The King of Mulberry Street
Exciting story of an immigrant boy surviving his new world in New York
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A Coal Miner’s Bride: The Diary of Anetka Kaminska, Lattimer, Pennsylvania, 1896
Fictional diary of a Polish immigrant girl adjusting to life in a coal town
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Hear My Sorrow: The Diary of Angela Denoto, a Shirtwaist Worker
Fictional diary of a girl working in a shirtwaist factory
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A City Tossed and Broken
Fictional diary of a girl surviving the San Francisco Earthquake
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Dear America: Down the Rabbit Hole
Fictional diary of a girl surviving the Great Chicago Fire
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The Strange Case of Baby H
Story of a girl solving a mystery in the aftermath of the San Francisco Earthquake
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Non-fiction books
Welcome to Samantha’s World-1904: Growing Up in America’s New Century
Exploration of the world of 1904 through the American Girl character’s eyes
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Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legac
Gripping story of the Triangle Fire and its connections to immigration, industrialization, and reform
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Shutting Out the Sky: Life in the Tenements of New York, 1880-1924
Stunning exploration of tenement slum life through the stories of five real immigrants
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The Progressive Era
Solid introduction to the major movements and reforms of the progressive era
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What Is the Statue of Liberty?
Introduction to the Statue of Liberty’s history and significance
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What Was the San Francisco Earthquake?
Introduction to the causes and effects of the San Francisco Earthquake
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The Giant and How He Humbugged America
Engaging story of a 19th century scam and the media landscape that furthered it
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What Is the World Series?
Introduction to the World Series, with a focus on baseball’s beginnings
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What Was the Great Chicago Fire?
Introduction to the causes and effects of the Great Chicago Fire
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The Great Fire
Riveting retelling of the Great Chicago Fire, with survivor stories interspersed
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The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in our Food and Drugs
Award-winning story of the scary states of American food and drugs, and how food safety won
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Gilded Age and Progressive Era Reference Library: Primary Sources
Collection of primary sources from the Gilded Age and Progressive Era
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Muckrakers: How Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, and Lincoln Steffens Helped Expose Scandal, Inspire Reform, and Invent Investigative Journalism
Exciting story of the rise of investigative journalism
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The Radium Girls: Young Readers’ Edition: The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark
True story of the workers poisoned by radium and the attempted coverup
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Biographies
The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Empire America
Engaging introduction to Theodore Roosevelt’s exciting life
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Who Was Nellie Bly?
Thorough introduction to the groundbreaking investigative journalist
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Who Was Theodore Roosevelt?
Thorough introduction to the president’s life and times
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Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America
Riveting biography of the infamous cook and her world
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Who Was Milton Hershey?
Thorough introduction to the chocolatier
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Activities
Nellie Bly and Investigative Journalism for Kids: Mighty Muckrakers from the Golden Age to Today, with 21 Activities
Activities inspired by Nellie Bly and the rise of investigative journalism
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