Why does the term "gilded age" accurately describe the period of the late 1800s?

Question

a. it was a time when the government enacted reforms to help the poor
b. it was a time when corruption fell to one of its lowest points in U.S. history
c. it was a time when a thin layer of wealth seemed to cover up a great deal of corruption
d. it was a time when voter turnout rose and political corruption declined

Answer 1

The term "Gilded Age" accurately describes the period of the late 1800s because:

c. it was a time when a thin layer of wealth seemed to cover up a great deal of corruption.

This phrase, popularized by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner in their 1873 book "The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today," suggests that while there was significant economic growth and wealth among a small elite, this prosperity masked serious social issues, including income inequality and rampant political corruption.