think about it what does the word “gilded” mean?

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)?