CH 23 Part 2 Notes….
“The Gilded Age”
Also called the “Victorian Age,” around the World…(Queen Victoria of
England)
Begins with Blue Pages 500 -501 [ an introduction into The Gilded Age – 1865 -1900 ]
FORGING AN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY 1865 -1899
A nation of farmers fought the Civil War in the 1860’s…80% of Americans lived in rural areas…
By the late 1890’s America had become an Industrial Nation and was on its way to becoming an Urban
one as well… 1860 20% live in Cities---BY 1900 40% AND by 1920 more than ½ of all Americans live in
Cities…a HUGE CHANGE…**** RURAL AMERICANS AND A HUGE FLOW OF IMMIGRANTS FLOCK TO THE
CITIES IN SEARCH OF JOBS ---and the “allure” of the city (new technology---department stores,
entertainment, city skyscrapers, the lights, the adventure---public transportation---even telephones by
1880) Women continue their amazing work in many reform movements, especially their own, but
also in reforming alcohol, the WCTU, led by Francis Willard becomes the largest Women’s
organization in the World—Settlement House Movement, led by Jane Addams and others, to help
the influx of immigrants ASSIMILATE to life in America – Mother Jones, becomes on the of the
leaders of the first large National Labor Union called the Knights of Labor, calling for an end to
CHILD LABOR and regulation of working conditions in these new factories…
THIS CHANGE PITS ½ OF THE NATION, RURAL, AGAINST THE OTHER ½ ,URBAN…a contest that we still
see today. Modern v. Traditional Society….and this conflict will guide the future policies for our nation.
Economic and Technological change came so swiftly….remember many of the amazing changes taking
place before the Civil War…. CONTINUITY AND CHANGE….The pace caused many to see a whole new
MODERN civilization.
The 2nd Industrial Revolution [Based on Steel, Oil, Railroads, Factory System] was not based primarily on
Textile Manufacturing [MAKING COTTON CLOTH] as the 1st Industrial Revolution was….. Remember the
Textile mills, Lowell System, beginnings of Labor struggles [CONTINUITIES]…The American System
developed by Henry Clay in the 1820’s was slow to develop…The Transportation Revolution had been
funded primarily by States and Private Companies…But as the Civil War removed Southern legislators
opposition to funding “Internal Improvements” the US Gov’t begins to fund these changes… the
increased Morrill Tariff, Morrill Land Grant Act [expansion of “state” universities focusing on Agriculture
and Engineering] , The Pacific Railroad Act of1862 &1864 [Federal Government Subsidies - which funds
the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads to build the 1st TCRR], and the Homestead Act in
1862…and the Market Revolution {creating a single American Market that went from Coast to Coast} was
well on its way to completion and Henry Clay’s dream was happening….The 2nd Industrial Revolution
will take advantage of these “internal improvements” and tap the resources of our massive
country; people, minerals, and ingenuity.
By 1900, there was 5 Transcontinental Railroads built all but one [James J. Hill’s, “Great Northern RR”}
with Federal Govt $$$ subsidies and they knit the National Market together. By 1900 the “West” had been
won….the “Frontier” land that was unpopulated and available for settlement and development was
CLOSED…leading many to believe that the “Safety Valve” had been closed…and a push for Markets outside
the U.S. began after we gain NEW COLONIES AFTER THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR IN 1898 (THE END OF
THIS PERIOD)
The Basis of the 2nd Industrial revolution was “new” Industries like Steel and Oil combined with
the Railroad. All Three industries are the basis of the 2nd Industrial Revolution and these businesses
grow massively and become the basis for the MEGAMILLIONAIRES; ANDREW CARNEGIE,-STEEL JOHN
D. ROCKEFELLER-OIL [called the richest man in world history], and THE VANDERBILT FAMILYRAILROADS. $$$ is needed for this expansion and the “bankers banker” JP MORGAN….becomes the best
manipulator of $$$ …..THESE MEN CREATE NEW FORMS OF BUSINESSES… using “vertical and
horizontal” integration…INTERLOCKING DIRECTORATES-TRUSTS- MONOPOLIES that COMBINE a
variety of corporations together managed by ONE BOARD OF DIRECTORS….The MODERN
MONOPOLY….as a business model and becomes the standard for the MODERN CORPORATION….because
it eliminates “inefficient competition.”
As we know, Reconstruction was occurring during this period as well….it does not occur in a vacuum…A
Reconstruction of the West and Society was also occurring as well…This massive flex of power by
the Federal Government early in this period, illustrated by their impact on the building of TCRR,
Settlement of the West, and Indian Wars gave way to “HANDS OFF” “lassiez-faire” Government policies
later in this period with business practices [no regulations—but we see a conflict here,, and the PEOPLE
(POPULIST PARTY) CREATED BY 1890 called FOR LOCAL, STATE AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION
of Business in the interest of the people], end of Reconstruction in 1877, and little IMMIGRATION LAW
[As always an accompanying rise in NATIVISM comes as well, best illustrated by the first act of the
federal government to ban a particular ethnicity—The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, 1892 which
bans Chinese immigration until 1943} …. gave us a confused political picture…. Massive
Government intervention in some areas of policy- and no government intervention in others…
These sweeping changes challenged the SPIRIT OF INDIVIDUALISM that Americans had celebrated since
the 17th century… THE WEST…as more and more people flock here to seek their fortunes…That PLACE,
the West, is seen as the last bastion of INDIVIDUALISM…and an escape from Government or Industrial
CONTROL over human life in America…however, even here the hand of GOVT & CORPORATE
CONTROL eventually becomes the RULE…even as it is ROMANTICIZED in the opposite…Large US
ARMY subduing the Native Americans, GOVT AND CORP>>>Control of the access to Natural Resources –
Minerals and Water…often the PIONEER had to struggle not just against the elements but also against the
POWER of GOVT & CORP.
