The Gilded Age
Page 9
Coined by Mark Twain
I. CORRUPT GOVERNMENT
-*Middle class moved OUT of the cities- MORE Urban
Poor Moved in
(*Chicago was more crowded that Shanghai China
Today)
-1.many people saw gov’t job as
means of wealth (Local or State
Gov’t jobs)
-2. graft : pocketing $ meant for city
projects
3. “kickbacks” : kicking back a portion
of earnings to the Political Party
(Machine) or Party Leaders (Bosses)
4. Fraud
II.POLITICAL MACHINES
-when a party comes to dominate an
area/ city: and control activities in
that city
1. -patronage (handing out city jobs or
political power in exchange for
public support) ,
*If you disagreed with the boss, he would not
help you/ your business out AND RAISE YOUR
TAXES.
2. -why did the public allow this
system??? Political Machines
provided more services for the
Urban Poor- that any city Gov’t
before it.
3.-boss controlled many jobs, services
Continued on next slide…..
3. WHY CORRUPTION IS
ALLOWED?
-most cities lacked services
-political machines helped those on
bottom to gain their voting loyalty
Boss (Political Machine leader)
- Controlled access to city jobs,
Business licenses
Influenced the courts
- Used power: build parks, sewer
systems, waterworks, gave $ to
hospitals, orphanages, schools
II. Political machines
4. Many Fell to Corruption as
influence Grew!:
- Fake names, to win elections
-fell to graft by asking Federal Gov’t
for more money that projects
actually cost…
-”kickbacking”- a portion of the
earnings
- Accepted brides to allow illegal
activity (such as gambling,
prostitution)
III. TWEED RING William M
Tweed
-controlled NYC 1868
Boss Tweed - Thomas
Nast - YouTube
1. -Tammany Hall ring (Dem. Political
Party) (Named after the place they met)
lots of graft and corruption (ex. NY
City Court:
asked for 13 million,
actual cost:3 million)
- *120 counts of fraud
- *12 yrs of jail
2. -exposed by political cartoonist
Thomas Nast: most powerful
cartoonist
Coined animal symbols w/ Dem & Rep. Parties
Nast was offered a $100,000
bribe to "study art in Paris," a
euphemism for discontinuing his
pictorial campaign against
Tweed.
IV. OTHER SCANDALS
1. -Credit Mobilier
RR scandal
-shares of RR given to Congressman
- In return C-men approved of Fed. $ to
build RR
- Kickbacks!  *Making RR company
huge & worth lots of $, helping
Congress-men make lots of $
-*lobbyists held great influence over
Congress for the large trusts
(Congress Pocketed the $)
V. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
-Patronage system puts unqualified
people in positions
(*help candidate get elected= reward of
a Gov’t job)
-Rutherford Hayes campaigns for
political reform
-urges the elimination of patronage
system and establishment of
merit system:
Giving Jobs to
most qualified
V. PRESIDENTS AND POLITICS
- *President Rutherford B. Hayes leads reform
efforts 1876
-*Pres. James Garfield continues reforms 1880
*-Garfield assassinated by job seeker who was
turned down for a job
Chester Arthur becomes President and
finally passes…
-Pendelton Act passes: a Civil Service
System that hires Gov’t officials based
on Qualifications, not political connections
TARIFFS DOMINATES
POLITICS
-Grover Cleveland(1884),
Benjamin Harrison(1888),
Cleveland again(1892) (Only
president to serve 2 Nonconsecutive terms)
-Tariff and reform are major
issues .. Next slide
-Tariff reforms fail as McKinley
Tariff passes– highest yet
TARIFFS DOMINATES
POLITICS
-Tariff and reform are major issues
Cleveland: won election of 1876,
first Democratic Candidate in 28yrs
- Tried to lower tariffs
High Tariffs: Tax on imports
- cost more $ to buy foreign
- Big Businesses loved them,
because it would protect their
Business by forcing people to
by domestic
Cleveland unable to lower tariffs
Tariff reforms fail as McKinley Tariff passes–
highest tariff yet