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Think About It
• What does the word “gilded” mean?
EQ: What events and issues characterized politics in the
Gilded Age?
1. A Two-Party 1. A Two-Party StalemateStalemate
1. A Two-Party 1. A Two-Party StalemateStalemate
2. Intense 2. Intense
Voter Voter Loyalty Loyalty to theto the
Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties
2. Intense 2. Intense
Voter Voter Loyalty Loyalty to theto the
Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties
3. Well-Defined Voting 3. Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs
3. Well-Defined Voting 3. Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs
DemocraticBloc
DemocraticBloc
RepublicanBloc
RepublicanBloc
White southerners(preservation ofwhite supremacy)
Catholics
Recent immigrants(esp. Jews)
Urban working poor (pro-labor)
Most farmers
Northern whites(pro-business)
African Americans
Northern Protestants
Old WASPs (supportfor anti-immigrant laws)
Most of the middleclass
Opposing Politic Parties• Republican
• Appeal to industrialists, bankers, eastern farmers
• Want $ backed by gold (keep inflation down); high tariffs, pensions to veterans; gov’t aid to RRs; limits on immigration
• Enforcement of blue laws: prohibit activities seen as immoral
• Democrats• Appeal to less
privileged urban workers, laborers, southern planters, western farmers
• Want increase of $ supply; low tariffs; high farm prices; less gov’t aid to business; less blue laws
4. Very Laissez Faire 4. Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt.
4. Very Laissez Faire 4. Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt. From 1870-1900 Govt. did
verylittle domestically.
Main duties of the federal govt.:
Deliver the mail.
Maintain a national military.
Collect taxes & tariffs.
Conduct a foreign policy.
Exception administer the annual Civil War veterans’ pension.
5. The Presidency as a 5. The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office
5. The Presidency as a 5. The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office
Party bosses ruled.
Presidents should avoid offending anyfactions within theirown party.
The President justdoled out federal jobs.
1865 53,000 people worked for the federal govt.
1890 166,000 “ “ “ “ “ “
Senator Roscoe Conkling
1868 Presidential Election1868 Presidential Election
President Ulysses S. GrantPresident Ulysses S. Grant
Grant Administration ScandalsGrant Administration Scandals Grant presided over an era of
unprecedented growth and corruption.
* Credit Mobilier Scandal.
* Whiskey Ring.
* The “Indian Ring.”
The Tweed Ring in NYCThe Tweed Ring in NYC
William Marcy Tweed (notorious head of Tammany Hall’s political machine)
[Thomas Nast crusading cartoonist/reporter]
The Election of 1872The Election of 1872 Rumors of corruption
during Grant’s first term discredits Republicans.
Horace Greeley runsas a Democrat/LiberalRepublican candidate.
Greeley attacked as afool and a crank.
Greeley died on November 29, 1872!
1872 Presidential Election1872 Presidential Election
The Panic of 1873The Panic of 1873 It raises “the money
question.”
* debtors seek inflationarymonetary policy bycontinuing circulation of greenbacks.
* creditors, intellectuals support hard money.
1875 Resumption Act of 1875 (Specie Redemption Act.)
-
And They Say He Wants a Third TermAnd They Say He Wants a Third Term
1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential Election: RepublicansElection: Republicans
1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential Election: RepublicansElection: Republicans
Half BreedsHalf Breeds StalwartsStalwarts
Sen. James G. Blaine Sen. Roscoe Conkling (Maine) (New York)
James A. Garfield Chester A. Arthur (VP)
compromise
1880 1880 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
1880 1880 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!
Charles Guiteau:I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!
*Death causes reexamination of the spoils system
Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)
Civil Service Act.
The “Magna Carta” of civil service reform.
Republican Republican “Mugwumps”“Mugwumps”
Republican Republican “Mugwumps”“Mugwumps” Reformers who wouldn’t re-
nominateChester A. Arthur.
Reform to them create a disinterested, impartial govt. run by an educated elite like themselves.
Social Darwinists.
Laissez faire government to them:
Favoritism & the spoils system seen as govt. intervention in society.
Their target was political corruption, not social or economic reform!
1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection
1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection
Grover Cleveland James Blaine * (DEM) (REP)
A Dirty A Dirty CampaignCampaign
A Dirty A Dirty CampaignCampaign
Ma, Ma…where’s my pa?He’s going to the White House, ha… ha… ha…!
1884 1884 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
1884 1884 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
Cleveland’s First Cleveland’s First TermTerm
Cleveland’s First Cleveland’s First TermTerm The “Veto Governor” from New
York.
First Democratic elected since 1856.
A public office is a public trust!
His laissez-faire presidency:
Opposed bills to assist the poor aswell as the rich.
Vetoed over 200 special pension billsfor Civil War veterans!
The Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe Tariff Issue
tariffs to protect new US industries.
Big business wanted to continue this;consumers did not.
1885 tariffs earned the US $100 mil. in surplus!
Lower Tariff 1887- hurts factories and economy
Tariffs became a major issue in the 1888presidential election.
1888 Presidential 1888 Presidential ElectionElection
1888 Presidential 1888 Presidential ElectionElection
Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (DEM) * (REP)
Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison
Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison
1888 1888 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
1888 1888 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion
Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinionInterstate Commerce Act –
1887
Sherman Antitrust Act – 1890
McKinley Tariff – 1890
Based on the theory that prosperityflowed directly from protectionism.
Increased already high rates to 48.4%
1892 Presidential 1892 Presidential ElectionElection
1892 Presidential 1892 Presidential ElectionElection
Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison again! * (DEM) (REP)
1892 1892 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
1892 1892 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
Cleveland Loses Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Support Fast!
Cleveland Loses Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Support Fast! The only President to serve two
non-consecutive terms.
Blamed for the 1893 Panic.
Defended the gold standard.
Used federal troops in the 1894Pullman strike.
Refused to sign the Wilson-GormanTariff of 1894: set to lower tariffs and tax incomes over $4000 by 2%
Repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act.
Gilded Age Presidents in a
NutshellThe Forgettable
“Presidents”
• 18th-Ulysses S Grant (1869-1877)– Political Corruption
• Credit Mobilier Scandal
– Panic of 1873
• 19th-Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)– Electoral Count Act (Compromise of
1877)– Jim Crow Laws
• 20th-James A. Garfield (1881)– Assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau on
September 19, 1881 (due to this reform of Spoils System
• 21st-Chester Arthur (1881-1885)– Before taking office had benefited from the
system• In office-works for reform
– Passes Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883• Classify gov’t jobs and tests fitness
22nd and 24th-Grover Cleveland (1885-1889, 1893-1897)
• Supports RR, business (laissez-faire)– In 2nd term manages to turn many
voters to Democratic party- sent troops to break up Pullman strike
– Panic of 1893
• 23rd-Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)• Signed Sherman Anti-Trust Act• Approves high tariffs
– Hurts economy; dips too deep into treasury to pay pensions
• 25th-William McKinley (1897-1901)• Oversees tariff bill and stronger gold standard• Imperialist (more on this later!)• Society begins climb out of depression
– assassinated by an anarchist, September 6th, 1901
Writing Prompt
• Do you think government reforms made a difference during this period? Why or Why not?
• What role do you think government should play in business (even today)?