The South continues to struggle to rebuild their infrastructure and Society…the “Redeemers” gain
control COMPLETELY and with the support of Scientific Racism…”White Mans Burden”…Social
Darwinism…Survival of the Fittest…(not just in the South) create a “Jim Crow” White Supremacist
Herrenvolk Democracy in the South …it called the “NEW SOUTH” due to its focus on bringing industry
into the South such as, Textile mills begin to move into the “non-union” South, and into this RACIST
SOCIETY…They get help from the Supreme Court and The philosophies espoused above which enables
them to make a mockery of EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW {14the and 15th amendments}…{note: in the
WEST, many of these same STRATEGIES to limit political rights of “newcomers???” (non-whites) are
implemented successfully as well} [however, in the Northeast with the rising tides of immigrants staying
in cities it is not as easy to dominate…and they fight hard politically and survive much better due their
increasing numbers and burgeoning political power in Political Machines, like Tammany Hall in NYC
(since Aaron Burr)- which really angers rich white industrialists]
PEOPLE…begin to question how to live in this NEW SOCIETY…with its rapid change…
REFORMERS…begin to examine life and attempt to solve burgeoning new problems… and suggest; Govt
regulation of businesses, infrastructure to handle the urban growth, fair labor practices, less corporate
control of government… all of these ideas began to lead to the creation of new Political Parties;
[Greenback Labor Party, Workingman’s Party, Socialist Party, Liberal Republicans, Populist Party,
Fusionism –mix of two parties}…and the rise of Labor Unions….and as previously mentioned a conflict
between a Traditional and Modern view of how Society should be…and how government should
intervene or not…Bitter disputes deeply divide the nation; debtors v. lenders on Monetary Policy –
greenbacks/Silver v. Gold Standard, farmers v. manufacturers, South and West v. Northeast…big govt v.
small govt, pro immigrant v. anti immigrant, Whites v. all other races, protestant Christians v. all other
religious beliefs, Science v Faith….and each interest group believing in the ABSOULTE TRUTH of their
ideas…
By the 1890’s the director of the US Census announces that the American Frontier has closed…that the
Era from 1607 – 1890, almost 300 years, which is dominated by the availability of cheap land in the west
had ended. WHAT WOULD NOW SHAPE AMERICA? Historian, Frederick Jackson Turner, at
the Colombian Exposition in 1893, celebrating the 400th anniversary of C.C. discovery of the new
world, in Chicago….reads an excerpt from his essay, “THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
FRONTIER IN AMERICAN HISTORY,” he states that the Frontier experience shaped a UNIQUE
PERSON IN THE WORLD…THE “AMERICAN,” UNIQUE FROM ALL OTHERS…This significant essay
would DEFINE our NATIONAL IDENTITY…. And with the CLOSING OF THE FRONTIER…How would we
be defined going into the future….and how would WE, THE USA, DEFINE OURSELVES…our role in the
WORLD.
What would DEFINE the Modern Industrial United States as we enter a new Century and the The
Progressive Era? Clearly the “GILDED AGE” (1865 -1898) battles over the issues mentioned above will
go a long way…certainly many of the issues are still today the center of argument and debate….
Ch. 23 Political Paralysis in the Gilded Age – 1869 -1896 p. 502 – 526
Note: These notes will cover the rest of the Chapter…that we did not cover previously in the last
unit…
This Chapter tells the narrative of the role of politics during this period…Chapter 24 is economics,
Chapter 25 is Social, and Chapter 26 is the West. The Zinn readings will present a slightly different
narrative of this period and I will post these to the website, it will be important for you to be
aware of both perspectives.
We cover our expansion into the World in the next unit that begins with Foreign Policy that
develops during the Gilded Age through the End of WWI.
Our Domestic Policy that emerges in the next unit, called the Progressive Era [1900 -1920], is
directly tied to the conflicts that emerge during the Gilded Age… and the reformers attempt to
deal with the problems of this new industrial modern society that develops during the G-A.
Introduction
As we know already, US Grant (1869 – 1877) is elected to two terms as President, 1868 and 1872, many
historians have seen his Presidency as being a failed one due to corruption and his inability to manage
the responsibilities of this new ENORMOUS nation and newly POWERFUL federal government…in reality
Grant is the 1st of the Modern Presidents that has to manage this LARGE BEHOMETH…and attempt to
manage the many conflicts that are still continuing from before the War to the many that develop after
the War. As the book states he does not do this very well…to some.
