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The Gilded Age marked the rise of modern America through rapid industrialization, urbanization, and uneven economic growth. The term, coined from Mark Twains satirical novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, highlights the eras duality: wealth alongside deep social inequality. Corrupt industrialists, bankers, and politicians acquired fortunes, creating powerful dynasties like Vanderbilt, Morgan, Carnegie, and Rockefeller. These families shaped American economic, cultural, and political life for generations. As historian Robert Kelley observed, the Gilded Age was a paradoxical picture of booming growth streaked with crisis and ruined hopes.When & What Was the Gilded AgeNew York during the Gilded Age. Source: Williams LibraryThe Gilded Age spanned from the late 1870s until the early 1900s, and it is considered the result of two waves of the Industrial Revolution. During the first wave of industrialization in the late 1700s and early 1800s, new factories with mechanized production were built. This period saw the development of production equipmentsteam-powered spinning and weaving machines, steamboats, locomotives, and the telegraphmarking the shift from an agricultural to an industrial society. These factories were primarily built in bigger cities and towns in eastern and western America.The process accelerated after the American Civil War (1861-1865), coinciding with the rapid development of railroad construction, technological advancements, and is often referred to as the second wave of Industrialization in the United States. During this period, several key innovations emerged, including assembly-line production and new technologies, such as the telephone, automobile, and the electrification of homes and businesses.A Gilded Age-era political cartoon captioned History Repeats Itself, criticizing late-19th-century economic policies for reproducing the social inequalities of the Middle Ages. Source: Canadian DimensionIn 1869, the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad companies built the First Transcontinental Railroad, successfully linking the East and West. Increased accessibility to the railroad and connectivity made formerly isolated areas available to new markets. Meanwhile, commercial farming, ranching, mining, and steel production experienced rapid growth. This rapid industrialization required an increasingly skilled labor force, further accelerating Westward immigration and urbanization.Throughout the 1870s, many farmers, who struggled to sustain their families, immigrated, forming new settlements in the cities of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. By 1890, 28 percent of the American population lived in urban areas, and by 1920, more Americans lived in towns and cities than in rural areas.Robber Barons & Origin of the Gilded DynastiesA scene from a Gilded Age X-ray laboratory, the Record-Union (Sacramento, CA), October 25, 1896. Source: Library of Congress, Washington DCTo manage the emerging markets and productions, large corporations, commonly referred to as trusts, were born. They encompassed almost all production areas, including sugar, meat, and farm machinery.One typical feature of these trusts during the Gilded Age was the business strategy of vertical integration. According to this strategy, a company was in control of almost all the stages of production and supply chain within the specific industry, from raw materials to the final sale of the product.This allowed the trusts to cut costs, reduce wages, increase production efficiency, reduce dependence on outside markets, and undercut smaller competitors by keeping prices low, ultimately becoming a monopoly in their fields. In this way, enormously powerful dynasties of the Gilded Age were born.To some, they were the captains of industry and Americas greatest philanthropists. However, many saw them as robber barons who made personal profit from social and economic inequality.The Most Influential Dynasties of Americas Gilded Age1. The Vanderbilt FamilyPortrait of Cornelius Vanderbilt, by Mathew B. Brady. Source: Library of Congress, Washington DCThe Vanderbilt familys story represents a perfect example of the Gilded Age eras ambitious character. The dynasty was built by Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877), nicknamed the Commodore, who was a self-made businessman. He started building his business by selling steamboats, but soon founded the railway industry, which became the driving force of the Gilded Age.He established the New York Central Railroad and managed to accumulate a fortune worth approximately $100 million (about $2.5 billion in 2025) at the time of his death, controlling almost five percent of the American economy.The Vanderbilt Family was also renowned for their support of culture, literature, and the arts, frequently hosting artists, musicians, and writers. Nevertheless, with money came the love for a lavish lifestyle and luxury, which