Trachtenberg, Alan. The Incorporation of America: Culture and Society in the Gilded Age. New York, NY: Hill and Wang, 1982.

This book is an effective overview of the developments of the late nineteenth century. The author's particular focus is on cultural consequences of those developments. A "must read" for those teaching this period and quite accessible at under 250 pages.

Referenced in:
Who Wants to be a Millionaire?