the gilded age the gilded age also known as the golden age but was it really golden??? what would...
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The Gilded AgeThe Gilded AgeThe Gilded AgeThe Gilded Age
The Gilded Age also known as the Golden Age
But was it really Golden???
What would cause it to NOT be Golden?
Corruption… political scandal… patronage… etc…
Well-Defined Voting Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs
Well-Defined Voting 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
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.
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.
Voting system was
extremely corrupt and
unethical.
The President justdoled out federal jobs.
1865 53,000 people worked for the federal govt.
1890 166,000 “ “ “ “ “ “
Senator Roscoe Conkling
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!
Charles GuiteauCharles GuiteauCharles GuiteauCharles Guiteau
Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)
Civil Service Act.
The “Magna Carta” of civil service reform.
1883 14,000 out of117,000 federal govt.jobs became civilservice exam positions.
1900 100,000 out of 200,000 civil service federal govt. jobs.
Republican Republican “Mugwumps”“Mugwumps”
Republican Republican “Mugwumps”“Mugwumps” Reformers who wouldn’t re-
nominateChester A. Arthur.
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…!
James G. BlaineJames G. BlaineJames G. BlaineJames G. Blaine
“Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, that
continental liar from the State of Maine!”
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 After the Civil War, Congress raised
tariffs to protect new US industries.
Big business wanted to continue this;consumers did not.
1885 tariffs earned the US $100 mil. in surplus!
President Cleveland’s view on tariffs????
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)
1888 1888 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
1888 1888 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus
Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus
Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion
Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion Americans wanted the federal govt. to
dealwith growing soc. & eco. problems & to curbthe power of the trusts:
Interstate Commerce Act – 1887
Sherman Antitrust Act – 1890
McKinley Tariff – 1890
Based on the theory that prosperityflowed directly from protectionism.
Increased already high rates another 4%!
Rep. Party suffered big losses in 1890 (evenMcKinley lost his House seat!).
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.
Repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act.
Now What???Now What???Now What???Now What??? Responses to the Politics of the
Gilded Age
Populist Party and the Election of 1896- William Jennings Bryan versus William McKinley
Lincoln Steffen’s: The Shame of the City
Thomas Nast: Political Cartoons
Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson- Progressivism