became the subject of criticism.2. The Rockefeller FamilyPortrait of the Rockefeller family. Source: Historic Hudson ValleyThe Rockefeller familys extraordinary journey also began during the Gilded Age. John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (1839-1937) rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential people in the United States.During the second wave of industrialization, John successfully utilized the increased demand for oil and launched an oil refinery near Pittsburgh in 1863. Just two years later, he co-founded StandardOil by adopting aggressive strategies like rebates, mergers, and cost-cutting that eliminated competitors.To this day, the history of the company remains one of the most exemplary cases of the vertical integration adopted during the Gilded Age.The Rockefeller family owned and operated pipelines, terminals, and secured favorable railroad rates and exclusive land deals. For these controversial business methods, the family was highly criticized and accused of holding a monopoly. The backlash resulted in the Sherman Antitrust Act (1890), which broke up StandardOil in 1892, though the companys hierarchy remained intact.By 1913, Rockefellers fortune reached $900 million (about $29 billion in 2025), nearly 3% of Americas GDP.Portrait of John Davison Rockefeller, by E. Johnson, 1895. Source: National Academy of Design/Rockefeller Archive Center, Sleepy Hollow, New YorkDespite its reputation, the Rockefeller family pursued philanthropy, founding the General Education Board in 1902 and the Rockefeller Foundation in 1913 to support the development of education, public health, scientific research, and social welfare.According to a 2017 article published in World Finance, Few names carry as much weight and intrigue as Rockefeller, a family synonymous with the birth of modern capitalism, the expansion of philanthropy, and the shaping of 20th-century America.3. The Carnegie FamilyPortrait of Andrew Carnegie, by Marceau, Theodore C, 1913. Source: Library of Congress, Washington DCAndrew Carnegie (1835-1919), among the wealthiest and influential businessmen in the world, was born in poverty. In 1848, he immigrated to Pennsylvania with his family. Initially, he worked in a cotton factory in Pittsburgh and managed to rise to dominate the American rail and steel industry.By the age of 30, he expanded his activity to include iron and steel industries, steamers, as well as oil refineries and wells, establishing the Carnegie Steel Corporationthe largest steel manufacturing company in the world. The corporation was sold to another Gilded Age businessman, J.P. Morgan, in 1901 for $480 million (about $13 billion in 2025).The Gilded Age transformed the Carnegie family by providing a suitable environment. In Andrew Carnegies own words, Labor, capital, and ability are a three-legged stool They are equal members of the great triple alliance, which moves the industrial world.Aside from seeking financial gain, Carnegie was a true philanthropist, believing in the Gospel of Wealth, the idea that the rich had a moral obligation to give back. In 1911, the Carnegie Corporation of New York was founded, shaping industries worldwide. It touched almost all the fields, from the discovery of insulin and the dismantling of nuclear weapons, to the creation of Pell Grants and Sesame Street, and the lives of many.4. The Morgan FamilyPortrait of John Pierpont Morgan, by Carlos Baca-Flor, 1915. Source: Harvard Arts Museum/ President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeThe Morgan family was one of the wealthiest and elite families of the Gilded Age. John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan (1837-1913) built the dynasty. Born in Connecticut, J.P. Morgan received his education in Europe and became a formidable financier.He began a career in international banking and railroads alongside his father, Junius Spencer Morgan. He would play a leading role in stabilizing American markets during the financial crises of the Gilded Age.His power increased during the Panic of 1893, when Morgan emerged as a stabilizer of the American economy. He lobbied the government officials to reorganize bankrupt railroads by incorporating smaller or struggling lines into the bigger system to reduce inefficiencies, control output, and establish cooperative agreements to stabilize prices and profits.Often, these measures translated into reduced competition, increased monopoly, and concentrated economic power in the hands of leading financiers, a phenomenon/ referred to as morganization.Nevertheless, the Morgan family created an industry worth$800 billion, and J.P. Morgan is now worth more than three of its largest competitorsBank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo.5. The Astor FamilyPortrait of John Jacob Astor, by John Wesley Jarvis, ca. 1825. Source: National Portrait Gallery, LondonThe Astors stand as one of the earliest examples of American families who acquired wealth and maintained their status and