*****monetary policy debate******In the Election of 1868, Grant runs against Horatio
Seymour, a Democrat…MONETARY POLICY – how would the new Federal Banking System created during
the WAR continue to function ? Would Greenbacks, paper $$ printed by the Federal Government with its
value based on the credit of the US –similar to today, continue? THIS DEBATE OVER MONETARY POLICY
WILL RULE MUCH OF THIS PERIOD…Debtors or middle to low income persons and FARMERS want the
GREENBACKS to continue, “THE OHIO IDEA,” to redeem UNION War Bonds with Greenbacks, …this will
increase the amount of $$$ in circulation, inflation, LOW INTEREST RATES and allow for them to pay
their debts back easier….Creditors, lenders, rich monopolists want DEFLATION…less $$$ in circulation,
getting rid of greenbacks, going back to the GOLD STANDARD, this will make their $$$ worth more over
time, and certainly any loans will be harder to payback but the $$$ they already have will be worth
considerably more…even though these first “millionaires” acquired their wealth using the benefit of the
expanded currency (greenback) while most of the men were fighting a war…they hired substitute and
this new class of millionaires, are sometimes called “Shoddy” due to their practice of manufacturing goods
that were inferior….but allows them to make a bunch of $$$$.
By the Election of 1872, as we know from previous notes, CORRUPTION was everywhere in the 1st
4years of the Grant Administration and would continue on the local and State level as well… So the
“Liberal Republican Party” is formed to fight Corruption (that they do not control) and the huge sums
of $$$ that are being spent by GOVT for the 1st time in our history is ripe for the picking….the question
was to many not that the govt was spending but who would reap the benefit….THE SPOILS SYSTEM “PATRONAGE”-created by Andrew Jackson was now HUGE due to this inflated govt spending…control
over this was key. The Liberal Republican Candidate, Horace Greeley [newspaper publisher] was
also nominated by the Democrats (Fusionism)… they urge an end to reconstruction of the South and a
purification of the corrupt government [throw their rascals out and ours in  ] Grant wins again as
Blacks voting in the South allow him and the Republicans to control the nation and continue military
reconstruction, Indian wars, an expanded tariff, and the building if the 1st TCRR…. HOWEVER, soon after
Grant’s win in 1872 a MASSIVE DEPRESSION ROCKS THE NATION IN 1873, WORST TO THIS POINT IN
OUR HISTORY.******* The Depression of 1873 is one the main causes of the “failure” of
“Reconstruction.”
Depression, Deflation, and Inflation [huge]*************************
There are two (2) very disastrous depressions during the Gilded Age, in 1873 and in 1893*****
Obviously this depression has a huge impact on the end of reconstruction…a big reason why the
nation begins to tire of helping the newly freed people… THERE WAS NO SAFETY NET FOR
ANYONE DURING THIS PERIOD…so why should the former slave be any different?
*****Over-speculation and Over-production are the two main causes of every financial
panic in American History…. In 1873, it was in railroads, mines, factories, and output of
mechanized agriculture.
Bankers had many too many loans to finance these enterprises and when profits failed to materialize,
loans went unpaid and KABOOM…the market collapsed.
Bankrupt business, Failed Banks (including the Freedman’s Savings and Loan 7$million gone-poof), and
as more and more Americans were living in cities dependent on the industrial jobs….many lose jobs,
homes, food, everything….THERE IS NO SAFETY NET UNTIL 1930’S****
As always, debtors-middle class- farmers, are hardest hit. And they begin to campaign for a looser
monetary policy –Greenbacks or Silver*****. THE GOVT had already withdrawn over 100$ million in
greenbacks from the monetary supply by 1868…
“HARDMONEYITES” wanted it [greenbacks] all gone.
Why? – they wanted the $ they loaned to be paid back by $ worth more not less…AND they wanted
CONTROL of the monetary policy…to dictate their riches.
“CHEAPMONEYITES” wanted more greenbacks… and failing that idea…more SILVER COINAGE.
Why? – More $ meant cheaper $, thus rising wages-prices for agricultural goods-easier to pay debt.
Who would make this decision? The Federal Government….Who at this point controlled the policies of
the Government….the same people who funded their campaigns….the corporations… this is one of the
consequences of the Spoils System… one that Reformers do not address until later…if really at all …it is
really about who controls the system…[throw their rascals out and ours in] 
During this period…the CHEAP $$$ advocates…failing to get support for GREENBACKS… begin to
campaign for EXPANDING SILVER $$$.********... and when in 73’ congress reduces the coinage of
silver they denounce this as the “CRIME OF 73.” BY ADVOCATING FOR MORE SILVER, easier to get thus
more inflationary than gold…thus this could expand the $$$ supply. SILVER BECOMES THE FOCUS FOR
THE MIDDLE CLASS, worker, and FARMER….
Hard Money advocates win, surprise?, in 1874 …through trickeration they get the fed gov’t to print
more paper $...(remember that during the depression the only people left with anything were the very
rich…they gobble up the paper $$$) Then they superrich get congress to pass the RESUMPTION ACT,
1875, THAT WOULD REDEEM ALL PAPER $$$ IN GOLD…**** at face value !!! Congress also reduced the
coinage of Silver dollars in 1873, further reducing the money supply and benefitting the superrich. The
$$$ supply between 1870 and 1880 decreased--DEFLATION… this also deepens the depression. In
1879 the RESUMPTION OF PAPER $$$ FOR GOLD HAPPENS AND THE RICH GET RICHER…surprised?
