Bell Ringer • How do you think a political scandals like Credit Mobilier effected the way the Federal Government made policies during the Gilded Age? The Gilded Age The ”Forgotten Presidents” Background • Two major parties were the Republicans and the Democrats • Republican voters: • Supported business and industry • Protective tariff • Hard money policies • White Northerners • African-American Southerners • Democratic voters: • Opposed Tariff’s • Eventually adopted the free silver platform • White southerners • Northern city-dwellers What is a Tariff? • A tariff is a tax on exports • Was good for businesses • Was bad for farmers 1880 Presidential Election James A. Garfield vs. Winfield Hancock Garfield - 214 • • • • Republican Hard advocate for hard money (gold or silver) Chinese immigration reform Civil service reform Hancock - 155 • Democrat • Pro states rights • Low protective tariff’s Garfield’s Presidency • Fought political patronage • Assassinated in in July of 1881 • Vice President Chester A. Arthur would take office Arthur’s Presidency • In 1883 Passed the Pendleton act • Forbid levying political assessments against officeholders • Classified system • Tried to lower tariff rates • Tariff act of 1883 • Left in place strong protectionist barriers • Helped industrialization • Hurt farmers 1884 Presidential Election This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA 1884 Presidential Election Grover Cleveland - 219 • Democratic • Honesty and reform James Blaine - 182 • Republican • Corrupt • Imperialist foreign policy • Opposition to civil service reform Cleveland’s first term • First democrat in office since before the civil war • Did not do any favors to any economic group • “Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character. . . . ” • Interstate Commerce Act • First law attempting federal regulation of railroads 1888 Presidential Election • Grover Cleveland • Democrat • Tariff reform • Benjamin Harrison • Republican • Strong protective tariff • Sound currency • Efficiency in office Harrison: 233 Cleveland:168 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA Harrison’s Presidency • Sherman Anti-Trust Act • Protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies • Loopholes • Billion-dollar Congress • First congress to spend a billion dollars • Congress becoming less conservative • Civil War veteran pensions • Expanded navy Harrison cont. • Tariff Issue • Surplus of money in treasury • Surplus hurting businesses • Framed a higher tariff bill • Treasury surplus evaporated by the end of his term • Tariff Act of 1890 • Designed to show support of farmers • But didn’t really 1892 Presidential Elction This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA 1892 Presidential Election Grover Cleveland - 277 • Democrat • Opposed absolute free trade, reduce tariff Benjamin Harrison - 145 • Republican • Continue his fight for higher tariffs James Weaver - 22 • Populist Cleveland’s Second Term • Focused on the Treasury reserve crisis • Faced an acute depression in 1893 • Due to the Sherman Silver Purchase Act • Repealed the act • Wilson-Gorman Tariff bill • Lowered tariffs from 49% - 42% Gilded Age Presidents Campaign Poster • Using a sheet of computer paper you are going to create a poster for your President. • Your poster must: • Tell me what party they are from • Who their Vice President was • 3 things they did while in office • A picture that shows me what happened for each event Exit Ticket • Which President do you believe had the biggest impact on the Gilded Age? Why?
