The gilded age refers to the period in the late 1800s when a layer of wealth and excess disguised poverty and corruption in america.
a. true
b. false

The correct answer is A. True. It was called that way because it seemed that it was going well while it was actually really bad for the people and only the rich were becoming richer. The metaphor is used because the gilded things aren't actually golden but rather guilded which means that they're not worth anything, just seem expensive.