THIS CONFLICT SPAWNS PROTEST ….and the Democrats win control of Congress in 1874 and 1878 and
it even spawned a NEW POLITICAL PARTY…THE GREENBACK LABOR PARTY which elects 14 members
to Congress… as we will see later….National Labor Unions BEGIN TO form and the Farmers create two
organizations – The Patrons of Husbandry called “The Grange” [a social-business group] AND The
Farmer’s Alliance [ a political group that becomes the POPULIST PARTY IN THE 1890’S]******
Pallid Politics in the Gilded Age***** [Writer Mark Twain is credited for naming this period]
The Republican Party controls the Presidency from 1860 until 1932****…One exception is Grover
Cleveland, Democrat, who twice non-consecutively is elected President****[only Pres. ever elected to
non-consecutive terms] 1884 and 1892 and Woodrow Wilson, Democrat, wins twice, in 1912 and 1916
….so out of 72 years Democrats only serve 12 years…I would say the Republicans DOMINATE THE
PRESIDENCY DURING THIS PERIOD.
However, GILDED AGE POLITICS was otherwise VERY COMPETITIVE*****
Voter turnout in elections during this period averaged 80% !!!
Every Pres. election was close…the majority party in the House of Representatives switched 6 six times
between 1874 and 1891…only three times did the same party control the Pres., House maj, and Senate
maj.
The Two parties were very competitive…BUT agreed on most issues, like the tariff, reform of the spoils
system-patronage-civil service, and monetary policy.
What caused such a ferociously competitive system in light of the agreement on most issues?
-Sharp cultural and ethnic differences between the two parties************
RepublicansPuritanical New England/Union Army Vets/Midwestern/intellectual-Industrial Elite/Blacks…stressing
codes of personal conduct and believed that the government should play a role in regulating both the
economic and moral affairs in society.
DemocratsCatholic Urban North Political Machine/Baptist-Methodist South/industrial worker/immigrant…less
likely to believe in any government interference in ANYTHING, and especially OPPOSED a single
government moral standard on an entire society.
*****The lifeblood of both parties was PATRONAGE-SPOILS. By disbursing jobs in government in
return for votes, kickbacks [campaign donations]*****, and party service.
The prime example of this was in the Republican party where two groups, the HALF-BREEDS, led by
James G. Blaine, and the STALWARTS, led by Roscoe Conkling. Both called for Reform…but in reality
they wanted control of the massive amount of Govt $$$ spent during this period…[kick their rascals out
and our in] …
NOTE: This comes to a head in 1880 when Pres. James A. Garfield is assassinated by a denied job seeker
(a stalwart) …he does this so that Chester A. Arthur (a stalwart and VP) would become
President…however…Arthur and Congress pass the PENDLETON ACT…which begins to lessen
the effect of the SPOILS SYSTEM-PATRONAGE…and CREATED THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM…TAKING
TESTS TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD BE MOST QUALIFIED AND THUS GET THE GOVERNMENT
JOB…however…solving one problem sometimes creates others [law of unintended consequences] and
when this takes away $$$ for govt jobs…the political candidate now turns to CORPORATIONS FOR
$$$ AND OBVIOUSLY THIS GIVES CORPORATIONS EVEN MORE INFLUENCE IN GOVERNMENT…..
*****The Election of 1876 / End of Reconstruction / The Birth of Jim Crow in the PostReconstruction South… is covered in the previous notes 
Rutheford B. Hayes, Republican, wins the Presidency over Samuel J. Tilden, Democrat
Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina all report two (2) election returns—one stating that the Democrats
had won, one stating that the Republicans had won…. The Constitution just requires that states submit
the results to Congress—where the Results would be opened and counted…but who would count it? The
leader of the House, a Democrat, or the President of the Senate, a Republican?
