Politics in the Gilded Age

1865-1900

Politics of the Gilded Age

The Gilded Age Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner

Believed that greed and political corruption lurked below the gilded object of the polite and prosperous of American Society.

Political Machines

A well organized (unofficial) political party 3 MAJOR COMPONENTS

PatronageSpoils systemPolitical ties

(PSP)

Patronage

the power to make appointments to government jobs or the power to grant other political favors.

Example?

Spoils System

an informal practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party

NOT BASED ON MERITMerit

Political Ties

Who you know

Political Machine

Factors for formation: Growth of urban (city) population

When population grows… What new demands are placed on a city? What services do the people need? How can a city address these needs?

Growth of Cities

Demands for more services: Schools Streets Sewer systems Fire/Police Utilities New construction

Parks Bridges Roads

Political Machines

Well organized political parties Were able to get who they wanted elected Corrupt

Political Machine

Political Bosses – Managed political machine Developed party positions Made deals with business leaders Controlled:

Voter precinct captainsAldermenCity council members

Precinct Captains

The “nuts and bolts” of the machine. Interacted with voters

Offered jobsPolitical favorsServices to local residents

FAVORS WON SUPPORT FOR MACHINE

Political Machines

Public Works Projects Created jobs

Who received those jobs?

Political Machines

TARGET: Poor/Working class/Immigrants

Immigrants

Political machines targeted immigrants WHY?

Immigrants

Harsh living and working conditions Were very loyal to those who helped them

Who helped the immigrants?

Tammany Hall

New York City Political Machine Sent members to Ellis Island

Provided temporary housing/jobs

Political Machines

Tammany officials helped get immigrants naturalized (to become citizens of U.S.)

Why?

Graft and Corruption

Political machines were extremely corrupt. Tammany Hall

Host to the “Tweed Ring” William Magaer Tweed

Boss Tweed

Corruption

Election fraud Graft Kickbacks

Election Fraud

Dead people voting More people voting than live in a city Voters that are not eligible Doctoring the numbers/ballots themselves Labeled ballot boxes (no secret ballot)

Graft

the acquisition of money, gain, or advantage by dishonest, unfair, or illegal means, esp. through the abuse of one's position or influence in politics, business, etc.

Kickback

A slang term used to describe the payment of something of value to another individual with the goal of persuading or influencing their decision or performance in certain situations.

Review

Political machine Political boss How did they work? Who did political machines target Summarize the three major ways political

machines were corrupt

Corruption Activity

Political Corruption Activity

Goal: Become the political boss of PENNCREST HIGH SCHOOL. Activity: -- Groups of 3-4—no more

Devise a plan including aspects of a Political Machine Apply your political machine to Penncrest H. S. Explain your plan for a political machine running Penncrest to the class.

Incentive/Payoff: 2 Points towards the next test grade for the BEST plan. The best plan will include multiple aspects of a political machine and apply

them reasonably to PHS.

Time Limit: 20 minutes

GROUPS: Designate a group leader, scribe, presenter, and if 4 members, a time keeper. (If only 3 someone will have double duty)

The Tweed Ring

Tammany Hall William Magear Tweed 1860’s $200 Million in GRAFT

1865-1871

Collapse of Tweed

Public opinion turns against Tweed WHY? Corruption was illustrated BY WHO? Thomas Nast / NY TIMES IN WHAT? Harper’s Weekly Magazine

Thomas Nast

Influential Political Cartoonist. Increased importance of cartoons in the

press. Who did cartoons communicate to? 50 cartoons

"stone walls cannot imprison me, no prison is big enough to hold the boss, in on one side and out at the other."

William “Boss” Tweed

“I don’t care so much what the papers write about me. My constituents can’t read… But they can see pictures.”

Tweed’s End

Tweed indicted -1871 Fraud Extortion

Illegal use of one's official position or powers to obtain property, funds, or patronage.

Tweed escapes from jail Arrested in Spain

Tweed dies while serving remainder of 12 year jail sentence.

Muckraker

Searches for and expose misconduct in public life. Name a publication that was a muckrakerName a person who was a muckraker

Review

1. What did political machines do to build and maintain support for their party?

2. What caused the decline in the public support for the Tweed Ring? 3. Name the three components of a political machine, provide an

example of each. 4. Name the three major forms of political corruption practiced by

these political machines, provide an example of each. 5. Who was Thomas Nast, what was his role in bringing down the

Tweed ring? 6. Explain why political cartoons were effective in bringing the

Tweed Ring to justice. 7. What do you believe is the most essential part of the political

machine—explain why.

Restoring Honest Government

Chapter 17

Section II

Scandal in the White House

Ulysses S. Grant

Elected President - 1869

Ulysses S. Grant

Republican Famed Union Army General Civil War Slogan “Let us have peace”

Grant’s Presidency

Grant’s Presidency Filled with scandal

Examples…

Grant’s First Term

Black Friday – September 24, 1869 Financier Jay Gould

Tried to use government to corner the gold market (to manipulate the value of gold)Had invested in the Gold marketGould claimed Grant knew and was involved

How does Grant’s term begin?

