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Chapter 23 – The Gilded Age Begins!
30 year period after the Civil War – marked by graft and corruption
EU: The Gilded Age left a permanent mark on American politics and the public’s beliefs about their government and officeholders.
The Changing of America
•Industrialization – RR, oil, steel, millionaires, Westward expansion, cities, immigration
•Socialization – Labor violence, collapse of small farms, Populist party, monetary policy
•Government – corruption, laissez-faire
The 1868 Democratic Ticket
The 1868 Democratic Ticket
No Reconstruction
SPLIT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY!!! MONETARY POLICY
Gold vs. Paper money! Very important!!!!!
Waving the Bloody Shirt!Waving the Bloody Shirt!
Republican “Southern Strategy” – Nast mocking
the DemocratsReconstruction
Irish immigrant Bedford – KKK Seymour
1868 Presidential Election
1868 Presidential Election
Grant won due to black vote => 15th amendment (1870)
15th Amendment15th Amendment Ratified in 1870.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Women’s rights groups were furious that they were not granted the vote!
Grant Administration Scandals
Grant Administration Scandals Grant presided over an era of
unprecedented growth and corruption.
* Credit Mobilier Scandal. (Colfax [VP] implicated)
* Fisk & Gould
* Whiskey Ring.
* The “Indian Ring.” – Belknap
* Salary Grab Act
The Tweed Ring in NYC
The Tweed Ring in NYC
William Marcy Tweed & His 40 Thieves (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 discredit Republicans.
Horace Greeley runsas a Democrat/LiberalRepublican candidate.
Platform:Civil Service Reform
End RR subsidies
End Military Reconstruction
Lower tariffs
Free trade
The Panic of 1873 – 6 yr depression (farmers & blacks hurt most)
The Panic of 1873 – 6 yr depression (farmers & blacks hurt most)
Causes – overbuilding of: RR, manufacturing, agriculture & too many loans, Species Redemption Act
It raises “the moneyquestion.”
* debtors seek inflationarymonetary policy bycontinuing circulation of greenbacks. Easy Money
* creditors, intellectuals support Hard Money.
1875 Specie Redemption Act – withdrawal of paper money by Treasury => contraction => depression
1876 Greenback Party formed & makes gains in congressional races The “Crime of ’73’!
Legal ChallengesLegal Challenges The Slaughterhouse Cases (1873) LA state law closed
all private slaughterhouses and put them under state control, @ issue was “individual rights” of 13th and 14th amendment. Supreme Court ruled that state rules are not guaranteed by the 13th and 14th amendment, this applies to federal institutions only. Significance -sought to secure Blacks rights.
Bradwell v. IL (1873) Myra Bradwell applied for state bar as an atty – denied b/c of gender. Sued under protection of 14th amendment (lost!)
U. S. v. Cruickshank (1876) (Colfax Massacre – Easter) Blacks were assembled outside a court house, attacked by white militia. 2 of the white militia were arrested for trying to deny federal rights. SC decision again, 14th amendment only applies to federal laws and rights.
U. S. v. Reese (1876) – Black had sued for voting rights against KY poll restrictions.
Northern Support WanesNorthern Support Wanes “Grantism” & corruption.
Panic of 1873 [6-yeardepression].
Concern over westwardexpansion and Indian wars.
Key monetary issues:
* Easy Money V Hard Money
Alas, the Woes of Childhood…
Alas, the Woes of Childhood…
Sammy Tilden—Boo-Hoo! Ruthy Hayes’s got my Presidency, and he won’t give it to me!
Intense Intense Voter Voter
Loyalty Loyalty to theto the
Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties
Intense Intense Voter Voter
Loyalty Loyalty to theto the
Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties
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
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.
The Presidency as a The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office
The Presidency as a 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
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
MUGWUMPS!
1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential Election: DemocratsElection: Democrats1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential
Election: DemocratsElection: Democrats
Inspecting the Inspecting the Democratic Curiosity Democratic Curiosity
ShopShop
Inspecting the Inspecting the Democratic Curiosity Democratic Curiosity
ShopShop
1880 1880 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
1880 1880 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
The Solid South!
1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!
Charles Guiteau:I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!
Chester A. Arthur:Chester A. Arthur:The Fox in the Chicken The Fox in the Chicken
Coop?Coop?
Chester A. Arthur:Chester A. Arthur:The Fox in the Chicken The Fox in the Chicken
Coop?Coop?
Arthur does not support the Republican agenda… moves toward reform
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.
EFFECT: Politicians turn to big business for $$$
TheTheMugwumpsMugwumps
TheTheMugwumpsMugwumps
Men may come and men may go, but the work of reform shall go on forever. Will support
Cleveland in the1884 election.
1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection
1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection
Grover Cleveland James Blaine * (DEM) (REP)
“Mulligan Letters” and “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion”
Rum, Romanism & Rum, Romanism & Rebellion!Rebellion!
Rum, Romanism & Rum, Romanism & Rebellion!Rebellion! Led a delegation of
ministers to Blaine inNYC.
Reference to the Democratic Party.
Blaine was slow torepudiate the remark.
Narrow victory forCleveland [he wins NYby only 1149 votes!].
Dr. Samuel Burchard
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. “Pork Barrel Bills”
Vetoed over 200 special pension billsfor Civil War veterans!
Billion Dollar Congress
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)
The Smallest The Smallest Specimen YetSpecimen YetThe Smallest The Smallest Specimen YetSpecimen Yet
1888 1888 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
1888 1888 Presidential Presidential
ElectionElection
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!).
The Populists (People’s Party)
• James Weaver– Unlimited silver coinages– Graduated income tax*– Gov’t controlled utilities*– Direction election of Senators*– 1 term President– Direct vote at state level– Decreased work hours*– Immigration restriction*
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.
The “Gilded Age” Effect
Working in small groups, complete the following tasks:
1. Brainstorm a list of 10-15 political, social and economic effects of the G.A.
• (Example: Government corruption => public suspicion of gov’t officials)
2. Pick 3 YOU believe to be the most influential in today’s culture
3. Provide an example for each of the three (Grant Administration’s Scandals)
4. Provide a link to today’s beliefs about government (All politicians are crooks)
5. Cite three examples (one for each topic from #3)