Without counting the 3 states that had controversial election returns, Tilden needed only 1 more
electoral vote…and had won over 250,000 more popular votes nationally. Congress forms an “election
commission”, 8 Republicans and 7 Democrats, members of the Supreme Court, Senate, and House of
Representatives, to be the final judge on the validity of the 3 controversial states election returns…
The Republicans and Democrats due to the impasse….make a deal to solve the dilemma…it was
already Feb. the new President would be inaugurated in March… this deal is called the
Compromise of 1877*************** Hayes, the Republican, is allowed to become
President…BUT… he has to fulfill two conditions---1, to remove ALL of the remaining
Federal Union Army from the South (allow the Redeemers, White Supremacists, to
take complete control of the South and begin to institute the SEGREGATED, LEGAL,
SEPARATE SOCIETY, BY THE 1890’S CALLED “JIM CROW”) 2, AND fund a Southern
Transcontinental Railroad.******
The Supreme Court rulings set the stage for the future… and validates legally the separation
of the races into the “Jim Crow” segregation system in the South************ there are many but
TWO (2) ARE MOST SIGNIFICANT:
1*****The “Civil Rights Cases of 1883 –
Pronounced much of the Civil Rights act of 1875, which forbade discrimination in public places…
unconstitutional…declaring that the 14th amendment prohibited only government violations of
civil rights not individual violations. (private discrimination is De-Facto)
*****Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 –
The Supreme Court ruled that “separate but equal” facilities were constitutional EVEN IF
IMPLEMENTED BY STATE GOVERNMENTS (discrimination by government IS CALLED DE-JURE)
Both of these rulings had a narrow interpretation of the 14th amendment… and combined with
other Supreme Court cases on voting…which allowed for Poll Taxes, Literacy Tests, and
Grandfather Clauses…. Completely eliminates Black voting in the South…and also is used to limit
voting in the West and Mid-West as well… By 1940 only 5% of Blacks in the Nation were registered
to vote…
*************************Reality:
The quality of life for Black Americans in the South [even the West and mid-west], and Asian,
Hispanic, and Native Americans in the West, was grotesquely unequal to that of whites. Segregated
in inferior schools, and separated from whites in virtually ALL public facilities, including railroad
cars, theaters, restrooms, restaurants, etc...ALL MINORITIES were assaulted by daily reminders of
their second class citizenship…ANYONE IN THE SOUTH OR WEST WHO CHALLENGED THESE LAWS
WAS DEALT WITH HARSHLEY USUALLY ENDING IN DEATH-LYNCHING…and it would take nearly a
century to redress the racist imbalance of Southern Society….coming somewhat sooner in the West
due to WWII Economic Expansion…BUT STILL LINGERING TODAY, FOR SURE.
THE LYNCHING CHART IN THE TEXT ATTEMPTS TO SHOW THE #’S…BUT IS VERY INACCURATE…
As we move into Chapter 25 we will see new Black leaders emerge—W.E.B. DuBois and
Booker T. Washington, Ida B. Wells, who will have different views about how to best
challenge and best face this difficult situation*****
Class Conflict and Ethnic Clashes
1877 – a year that marked the beginning of protest from the underclasses/CLASS WARFARE.
*******One simple message was sent to the workers…The US and State Governments would
ALWAYS SUPPORT THE RICH BUSINESS OWNERS…EVEN TO THE EXTENT OF USING STATE AND US
TROOPS….TO KILL YOU>>>> IT HAPPENS TO MINEWORKERS, STEELWORKERS, AND EVEN
POLICEMEN….IT DID NOT MATTER WHO YOU WERE YOU COULD NOT CHALLENGE THE WEALTHY
BUSINESSMEN…WITH OUT THE GOVT…BEING USED AGAINST YOU!!!! But….they challenge anyway
and later many benefit from their sacrifice.****
THE GREAT RAILROAD STRIKE OF 1877****The largest strike in the Nations History***
The owners of the 4 largest railroads collectively decided to cut employees wages by 10%.
The workers struck back…
President Hayes called in US Troops to stop the workers.
In response workers around the country stopped working.
More troops were called in by State Governors.
In the end the strikes did not benefit the workers….and 100’s of workers die.
*****The Labor movement had some weaknesses…racial and ethnic differences complicated unity,
more and more immigrants were coming in and used to break strikes, and as the factory system
developed there was less of a need for a “skilled worker”…so they could be replaced, easily.
Irish v. Chinese
The Chinese immigration began years before with the California Gold Rush and by 1880 there
were 75000 Asian newcomers in California, about 9%.
Many struggle after the gold rush dies down, but as the construction of the Central Pacific RR
begins in the 1860’s, the western portion of the 1st TCRR, many Chinese work in this dangerous
work through the mountains …The phrase “not a Chinaman’s chance,” was commonly stated and
illustrated their difficult life in America. In San Francisco, competition between the Irish and
Chinese for work cause ethnic clashes…Denis Kearney, leader of the Irish in SF, incited violence
upon the Chinese, Murdering many.
****Congress, in its 1st attempt to limit immigration, do so in 1882 with the CHINESE EXCLUSION
ACT. This act prohibited all further immigration from China…and stayed this way until 1943 (the
Chinese are our allies during WWII against the Japanese) *********
*****This also led to an attempt by Congress to take away the CITIZENSHIP of NATIVE BORN
CHINESE-AMERICANS …Surprisingly, amidst the prejudice of the day, THE SUPREME COURT IN
1898 (just two years after plessy) In the Case******** U.S. v. Won Kim Ark, 1898 *********- ruled that
the 14th amendment guaranteed citizenship to ALL PERSONS BORN IN THE UNITED STATES…This
doctrine, jus soli, Birthright Citizenship, provided much needed protections to Chinese-Americans and
ALL IMMIGRANT COMMUNTIES AS WELL AS FORMER SLAVES….
If Congress would have gotten their way….and had the PARENT’S NATIONALITY, jus sanguinis, right of
the blood, AND CHANGED THIS ….then even the former slaves and their children (dred scott) would have
been liable for deportation…as well as all immigrants…..
*****NOTE: MOST OF US TODAY HAVE RELATIVES WHO CAME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE….IMAGINE IF
THIS WOULD HAVE PASSED…HOW MANY OF US WOULD BE HERE TODAY??? Interestingly, today, some
have even suggested we change the law…still….interesting, hmmmm.