Jay Gould

Corners Gold Market Corner a market – manipulating the value of something

Head of Erie Railway

Bought up lots of gold Less gold available for everyone

What happens to the value of gold? Then the gold was sold after value increased Gould makes a large profit

Grant’s First Term

1872 Vice President – Schuyler Colfax Credit Mobilier Corporation

Founded by Directors of Union Pacific Railway

Transcontinental Railroad

Under construction

Union Pacific Stockholders

Sold shares of stock (investments) to members of the United States Congress

What’s the problem? What’s the Union Pacific’s interest? What’s Congress’s interest?

Schuyler Colfax

Colfax Speaker of House Then becomes VP

Had invested

SCANDAL

Kickbacks; GRAFT Credit Mobilier Overcharges Union Pacific Overcharges go into pockets of Credit Mobilier Who gets the money?

SCANDAL

Overcharged by $20 Million Welcomed Grant to Office

Election of 1872

Ulysses Grant (R)

Horace Greeley (R)

Republican Party Split

What about the Democrats? Horace Greeley

Supported civil service reformWanted to require tests

Those who earned the highest grades would get jobs What would this stop?

DEMOCRATS support Greeley Hoping to defeat Grant

Ulysses Grant

Played on his image A war hero!

REELECTED easily.

Vice President Henry Wilson

Grant’s Second Term

Corruption continues…

Over what? Taxation of Whiskey What happened?

Members of Treasury Department (Appointed through spoils system)

ACCEPT BRIBES from Whiskey makers.

The Whiskey Ring Scandal

Members of Treasury Accept bribes from Whiskey makers In return: Members of Treasury reduced the amount of

taxes the whiskey distributors had to pay

American Public

Fed Up with Corruption Created:

Distrust in American Government

The Struggle to Reform

Spoils System A Major issue in the election of 1876

Americans tired of corruption in governmentWould this election bring change?

Election of 1876

Rutherford B. Hayes Samuel J. Tilden

Rutherford B. Hayes

Victorious President

Rutheford B. Hayes

Vice President William Wheeler

What party retains power of the executive branch?

Rutherford B. Hayes

Reform Attempts to reform government angered his

party.

REPUBLICAN PARTY SPLIT

Stalwarts

Half breeds

Split of Republican Party

Why? Over the issued of patronage

Stalwarts – against reform NO merit system for jobs

Tests to show qualifications

Half Breeds Promoted the use of civil service exams Tests to show that one is qualified for position

Election of 1880

Rutherford B. Hayes Tired of toil (internal conflict) within his party

What to do?Stalwarts and Half Breeds

BATTLE for control of the party HALF BREEDS WIN!

Election of 1880

Half Breeds Win control: Nominate James A. Garfield

How will we get the Stalwarts behind Garfield?Balance the ticket

Half Breeds place a Stalwart in Vice President VP – Chester A. Arthur

Republicans Win Again

President James A. Garfield

Vice President Chester A. Arthur

Garfield Assassinated

July 2, 1881 GARFIELD SHOT

At a Washington Train Station 4 months after inauguration

Assassin CHARLES GUITEAU

Mentally unstable Had sought a government job – but was unsuccessful

Charles Guiteau

WHY? What was his motivation?

Believed assassinating Garfield would further the Stalwart cause. THE OPPOSITE HAPPENS

How? Who will take Garfield’s place?

Note: Garfield dies in September

Chester A. Arthur

Stalwart Sympathetic to the calls for reform of the

fallen President, Arthur abandons his opposition to reform.

Reforms and Reactions

President Arthur – 1883 Pendleton Civil Service Act

What did the act do? Established Civil Service Commission

Civil Service Commission Administered competitive tests to those people seeking

government jobs.

Pendleton Civil Service Act

What it did: Required a test for non-policy making Federal

jobs.

What it did not do Only covered 10% of Federal jobs.

Gentleman George

Election of 1884

Republicans nominate James Blaine Why not Arthur?

Recall the split in the partyWho were the Stalwarts upset with?

Mugwumps- Republicans who supported reform

Decide to vote for the Democrat CandidateGROVER CLEVELAND

Election of 1884

Cleveland Accused of fathering a

child outside of wedlock

Ma ma where’s my pa?

How did the Cleveland campaign react?

Grover Cleveland

Refused to “throw dirt” on the opposition. Stuck to the facts.

New York World4 Reasons to vote for Cleveland:

1) He is an honest man 2) He is an honest man 3) He is an honest man 4) He is an honest man

Grover Cleveland

“A public office is an office of trust” Determined to promote reform

DOUBLED the number of Federal Jobs requiring civil service exams.

Election of 1888

Grover Cleveland (D) Won popular vote

Benjamin Harrison (R) Won electoral vote Victorious

Reform Short-lived

Harrison and Republicans: Work to counteract all reform done by Cleveland

Review

Essay for Test:

Explain the inner workings of the political machine. To best do this, include the following: Who leads a political machine Name and explain, through an example or definition, the

components of a political machine Name and explain the three major forms of corruption

that political machines practiced.