influence beyond the Gilded Age. They achieved dominance through the fur and real estate trade, particularly in New York. In contrast to the newly established wealthy industrial businessmen, the Astor family was considered part of the old money aristocracy.German immigrant John Jacob Astor (1763-1848) laid the foundation of the familys wealth by founding the American Fur Company in 1808. With high-level connections and aggressive politics, he established a monopoly on the fur trading industry.With the onset of the Gilded Age, Astor sensed the shifting dynamics in economics and heavily invested in New York City real estate, owning vast tracts of land there.After his death, his son, William Backhouse Astor Sr. and Jr., continued the legacy in the real estate business.Portrait of Mrs. Caroline Astor. Carolus-Duran. 1890. Source: The Met Museum, New York CityThe name of the Astor family became associated with high society, mainly thanks to Caroline Schermerhorn Astor (1830-1908), known as The Mrs. Astor, who curated a list of the 400 most prominent individuals in New York society, known as the Four Hundred.The history of the Astor family, while quieter than that of others, shaped American society as well as the urban development of New York City. As Astors biographer Axel Madsen, who quoted a friend describing the elder John Jacob Astor, remarked: All he touched turned to gold, and it seemed as if fortune delighted in erecting him a monument of her unerring potency.Legacy of the Gilded DynastiesA Standard Oil storage tank as an octopus with many tentacles wrapped around the steel, copper, and shipping industries, and one tentacle reaching for the White House, by Keppler Udo, 1912. Source: Library of Congress, Washington DCThe United States Gilded Age dynasties played a remarkable role in shaping American economy, politics, and society. They supported the rapid technological advances, built industrial empires, and laid the foundation of modern American capitalism.Beyond this, these dynasties left enduring marks on American arts, culture, education, and public infrastructure. Yet, the history of these families tells the story of how unchecked wealth, elite connections, and rapid industrial expansion focused on personal profit widen income inequality and social division.

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Northwest Rankin High SchoolAshley Smylie was a math teacher at Northwest Rankin High School in Mississippi.On March 19, 2024, math teacher Ashley Smylie drove home from her job at Northwest Rankin High School with her 14-year-old daughter, Carly Madison Gregg, who attended the same school. At one point, Ashley texted her husband, Heath Smylie, about plans to go grocery shopping later. Nothing in her messages hinted at the horror that awaited. That same day, Ashley Smylie would be shot to death in her Brandon, Mississippi home. And shockingly, the killer was her own teenage daughter.Inside Ashley Smylies Tragically Short LifePersonal PhotoCarly Madison Gregg, pictured with her mother Ashley Smylie and her stepfather Heath Smylie.Ashley Nicole Smylie was born on April 11, 1983, in Stuart, Florida. She would eventually make her home in Mississippi with her husband Heath, a physical therapist, and she built a life centered on family and community.Ashleys life was not without challenges her first husband, Kevin Gregg, suffered from mental illness and used drugs, and the pair divorced amidst the strife. And one of Ashleys daughters had died tragically young due to health issues. Still, Ashley found love again with Heath, who seemed to be a better influence on her surviving daughter, Carly Madison Gregg.Work was also incredibly important to Ashley Smylie. Teaching wasnt just a job for her it was a calling. She spent her days guiding teenagers through the challenges of high school mathematics, patient and steady, earning the respect of students and her fellow colleagues alike.At home, she was said to be a devoted wife and mother. Ashley loved reading, playing video games, and walking the familys Golden Retrievers. But tension in the family had been building. Carly was smoking marijuana, vaping, and using burner phones, all while trying to hide these activities from her mother and stepfather. At one point, she was briefly sent to an alternative school after bringing a Swiss Army Knife to class. As Carlys behavior became more concerning, fights at home became more frequent.Meanwhile, Carly kept a private journal that was filled with troubling entries, including statements like, Its okay to be evil, and You dont need family. Carlys legal team later claimed that she was struggling with dissociation, periods of blacking out, and voices in her head.One of Carlys friends became concerned about her drug use and burner phones, leading him to tell her mother. Then, after Ashley Smylie reportedly confronted her daughter about her vape pens, the situation turned deadly. The Horrific Murder Of Ashley SmylieAround 4 p.m. on March 19, 2024, Carly