Garfield and Arthur
James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur received the Republican parties nomination for President in 1880
after “RutherFraud Hayes” left office…”Waving the Bloody Shirt,” Garfield, a Union veteran of the CW
defeated Winfield Scott Hancock, the Democrat, also a Union vet… in a close popular but rather large
electoral vote win….
Garfield is assassinated by Charles Guiteau, in a DC railroad station and died in September of 1881 only
serving a few months in office…Chester A. Arthur, VP, becomes President. As explained earlier in the
notes, Garfield was killed due to the killer not receiving a govt job…in return for his work on behalf of the
Republican Party… he was a Stalwart, like Arthur… The killer is found guilty and hanged…but uses
“insanity” as a defense…one of the earliest uses of this defense in our legal history…it failed.
Garfield’s death shocked politicians into reforming the SPOILS SYSTEM.
In 1883, Congress passes the LANDMARK…. PENDLETON ACT*******- The “magna carta” of Civil Service
Reform…it made compulsory campaign contributions from federal employees (kickbacks) illegal and
established the Civil Service Commission to make appointments to Federal jobs on the basis of
examinations rather than influence. This Reform initially only covered about 10% of Fed. Govt. Jobs [see
chart in the text for the growth of jobs now tested]…but eventually helped solve one aspect of this
problem that had led to the death of a President and much conflict within the parties…HOWEVER…where
would politicians now go for their $$$ for campaigns??? BIG CORPORATIONS Law of Unintended
Consequences…uh ohh…sadly Arthur’s surprising display of integrity was too much for his fellow
Republicans and his is not re-nominated in 1884…
The Blaine-Cleveland Mudslingers of 1884 {election of 1884}
In 1884, the leader of the Half-Breed’s, James G. Blaine, received the Republican nomination.
However, his reputation was not as an honest politician. Many Republican Reformers leave the party and
support Grover Cleveland, the Democrat, known as “Grover the Good,” former Mayor of Buffalo and
Gov. of NY. These Reformed Republicans were nicknamed, MUGWUMPS, {meaning that they were
hypocrites). The Reformers were appalled by the complete dishonesty of Blaine…illustrated in the
Mulligan Letters, (he tells the receiver of the letters to Burn them….but instead they were found and
published…these letters concerned kickbacks $$$ Blaine received for supporting a bill in congress).
Grover Cleveland was a burly bachelor…and colorful and successful politician. However, as in most
cases he too, had his issues…his libido…he had earlier had a child out of wedlock with a widower…. This
was used often in this campaign…”ma, ma wheres’s my pa?”
Blaine probably could have easily won the election, however, in the closing days in NYC while
campaigning, one of the speakers at his rally began to denounce the IRISH, not a smart thing to do in
NYC…this speaker stated that the Democrats were the party of “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion”….
This cost Blaine NY by about 1000 votes…and thus the Presidency….
“Old Grover” Takes Over
Grover Cleveland becomes the first Democratic President since James Buchanan in 1856, 28 years.
*******huge*****Cleveland makes one of the most famous statements in our political
history…when he vetoed a bill to provide seeds to help farmers in Texas whose crops had died due to one
of the worst droughts in our history,
“ Though the people should support the
government, the government should not support the people.” This
statement reflects the opinion that will be A main question through the end of the
19th century, through the 20th, and even today ….WHAT ROLE SHOULD THE
GOVERNMENT TAKE WHEN DISASTER STRIKES THE PEOPLE OF OUR NATION. (YOU
NEED TO REMEMBER THIS STATEMENT)********* This is the philosophy that supports the
“Bourbon Democrats”—those that are extremely conservative…This group DOMINATES THE
SOUTH… REDEEMERS… FOR OVER 100 YEARS, CALLED THE “SOLID SOUTH.”********
Cleveland believed in the idea of NO GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE WITH BUSINESS, “laissez-
faire,” [hands off]. Businesspeople, Monopolists, Bankers were overjoyed 
Cleveland attempts to begin to reconcile the North-South divide lingering since the CW….by naming to his
cabinet two former Confederates…and he also gave in to the Spoils by firing 2/3rd of the Federal
Employees and hiring Democrats to take their place…he also vetoes hundreds of pension bills that would
have benefitted former Union Soldiers.
Interestingly…Cleveland has to deal with Hawaii, when the white planters overthrow Queen Liliuokalani
they request US annexation…like Texas in the 1830’s…but Grover refuses due to his belief that the
Hawaiians did not want to be annexed…interesting.
Cleveland battles for a Lower Tariff
The Tariff was a big issue for GC… embarrassingly??? the Tariff had produced a surplus of $$$ annually
about 145 million $$$...The higher Tariff initially during the CW was used to help fund the war…but after
The Republican Industrialists continued the high tariff to their benefit… GC wanted to lower the Tariff
******[remember that the tariff was the chief way our Fed. Govt was funded until the income tax 16th
amendment is adopted in 1913} This is one key piece of evidence in the Myth, that conservatives
wanted a “Laissez-Faire,” or “hands-off” approach from Government when it came to business
“Regulation,” others could be Federal Subsidies for RRs  or The Supreme Courts ruling that a
Corporation is a “person” thus entitled to the protections of the 5th and 14th amendments---or that
States could not pass legislation regulating business due to the Constitution giving only the Federal
Government the power to control “interstate commerce.”
