The Gilded Age

The Characteristics

The Gilded Age

• Definition : Mark Twain called the late nineteenth century the "Gilded Age." By this, he meant that the period was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath.

Two general themes caused tension during the Gilded Age

• Laissez-faire "1: a doctrine opposing government interference in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for the maintenance of peace and property rights." Source: Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (1990).

• Concentration of power in the hands of the government at all levels - local, state, and federal. Government during this period assumed more authority and power, especially expanding its bureaucratic control and authority. Major areas of expansion of government power included land policy, railroad subsidies, tax/tariff policy, immigration policy, and Indian policy.

Politics

• Insignificant– Positions of both parties were very much alike– Major conflict, who would win the presidency– Both parties very conservative

1. A Two-Party 1. A Two-Party StalemateStalemate

1. A Two-Party 1. A Two-Party StalemateStalemate

Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”

Very Laissez Faire Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt.

Very Laissez Faire 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.

Republicans

• Party of Emancipation• Party of “Reform”• Party of Tariffs• Supporter of Big Business• Split into two groups Stalwarts (support

patronage) and Half-breeds (reform in Civil Service).

• Northern, Midwestern and Protestant• Will control the Senate

Democrats

• Party of the South

• The immigrants and the large cities.

• Large Catholic support

• Pro business

• Pro tariffs if they did not include agriculture

• Will control the House of Representatives from 1877-1897

Rutherford B. Hayes ( R )

• 1877-1881

• Ends Reconstruction in the South

• Built his cabinet with men of merit

• Tried to enforce Civil Rights for African-Americans

• Pro business

• Sent troops to end Railroad Strike

James Garfield (R

James A. Garfield ( R )

• 1881

• Assassinated while President by a disgruntled office seeker

• Tried to assert the power of the President

• Pro - business

Chester A. Arthur ( R )

• 1881 – 1885

• Passes the Pendleton Act that sets up the Civil Service Commission

• Signed the Chinese Exclusion Act

• Tried to lower tariffs

• Pro- business

Grover Cleveland (D)

• 1885-1889• Elected President with a coalition of Democrats

and Reform Republicans known as Mugwumps.• He felt the federal government was not in the

business of helping people• Angered railroads by taking back 81,000,00

acres of land• Signed the Interstate Commerce Act regulating

railroads

Benjamin Harrison ( R )

• 1889-1893

• signed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act "to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies," the first Federal act attempting to regulate trusts.

• Higher tariffs issued during his term

Grover Cleveland (D)

• 1893-1897• Depression of 1893• Still laissez-faire, took

care of the treasury but not the people or failed businesses

• Stands up to the British over Venezuela

Review

• Presidents are weak• Little help to farmers ,

Northern workers, or Southern Blacks

• Political leaders favored industrial, commercial , and financial barons

Government for the People?

• 1861- US had 3 millionaires

• 1900- 3,800 millionaires

• 1900 10% of population owned 90%of wealth

• 80% lived in poverty