The Gilded AgeChapter 7, Sections 1 & 3

Essential Question

• How was the Gilded Age a time of social and political change in the United States?

The New ImmigrantsChapter 7 – Section 1

Why did they come?

• Escape religious persecution• Rising population in Europe• Independent lives in America• Shortage of work in homeland

Where did they come from?

• Southern and Eastern Europe• Northeast States

• China & Japan• West Coast

• West Indies• Eastern and Southeast

States• Mexico

• Southwestern States

A Difficult Journey

Steerage• Cargo hold of ship

Ellis Island

• New York Harbor• Open 1892-1924 • Chief immigration station

for East coast• 2% denied entry• Processing took about 5

hours• Physical exam• Government inspector –

easy questioning• 17 million immigrants

passed through

Ellis Island

Angel Island

• San Francisco Bay• Open 1910-1940 • Chief immigration station

for West coast• Processing took weeks to

months• Lived in filthy buildings

• Physical exam• Government inspector -

harsh questioning• Approximately 50,000

Chinese passed through

Angel Island

Nativism

• Favoritism toward native born Americans

What did they believe?

• Anglo-Saxons superior• Immigrants from“right”countries OK• Immigrants from“wrong”countries caused the

problems• Objected to religious beliefs of Jews and

Roman Catholics• Immigration restrictions

Nativism Groups

• American Protective Association• Vicious anti-Catholic attacks

• Immigration Restriction League• Pushed for literacy tests

Chinese Exclusion Act

• Banned entry to all Chinese except• Students• Teachers• Merchants• Tourists• Government officials

• Not repealed until 1943

Gentleman’s Agreement

• Japan agreed to limit emigration of unskilled workers to US

• In exchange for repeal of San Francisco segregation order• Local government

segregated Japanese children in separate schools

EffectsSkyrocketing population creates

problems in housing, transportation, water & sanitation, and safety

Social reformers establish programs to aid poor

Political machines seize control of major cities

Urban Growth

CausesInventions make farming more efficient and reduce

need for farm workers

Rural people move to cities to find work

Cities provide jobs and cultural opportunities

Immigrants arrive by the millions for a new life in

America

POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGESection 3

What does it mean?

• Gild: to coat with gold leaf or a gold color. To make seem more attractive or valuable than it is.

• Synonyms: overlay with gold, varnish, give glitter to, paint in rosy colors

The Gilded Age1876-1900

• The term Gilded Age refers to the political and economic situation of the United States from approximately 1876-1900.

• It created a number of immensely successful businessmen as public figures; these were often referred to as the“robber barons”.

“What is the chief end of man? To get rich. In what way? Dishonestly if we can; honestly if we must.”

-Mark Twain 1871

The Gilded Age

Phrase coined by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner in their 1873 book.

Video

• It was the best of times for the rich, it was the worst of times for the poor.

• At the height of the Gilded Age, 90% of the nation’s families earned less than $1,200 a year and the average annual income was $380, well below the poverty line.

Robber Barons built mansions on Fifth Avenue

• While the rich wore diamonds, many wore rags.• For immediate relief, the urban poor turned to

political machines.

Video

The Political Machine

• An organized group that controlled the activities of a political party in a city by taking advantage of the needs of the immigrants and urban poor.

• Ensured voter loyalty by providing jobs and social services to immigrants’ most pressing problems.

The Political Machine

Local precinct workers & captainsGained voters’ support on a city block or neighborhood.

Ward BossSecure the vote in all the precincts in the ward, or electoral

district.

City BossControlled the activities of the political party throughout the city.

What was the role of the political boss?

• Controlled access to municipal jobs and business licenses

• Influenced the courts and other municipal agencies

• Provide government support for new businesses• Often paid extremely well

• Reinforce voters’ loyalty• Win additional political support• Extend influence

What role did immigrants play?

• Immigrants provided the political machine with votes.

• Many precinct captains and political bosses were 1st or 2nd generation immigrants

• Entered politics & worked way up from bottom• Able to provide solutions

How did political machines maintain power?

• Fraud• Graft – illegal use of political influence for

personal gain• Bribes• “kicked back”

• Granted favors in return for cash• Credit Mobilier

Tammany Hall

NYC Democratic political machine

The Tweed Ring

• William Tweed (Boss Tweed) head of Tammany Hall 1868

• Graft involving construction of NY County Courthouse• Group of corrupt politicians

• The “forty thieves”• Cost taxpayers $13 million, actual cost $3 million• Tweed and his henchmen were tried, convicted

and jailed in the scandal

Thomas Nast

• Political cartoonist• Santa Claus, Uncle Sam,

and political symbols – elephant & donkey

• Aroused public outrage against Tammany Hall’s graft, and broke the Tweed Ring.

• Boss Tweed offered money to get him to cease cartoon attacks.

Patronage

• Giving of government jobs to people who had helped a candidate get elected.• “spoils system”

• Employees not qualified for positions• Used positions for personal gain• Reformers pressed for adoption of merit system

• Civil service

President Rutherford B. Hayes

• Could not convince Congress to support reform.

• Named independents to his cabinet

• Set up commission to investigate corrupt custom houses

Roscoe Conkling

• New York senator and political boss.

• Head of The Stalwarts.• Opposed change in the

spoils system.

Video

President James Garfield

• Gave reformers most of the patronage jobs`

• July 1881 was shot 2 times by mentally unbalanced lawyer whom Garfield had turned down for a job

President Chester A. Arthur

• Nominated for vice president by Conkling supporters.

• Turned reformer in office

• Encouraged Congress to pass civil service law

Video

Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883

• Authorized a bipartisan (supported by two parties) civil service commission

• To make appointments to federal jobs through a merit system

• Based on performance on an examination

Video

Business Buys Influence

• With civil service reform, employees no longer source of campaign contributions

• Turned to wealthy business owners• Alliance between government and big business• Business wanted tariffs raised to protect domestic

industry from foreign competition

President Grover Cleveland

• Democratic presidentelected in 1884

• Tried to lower tariff rates

• Congress refused to support him

President Benjamin Harrison

• Defeated President Grover Cleveland in 1888

• Won passage of the McKinley Tariff Act of 1890

• Raised tariffs to their highest levels

Here comes Cleveland again…

• Only president to serve two non-consecutive terms

• Supported a bill to lower the McKinley Tariff• Would not sign the bill because it contained a

federal income tax• Wilson-Gorman Tariff became law in 1894

without his signature

President William McKinley

• Inaugurated in 1897• Raised tariffs once

again

Taking Notes

• In a chart like the one shown, list examples of corruption in 19th century politics.

Corruption

Taking Notes

• In a chart like the one shown, list examples of corruption in 19th century politics.

Corruption

bribery

Election fraud

graft

kickbacks

patronage