Big Industrialists opposed GC’s plan to lower the tariff…..Lower tariff’s would mean lower prices
for consumers and less protections for Monopolistic Corporations…In late 1887 GC asks Congress to
lower the Tariff…IT WAS NOT POPULAR…and IN A RARE CIRCUMSTANCE DURING THIS PERIOD WAS A
REAL ISSUE THAT DIVIDED THE TWO PARTIES…
****The Election of 1888 – Cleveland ran against Benjamin Harrison, Republican. The Tariff was the
prime issue….The Republicans, the party of Big Business, raised 3 million$ in campaign contributions
from businessmen (a practice that will continue even today)…and was used to pay for
votes…[remember this was before the use of the “Australian Ballot-Secret Ballot”] … Harrison wins the
Electoral Vote very closely but LOSES THE POPULAR VOTE BY ABOUT 100, 000 VOTES***A RARITY
BUT it had happened before in 1824 (corrupt bargain election JQA v. Jackson) and in 1876.
The Billion-Dollar Congress
The Rep. leader in the House of Representatives was Thomas B. Reed of Maine, speaker, and he bent the
House to his will….the “CZAR”…utterly dominated Congress…the 1st Congress in History to spend a
BILLION DOLLARS…They also pass the MCKINLEY TARIFF IN 1890…which was the highest ever in
peacetime…This TARIFF….sponsored by future Pres. William McKinley…HURT FARMERS
DRASTICALLY..and THEY RESPOND…in 1890 by crushing the Republican Majority in the House
reducing them to only 88 seats…even McKinley was defeated for re-election…and 9 members of a new
party, THE People’s Party or POPULISTS, are ELECTED TO CONGRESS (This new party
eventually becomes very powerful in many states and even nationally)
The Drumbeat of Discontent [Presidential Election of 1892]************
In 1890, the Farmer’s Alliance evolves into the PEOPLES PARTY, OR POPULISTS.
***********NOTE: This new party, The Populists, represented a huge number of people in the West and
South. In some states in the South, in Virginia in the 1880s called READJUSTERS, AND BY 1890 IN TEXAS,
ALABAMA, TENNESSEE, AND IN NORTH CAROLINA**** (LEADS TO THE WILMINGTON RIOTS OF 1898)
it openly challenged the previously untouchable Democrats and was successful due to a FUSION with the
Republicans to challenge the Democrats superiority… in these Southern States they were called the
Fusion Party…and in North Carolina…they won CONTROL of the Governor, legislature, and all local
governments –over 1,000 African-Americans were elected or appointed to office, including the last
African-American Congressman until the 1940s. ---which later led to the Wilmington Massacre in 1898
the only Coup de tat (military forced takeover of a government) in American History We will cover this
in more detail for sure…Many of the early FUSION PARTIES in the South combined Whites and
Blacks…although eventually after the 1898 Wilmington, NC Riots and subsequent take over by
force….This FUSION ends and even the populists shun blacks and become violent racists as well.
**************However, in 1892, this was just beginning… and in Omaha, Nebraska a Landmark Political
Document was produced…THE OMAHA PLATFORM OF THE POPULIST
PARTY*********HUGE***********(you need to know the details page 523
in our text) most of the Reforms that come during the Progressive Era (1900 -1920) are derived
from this document***********and many are what we consider today to be some of the most important
protections for all citizens against corrupt government.
The Omaha Platform of the Populist Party in 1892 combined the ideas of the Farmer’s Alliance,
Greenback Labor Party, and the Knights of Labor (huge national union). Here are a few POWERFUL
QUOTES FROM THIS DOCUMENT:
“We seek to restore the government of the Republic to the hands of the plain people…where it
originated.”
“Wealth belongs to him who creates it…if any will not work neither shall he eat.”
“We charge that the controlling interests of the two main parties have existed for power and plunder
and have allowed grievous wrongs to be inflicted upon the suffering people…they propose to drown
the outcries of a plundered people to benefit the capitalists, corporations, national banks, and
trusts…They propose to sacrifice our homes, lives, and children on the alter of GREED.”
“We declare that this government can only endure as a free government…built upon the love of the
whole people…we believe that the power of government- the people- should expand… to the end that
oppression, injustice, and poverty shall eventually cease in the land…the forces of reform this day
will never cease to move forward until every wrong is remedied and equal rights and equal
privileges are securely established for all of the men and women of this country.”
WE PROPOSE:
1 – GOV’T OWNERSHIP OF THE RAILROADS, TELEGRAPH, TELGRAPH.
2 - FREE AND UNLIMITED COINAGE OF SILVER
3 – A GRADUATED [PROGRESSIVE] INCOME TAX
4 - A SECRET BALLOT [AUSTRALIAN} SYSTEM
5 – AN 8-HOUR WORKDAY
6 - DIRECT ELECTION OF US SENATORS
7 – ADOPTION OF INIATIVE AND REFERENDUM TO ALLOW CITIZENS TO SHAPE LEGISLATION
DIRECTLY
8 – ALL LAND HELD BY CORPORATIONS, IN EXCESS OF THEIR ACTUAL NEEDS, BE RECLAIMED BY
THE GOVERNMENT AND HELD FOR ACTUAL SETTLERS ONLY
9 – RESTRICTION ON FURTHER IMMIGRATION
10 – A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT LIMITING THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT AND VP TO ONETERM
11 – THE ABOLISHMENT OF PRIVATE ARMIES OF MERCENARIES, THE PINKERTONS, AS THEY ARE
A THREAT TO PEOPLES LIBERTIES.