Madison Gregg entered her parents bedroom and retrieved a .357 Magnum pistol from underneath the bed. Concealing it as she moved through the house, she eventually confronted her mother and fatally shot her three times in the head.Haunting surveillance video footage from inside the home captured Carlys movements before and after the shooting. The video footage also captured the sound of gunshots and Ashley Smylies screams as she was shot.Following the shooting, Carly texted her stepfather from her mothers phone, saying, Are you almost home, honey? She also invited a friend over to the house, claiming that there was an emergency. Law & Crime Trials/YouTubeCarly Madison Gregg was captured on surveillance video footage before and after killing her mother Ashley Smylie.The friend later testified that after she arrived at the house, Carly said, Have you ever seen a dead body? My mom is in there. According to the friend, Carly added that she had three more gunshots waiting for her stepfather.At 5:03 p.m., Heath Smylie arrived home, unaware of the trap that had been set. As he walked in the front door, Carly opened fire. NBC15 reports that one bullet struck his shoulder. Despite his injury, he wrestled the gun away from Carly. At this point, Carlys friend was outside in the backyard.Heath later testified that he initially believed that there was an intruder in his home and recalled that Carly was screaming out of her mind, scared. It was like she had seen a demon or something. Carly soon fled the scene, and Heath searched the house for the intruder. Instead, Heath only found his wife, dead. Emergency services were called, and police arrived shortly afterward. As for Carly, she was later found about a half mile away from her house and was quickly taken into custody.Why Did Carly Madison Gregg Kill Her Mother?Personal Photo/TwitterAshley Smylie was 40 years old when her daughter murdered her.Carly Madison Gregg was initially taken to the Rankin County Juvenile Detention Center, charged with the murder of her mother and the attempted murder of her stepfather. Given the severity of the crimes, the case raised immediate questions about whether she would be tried as an adult.A judge in juvenile court did later approve a request to charge her as an adult, leading to her being transferred to the Rankin County Adult Detention Center ahead of her trial. Carly pleaded not guilty.During the trial, which took place in September 2024, prosecutors argued that Carly killed Ashley Smylie and tried to kill Heath Smylie because she was about to be punished for having a vape pen, using marijuana, and possessing a burner phone. They believed that the evidence showed planning and intent. State Attorney Michael Smith also argued that Carly knew the difference between right and wrong during the shooting.Meanwhile, Carlys attorneys insisted that she was having a mental health crisis, and a psychiatrist claimed that Carly didnt remember committing the murder at all. Her defense team pointed to her history of mental illness, including depression, and her behavioral issues. The teen had also allegedly been prescribed a medication that made her feel numb. They asked the jury to find her not guilty by reason of insanity.At one point, Heath Smylie took the stand and also claimed his stepdaughter did not remember the shooting. She was not herself and I do not believe she even recognized me, he testified. Despite everything, he also said that he remained in contact with her after the shooting.The jury deliberated for two hours before finding Carly guilty of murder and attempted murder. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, marking a rare occasion that a young teenager would face a lifetime behind bars. Rankin County District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said, Carly Gregg is evil and thats not easy to say, but the truth of the matter is that sometimes evil comes in young packages.While Carlys team has attempted to reverse the conviction, Ashley Smylies friends and colleagues have been mourning her deeply. After her death, Northwest Rankin High School grappled with the loss of a beloved educator and the unsettling reality that the person responsible had been one of their own students. And Ashley had gone home one day, not knowing she was about to die at the hands of her own child. The motive for her murder may never be fully understood, but what she left behind is the memory of a teacher, a wife, and a mother whose life touched everyone around her and who was gone too soon.After reading about the murder of Ashley Smylie, go inside the disturbing case of Isabella Guzman, the teen who stabbed her mom 79 times and later went viral on TikTok. Then, learn about the horrific story of Zachary Davis, the 15-year-old who bludgeoned his mother and tried to burn his brother alive.The post Inside The Tragic Death Of Ashley Smylie, The Mississippi Teacher Murdered By Her 14-Year-Old Daughter appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Bring