The 1890's was also known as the "Mauve Decade", the "Gay Nineties", and "The Gilded Age". There were different aspects of the time that made the decade a great one. Also there were selected people who had an affect on the 1890s. The Spanish-American War affected the decade as other political issues. New Imperialism was happening during this time. All together the 1890's decade was great.

There were numerous amounts of events that occurred throughout the 1890's. The Homestead strike of 1892 was a strike with Union workers at a Carnegie Steel plant. The Panic of 1893 was a depression that lasted most of the 1890's. It had deflation, rural decline, and unemployment. The Columbian Exposition (1893) was when Chicago introduced new updated technology. The Pullman Boycott of 1894 was a result of Union members refusing to unload trains that carried sleeping cars, so they could protest the conditions at the car manufacturer.

There were three different presidents who served the US during the 1890-1899 years. Other than the presidents two other important people were Thomas E. Edison and Nikola Tesla. Fredrick Jackson published Frontier Thesis of American History in 1893. William Jennings Bryan created his most famous campaign speech against the gold standard. President Benjamin Harrison served one term of presidency from 1889-1893. Presidents Grover Cleveland served from 1893-1897. William McKinley served as president from 1897-1901. Both Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla were engineers; ironically Tesla was hired by Edison as one of his employees for his company. Thomas Edison invented the Kinetograph, which were examples of motion-picture technology.

There were political movements that had an affect on the US. In the spring of 1894 there was an event called "March on Washington". Which was when Jacob Coxey led people supportinghis cause to the US capitol in hopes of improving roads. Also Plessy vs. Ferguson in 1896, which established the doctrine of "separate but equal". Hawaii was annexed July 1898 when officials realized it was important as a halfway point to the Philippines. In the Treaty of Paris in 1899 the US pays 20 million dollars to Spain for the Philippines. The Spanish-American War was the most important event of the 1890's as far as politics is concerned. The U.S.S Maine sunk in Havana Harbor, which triggered the Spanish-American War. The war was ended with the Armistice Agreement of Spanish-American War. The result of the agreement was that Spain would liberate Cuba and cedes Puerto Rico and Guam to the US.

         I felt the 1890's was a decade that was very prosperous in many ways. The communities were getting much more involved in improving the US. We obtained more territory and land. The 1890's was involved politically, socially and economically because of the new inventions and purchases being made. The 1890's did have negative qualities but the positive and prosperous times overcame the struggles making it an outstanding decade.       

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_%281865-1918%29#Reconstruction

http://www.quia.com/jg/319700list.html

Appleby, Joyce, Brinkley,Alan, Brousard, Albert, McPherson, James, Richie, Donald, The American Vision:Modern Times. New York; Columbus; Chicago; Peoria, Woodland Hill: Glencoe, 2006.