General James B. Weaver, Populist Party candidate for President, won over a million popular votes in the
1892 Presidential Election and 22 electoral votes [six states] in the election of 1892, The party captured
11 seats in the HOR, and several Senate seats, Several Governors, and controlled the State legislatures in
Kansas, Nebraska, and North Carolina…These successes, ON BOTH THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL
are seen as the GREATEST PERFORMANCE OF ANY THIRD PARTY IN THE HISTORY OF THE US.
[TRoosevelt surpasses Weaver’s Electoral vote and Popular vote count in 1912 running for the Bull
Moose or Progressive Party- which is the greatest performance by a 3rd party candidate in a presidential
election…however…the Bull Moose Party did not elect any members to Congress Governorships or
control any state legislatures ]
The response to the People’s Party – The Election of 1892
Nationwide strikes in 1892…raised the prospect that the Populists could join together industrial
workers and farmers in a combined effort to defeat the Big Business Capitalists… key idea… this will hold
true…this hope especially in 1896… There is a claim that the famed novel-movie, “The Wizard of Oz,”
written by Frank Baum, is based on this conflict---Dorothy’s magic shoes in the novel were made of
SILVER (MONETARY POLICY DEBATE)… THE YELLOW BRICK (GOLD) ROAD, THE SCARECROW –
FARMER, THE TIN-MAN-INDUSTRIAL WORKER… “OZ” IS an abbreviation of ounce… The Wicked
Witch of the West and her flying monkeys (Native Americans) 
However, it was not to be… and Grover Cleveland, the newly married former President defeats Harrison
again in the popular vote…but this time also in the Electoral Vote as well to gain the Presidency, uniquely
GC became the only President in American History to be elected twice non-consecutively, in 1884 and
in 1892  GC is unique though to be the only President married in the white house and to the youngest
first lady ever, 21, Miss Francis Folsom knew Grover Cleveland from birth, he was a close friend of her
father who was also an attorney in Buffalo… and who was 27 when she was born….and when her Father
died at age 11 Grover Cleveland became her Legal Guardian…and when she went to College they began to
date and he proposed to her in 1885 while President…she was 21 and he was 49…they had five children

Cleveland and Depression
The Depression of 1893 was easily the worst that occurred in the 19th century…and GC had the
pleasure of being in office a very short time before the economy crashed completely and lasted close to all
four years of his last term as President…(remember no President has ever been elected after a
depression arose while he was in office (except Monroe in 1819)
Over-speculation and Overproduction again are the causes…along with labor disorders and an
ongoing agricultural depression….
Remember despite the difficulties of the depression, GC was a conservative Democrat, who believed,
“although the people should support the government, the government
should not support the people.” So the people had little hope to expect the federal
government to do anything to ease their pain….and the Republicans dominate the mid-term elections, as
well as Populists and Fusionists in the South and West.
Due to the manipulation of Silver Certificates being redeemed for Gold as law mandated to the
exchangers favor and the Government’s huge loss (due to the declining value of Silver…the Govt
mandated 16 to 1 ratio was overvaluing Silver dramatically) GC was forced to look to the Private Sector
to build up the Govt’s supply of Gold…JP Morgan comes to the rescue and “loaned the US Govt 65 million
in Gold…for a 7 million dollar profit… and in 1894 congress Repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act
that was passed in 1890…this angered and emboldened Populists who felt that the continued
DEFLATIONARY policy was damaging them severely…it did…exacerbating the Agricultural depression
even more.
William Jennings Bryan, the young congressman from Nebraska, at this point rises in Congress and
begins his fight for farmers espousing Silver as the MAGIC that would solve the DEPRESSION…. In the
election campaign for President in 1896 Bryan rides his popularity supporting FREE SILVER to be
nominated by both the Populists and Democrats for President…and gives his famous “CROSS OF GOLD”
SPEECH…(which we will look at later in chapter 26)
Cleveland Breeds a Backlash
GC suffers further embarrassment when after he promised to lower the Tariff again…Congress actually
raises it or keeps it the same, with the Wilson-Gorman Tariff…the bill also contained a 2% tax on
incomes…However, the Supreme Court ruled the Income Tax UNCONSTITUTIONAL….THIS SETS THE
STATE FOR A TITANIC STRUGGLE IN the Presidential Election of 1896…
These Gilded Age Presidents: Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, and Cleveland
again are called the “Forgettable” Presidents due to their ineptitude and lack of insight to the
PEOPLE….
The memorable political struggles that occur during this era certainly defined the period and will
for sure bring a dramatic showdown between the Farmers and Industrial Workers v. the Rich Elite
Intellectual Business interests in 1896.
Pay attention to the Chronology as we cover chapters 24, 25, and 26 that deal with economics,
social, and the West…ALL HAPPENS UNDER THESE PRESIDENTS THAT WE HAVE COVERED HERE.