Ch. 23 Politics of the Gilded Age
Theme: Even as post-Civil War American expanded and industrialized,
political life in the Gilded Age was marked by ineptitude, stalemate, and
corruption. Despite their similarity at the national level, the two parties
compete fiercely for offices and spoils, while doling out “pork-barrel”
benefits to veterans and other special interests groups.
Theme: The serious issues of monetary and agrarian reform, labor, race,
and economic fairness were largely swept under the rug by the political
system, until revolting farmers and a major economic depression beginning
in 1893 created a growing sense of crisis and demands for radical change.
Theme: The Compromise of 1877 made reconstruction officially over and
white Democrats resumed political power of the South. Blacks, as well as
poor whites, found themselves forced into sharecropping and tenant
farming; what began as informal separation of blacks and whites in the
immediate postwar years evolved into systematic state-level legal codes of
segregation known as Jim Crow laws.
I. Grant Administration
A.
Election of Grant (1868)
1.
2.
“bloody shirt” but “Freedman” more
influential
“Ohio Idea”
a. Hard v. soft money Issue
B.
Challenges
1.
Corruption
a.
b.
c.
d.
2.
Panic of 1873
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
C.
Gold Ring (Jim Fiske and Jay Gould)
Tweed Ring
Credit Mobilier
Election of 1872 (“Turn Rascals Out”)
Bankers and Railroads
Congress controlled reckless growth with Specie
Resumption Act of 1875
Debtors push for silver but Congress stops
minting Silver coins in 1873— “Crime of ’73”
Bland-Allison Act, 1878 was a compromise
Greenback Labor Party, 1878 (soft)
Accomplishments
1.
2.
15th Amendment
Yellowstone National Park
Grant and GOP: Hard money
advocates
“Let Us Prey” by Thomas
Nast
II. “Forgettable Presidents”
(Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, and Harrison)
A.
Characteristics of Era
1.
2.
Two-party differences minimal but
high voter turn-out.
GOP factions
a.
b.
c.
B.
“Stalwarts” (R. Conkling)
“Halfbreeds” (J. Blaine)
“Mugwumps” (Nast)
Hayes (1876-1880)
1.
2.
Compromise of 1877
Ethnic Conflict
a.
b.
c.
C.
Jim Crow Laws
Plessy v. Furguson (1896)
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
Garfield/Arthur (1880-1884)
1.
D.
Pendleton Act, 1883
Cleveland (1884-1888)
1.
2.
3.
4.
“Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion”
Laissesz faire approach to business
Military Pensions
Lower tariffs
“I am a Stalwart. Arthur is now President
of the U.S.” Charles Guiteau in a Baltimore
train station in 1881
II. “Forgettable Presidents” (cont.)
E. Harrison (1888-1892)
1.
“The Billion Dollar
Congress”
a. Speaker “Czar Reed”
2.
3.
4.
Sherman Silver Purchase
Act, 1890 (soft)
McKinley Tariff Bill, 189048%!
Rise of Populism
a.
b.
c.
Farmer’s Alliances,
1880’s
People’s Party, 1890’s
Despite efforts TW,
racial division in south
“What can I do when both parties insist
on kicking?”
II. “Forgettable Presidents” (cont.)
F. Cleveland (1892-1896)
1.
Election of 1892
a.
b.
2.
Populists and the Omaha
Platform: Platform: 16 to 1,
graduated income tax, govt
ownership RR, Initiative and
Referendum, postal saving
banks, direct election of
senators, one-term limit, 8hour work day, immigration
restrictions.
Major Issue: Tariff
Panic of 1893-Worst in century!
a.
b.
Causes
Responses
a.
b.
c.
Repeal Sherman SPA despite
efforts of WJB.
Morgan’s Bonds
Wilson-Gorman Bill, 1894