The Gilded Age: 1878 - 1889"What is the chief end of man?--to get rich. In what way?--dishonestly if we can;

honestly if we must.“ – Mark Twain

Period of corruption during the 2nd Industrial Revolution

Tariff were high during the Gilded Age

Graft: Illegally using political power for personal gain

Patronage: Giving loyal party supporters government jobs

The Merit System: To get a government job, you had to take a civil service exam to prove you could to the job

Job promotion based on ability, not who you know, who you vote for, or how much money you have

Political Machines Corrupt form of local government

that has control of a city

Supported by immigrants Offered protection, employment,

financial assistance etc… Traded votes for favors

If the immigrant voted for the political machine, the immigrant would receive a job, protection etc.

Headed by a City Boss

Boss Tweed Head of the New York City Democratic

Political Machine between the 1860s-1870s

Tammany Hall was Boss Tweed’s headquarters in NYC

Thomas Nast: Political cartoon artists who exposed Tweeds corruption in his drawings

Hated Tweed

The Tammany Tiger Loose - What are you going to do about it?”The Tammany Tiger Loose - What are you going to do about it?”

BUSTED!!!!

Busted on 200 counts of fraud & extortion

12 yrs., escaped

Caught by Spanish police = recognized him from Nast cartoon

Garfield, Arthur & Stalwarts President Hayes began some reform

movements to end gov’t. corruption before he left office

Angered many Democrats, as these reforms prevented them from gaining office

James Garfield, a Republican, won the 1880 election with Chester Arthur as his VP

Ran on a platform of government reform

Stalwarts: Republicans who did not support government reforms

They might lose their job & power Didn’t support Garfield, but like Arthur,

as he didn’t like reforms

Garfield, Arthur & Guiteau Within months of his

election, Garfield is doing away with Patronage & the Spoils Systems

Charles Guiteau was promised a government job, which Garfield would not honor

Shoots Garfield in the back in a crowded train station

Garfield dies within weeks due to doctor caused complication

Chester A. Arthur1881 - 1885

Finished out Garfield’s term

Has a change of heart & focused on reform movement to stop corruption in government

Turned on the stalwarts

Passed the Pendleton Act of 1883 The merit system would be used to

obtain government jobs

Grover Cleveland1885 – 1889 & 1893-1897

Only President to serve non-consecutive terms

Democrat

Wanted to lower tariffs, but was unsuccessful because Congress did not support him

Believed that “voting should be based on opportunity, not ability”

Didn’t think immigrants should have to pay the poll tax or take the literacy exam

Benjamin Harrison1889 - 1893

Lost the popular vote, but won the election of 1888 through the electoral college

Supported by big business

Singed many bills to internal improvements

Navy Statehood of Hawaii

Signed the Sherman Anti-Trust Law

Biggest domestic problem during his presidency was high tariffs

Wanted to lower, but couldn’t – would lose support from big business

Conclusion

The increase in immigration caused many problems Urbanization & political

Political machines & government corruption caused reforms