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Upper School Students Answer the Question: Are We in a New Gilded Age?

In looking at the wealth gap in America during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century, students in Beth Driehaus’ history class connected the historical to the contemporary. “The question to be answered was, to what extent does the 21st century look like the 19th century economically, socially, and politically?” said Driehaus. “I asked students whether we are living in a new Gilded Age by asking them to figure out a life budget with minimum wage criteria.” Driehaus’ students calculated living expenses, from finding apartment rentals and tallying USDA food plan expenses to figuring out transportation, insurance, and utility costs.