Michele Hundley Smith Home/FacebookMichele Hundley Smith was 38 years old when she vanished in December 2001.On the evening of December 9, 2001, Michele Hundley Smith left her home in North Carolina to go Christmas shopping and she never returned. Her husband reported her missing, but despite an extensive investigation, the police were never able to determine what had happened to this vanished mother of three.Then, just last week, the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office received a tip that cracked this cold case wide open. On February 20, 2026 more than 24 years after Michele Hundley Smith vanished detectives found her alive and well. But her story isnt over yet.The Sudden Disappearance Of Michele Hundley Smith In 2001When Michele Hundley Smith set out to go shopping at a Kmart in Martinsville, Virginia, in December 2001, there was every reason to believe that shed simply be home in a few hours. But around midnight, her husband woke up their teenage daughter, Amanda. He was worried that Michele hadnt returned.The family reported Smith missing on December 31, 2001, and the police launched a search for the 38-year-old woman and the green 1995 Pontiac Trans Sport minivan shed been driving. A missing poster that was released at the time noted that Smith was endangered, noting, Michele is a mom of three children, she would not leave her kids by choice.Rockingham County Crime StoppersThe missing poster that was released shortly after Michele Hundley Smiths disappearance.But as the weeks passed, no clues emerged. In fact, it seemed as if Michele Hundley Smith had simply vanished into thin air.Amanda Smith appeared on an episode of The Vanished podcast in 2018 to speak about the theories surrounding the case. She claimed that her mother was an alcoholic who had been fired from her job shortly before she vanished. Amanda also stated that her parents had a rocky relationship and that her father believed her mother had been stashing away money in the months leading up to her disappearance.Still, Micheles family was concerned that something more sinister may have happened.In a statement, the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office explained, Over the years, the case drew the attention and collaboration of multiple agencies, including the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Despite countless hours of investigative work and the pursuit of numerous leads, Michele Hundley Smiths whereabouts remained unknown.Then, on February 19, 2026, detectives received new information about Micheles case. The following day, they made contact with her, finding that she was alive and well after 24 years. However, Michele asked that her location remain undisclosed. Micheles family was then notified of these unforeseen developments to mixed emotions.Mixed Reactions To Michele Hundley Smith Being Found After 24 YearsIn a post on the Facebook page Bring Michele Hundley Smith Home, Amanda Smith wrote, I am ecstatic, I am pissed, I am heartbroken.She explained that her father spent decades facing rumors and accusations about his involvement in Micheles disappearance. My father has been through so much, Amanda wrote, and I want it made clear that while their marriage had issues (just as many marriages go through) that my mom did not leave simply [because] of a bad marriage My dad is a great man.WFMY News 2/YouTubeAmanda Smith, Micheles daughter, speaking to a local news station in December 2021.Rockingham County Sheriff Samuel Scott Page noted that Michele made no accusations of foul play, stating only that she left due to ongoing domestic issues. Page also confirmed that there were no records of abuse or other allegations on file prior to Micheles disappearance. The District Attorneys office is now reviewing the case to determine if any charges for abandonment may apply.Despite Amandas anger, she still hopes that she will one day be able to forgive or even reunite with her mother, who is now 62. When my mom was a part of my daily life, she showed me a love and bond that will never ever be forgotten, Amanda said.Micheles cousin, Barbara Byrd, is experiencing a similar roller coaster of emotions. She told local station WFMY that she promised Micheles brother, who died several years ago, that they would find her someday.And now, against all odds, Michele Hundley Smith has indeed been found.After learning about Michele Hundley Smith, go inside 11 famous unsolved disappearances. Then, go inside the strange story of Vasile Gorgos, the Romanian farmer who returned home 30 years after he vanished with no memory of where hed been.The post A North Carolina Mother Of Three Who Mysteriously Vanished In 2001 Was Just Found Alive And Well appeared first on All That's Interesting.

In the most technical sense, a ROM hack is a modified version of a games read-only memory file (hence the name ROM), created by fans to tweak the graphics, level design, mechanics, story, or literally anything they want within a specific title.