When I think of that time period, the three things that come to mind are the Civil War and Reconstruction, The Gilded Age, and The Progressive Era. As you've both mentioned, DE and RD, it appears to me that each "period" built upon or tried to rectify the wrongs of the previous. The Civil War/Reconstruction period greatly increased the US industrial capacity, then proceeded to use it, and that utilization continued through Reconstruction. The Gilded Age, with its industrialists, inventors and tycoons, streamlined and, again, increased the impact of the US industrial might. The route of least resistance was often taken, and the pendulum swung hard the other direction with the Progressive Era.
The Progressive Era has always piqued my interest because I see so many dichotomies in action. The pure of heart doing good works that were manipulated by those who "knew best", or had "the latest science" to back up their claims, and the "righting" of social injustices that led to generations of those who were sapped of their personal initiative are two of those unintended consequences we hear so much about. The excess of The Gilded Age were turned on their heads and packaged in populist terns, but were no less excessive.
LK, I'm pretty sure I wrote a paper with parameters much like this at one point or another.
