Name ___________________
Modern U.S. History
Mr. Kraft
The Gilded Age
Power Point Notes
Gilded Age:
1. Gilded Age time period:
2. Define: Gilded –
3. Trends of the Gilded Age:





Hayes Administration:
1. Election of 1876:
 President –
 Vice President –
2. By how many electoral votes did Rutherford Hayes defeat Samuel Tilden in the election of
1876?
3. The Compromise of 1877 was a deal that established Hayes as the president of the United
States. What system did this compromise end in the southern states (Confederate States) that
were in rebellion during the Civil War?
4. What huge movement or migration that was already happening increased as a result of the
Compromise of 1877?
5. Where were the people of the “Great Migration” leaving and where were they going?
 Leaving –
 Going To –
6. What type of people were on the move during the “Great Migration”?
7. Why were the people of the “Great Migration” migrating?


1
8. What is the “spoils” system?
9. What is the problem with the spoils system?
10. What did President Hayes want to do with the spoils system?
11. Why could Hayes not end the spoils system?
12. What Republican Party group wanted to see the spoils system remain in place?
13. What Republican Party group wanted to see the spoils system ended?
14. Why was James Garfield chosen to represent the Republican Party in the election of 1880?
Garfield Administration:
1. Election of 1880:
 President –
 Vice President –
2. Who assassinated James Garfield?
3. Why did Garfield’s assassin assassinate him?
4. Who was appointed president of the United States after Garfield was assassinated?
Arthur Administration:
1. What was the goal of the Pendelton Civil Service Act (1883) passed during Arthur’s
presidency?
2. List the two terms of the Pendelton Civil Service Act (1883).


2
Cleveland’s 1st Administration:
1. Election of 1884:
 President –
 Vice President –
2. What government agency was created by the Interstate Commerce Act (1887) passed during
Cleveland’s 1st presidency?
3. What was the purpose of the government agency created by the Interstate Commerce Act
(1887)?
4. What type of people were “targeted” by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)?
5. How successful was the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) at ending unfair shipping
practices?
6. What type of people were helped by the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act (1887)?
 Type of people –
 How does the Interstate Commerce Act (1887) help this group of people?
Harrison Administration:
1. Election of 1888:
 President –
 Vice President –
2. What are the terms of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890) passed during Harrison’s
presidency?
3. Who were the two main “targets” of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)?


4. What was the problem with Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)?
5. What law was passed years later that ended the problem with Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)?
6. What is a tariff?
7. What does a tariff do to the price of a product? Why?
3
8. What are the terms of the McKinley Tariff Bill (1890) passed during Harrison’s presidency?
9. What were the two goals of the McKinley Tariff Bill (1890)?


10. What did other countries do to their tariffs in response to the McKinley Tariff Bill (1890)?
11. How were farmers severely hurt by the passage of the McKinley Tariff Bill (1890)?
12. If this law made it tough on farmers, why did members of Congress from states with a high
population of farmers (western and southern states) agree for this law to be passed through
Congress and not block it’s passage?
The Economy:
1. What does coinage mean?
2. What presently determines the value on American money?
3. What is Gross Domestic Product (GDP) a measure of?
4. What is Gross National Product (GNP) a measure of?
5. What used to determine the value of American money?
6. What law made it so only gold can be “coined” or turned in to money in federal mints?
7. What type of people called this law the “Crime of 1873”?
 Type of people –
 Why did they feel this was a crime?
8. What is a gold certificate?
9. What is a silver certificate?
10. What made gold and silver certificates have value?
4
11. What did this law unofficially do?
12. What was the Panic of 1873?
13. What battle between U.S. soldiers and Native American was a side affect of the Panic of
1873?
 The battle –
 Explain why?
14. Laws of Supply and Demand: Give the price in each scenario.
 low supply (shortage) = _______ price
 high supply (surplus) = _______ price
 low demand = _______ price
 high demand = _______ price
 low supply + low demand = _______ price
 low supply + high demand = _______ price
 high supply + low demand = _______ price
 high supply + high demand = _______ price
15. Define: Deflation –
 Is the U.S. money supply high or low? __________
 What happens to prices?
16. Define: Inflation –
 Is the U.S. money supply high or low? __________
 What happens to prices?
Bi-metallism:
1. What were the two goals of the free silver movement?


2. What is bi-metallism?
3. What is the occupation of the people that supported this movement?
4. What is the nickname of the supporters of this movement?
5. What is the nickname of the opponents of this movement?
5
6. Why did the supporters of this movement think that free coinage of silver would end their
problems they were experiencing?
7. What were “silver states”?
8. Where were the “silver states”?
9. What did “silver states” have a high population of?
10. What were “gold states”?
11. Where were the “gold states”?
12. What did “gold states” have a lot of?
13. What were the terms of the Bland-Allison Act (1878) which was passed during Hayes’
presidency?
14. What were the terms of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890) which was passed during
Harrison’s presidency?
Populism and the Populist Movement:
1. When was the Populist Party formed?
2. What is another name for the Populist Party?
3. What was the main occupation of the members of the Populist Party?
4. What was the goal of the Populist Party?
5. List four points of the Populist Party “platform”.




6. What political party dissolved and contributed the formation of the Populist Party?
6
7. List the three other Populist groups.



Cleveland’s 2nd Administration:
1. Election of 1892:
 President –
 Vice President –
2. Who represented the Populist Party in the election of 1892?
 Candidate –
 How many popular votes did he receive?
3. Why was President Cleveland not popular amongst the Populist Party?
4. What did the Populist party blame President Cleveland for starting?
William Jennings Bryan: Democratic “hopeful” for the upcoming election of 1896
1. What political party was William Jennings Bryan a member of?
2. At what event did William Jennings Bryan give the Gold Cross Speech?
 Event –
 In what city was did this event take place?
3. What did this speech “earn” William Jennings Bryan?
McKinley Administration:
1. Election of 1896:
 President –
 Vice President –
2. Election of 1900:
 President –
 Vice President –
3. What were the terms of the Gold Standard Act (1900) which was passed during McKinley’s
presidency?
4. When was the Gold Standard Act (1900) repealed (overturned)?
7
5. What is the name of the type currency that U.S. operates on today?
6. Explain what a “floating” currency is.
8