The Gilded Age of America
Political Developments
1868-1896
The Grant Administration: 1868-1876
Corruption: The Era of Good Stealings!
Credit Mobilier:
Railroad people made company
Inflated prices, government
money
Congressmen and the VP took $
Black Friday:
Attempt to corner
the gold market.
Grant allegedly
Involved in keeping
Gold from being
Sold.
Indian Ring:
Took bribes from businesses
supplying goods to
reservations
Secretary of War resigned
The Growth of the Political Machines
Tammany Hall: Political Machine that ruled New
York under the leadership of William Macy
“Boss” Tweed.
Cartoons courtesy of Thomas Nast
The Two Political Parties during the Gilded Age
Democratic
Bloc
 White southerners
(preservation of
white supremacy)
 Catholics
 Recent immigrants
(esp. Jews)
 Urban working
poor (pro-labor)
 Most farmers
Republican
Bloc
 Northern whites
(pro-business)
 African Americans
 Northern
Protestants
 Old WASPs (support
for anti-immigrant
laws)
 Most of the middle
class
 GAR (Grand Army of
Republic
Gold vs. Silver and the Economy
Panic of ‘73
Overspending and over lending burst
Banks went under
Battle of Soft Money vs. Hard Money
1875: Resumption Act led to pulling in more Greenbacks from circulation
(deflation)
16 ounces of Silver was equal to 1 ounce of Gold (Legislative Decree)
Crime of ‘73: US government dropped coinage of silver dollars.
Compromise of 1877
Democrats agreed to accept Republican results from 3 contested states IF:
Withdrawal of ALL federal troops in SC and LA
End of Radical Reconstruction
Black Freedmen no more Union Army protection
Redemption for the South
1880 Presidential Election: Republicans
Half Breeds
compromise
Sen. James G. Blaine
(Maine)
James A. Garfield
Stalwarts
Sen. Roscoe Conkling
(New York)
Chester A. Arthur (VP)
1881: Garfield Assassinated!
Shot: July 2, 1881
Died: September 19, 1881
Charles Guiteau:
I Am a Stalwart, and
Arthur is President now!
Pendleton Act

Civil Service Act.
(1883)
 The “Magna Carta” of
civil service reform.
 Competitive Exams for
federal jobs
 End of Spoils System
The Populists
In your group do the following
1. Explain what the Populist Part was
2. List supporters and members of the Populist Party
3. Outline specific beliefs that the Populist Party promoted or stood for
i.e. their platform
1884 Presidential Election
Grover Cleveland
* (DEM)
Mugwumps bolted to Democrats
James Blaine
(REP)
Rum, Romanism,and Rebellion
Cleveland’s Illegitimate child
1888 Presidential Election
Grover Cleveland
(DEM)
Benjamin Harrison
* (REP)
1892 Presidential Election
Grover Cleveland
again! * (DEM)
Benjamin Harrison
(REP)
Hayes Presidency
Compromise of
1877
Railroad Strikes
Hayes calls in
federal troops
Garfield/Arthur Presidency
Chinese
Exclusion Act
Pendleton Act
Cleveland Presidency Part I
Vetoes of
Pension Bills
Lowers Tariff
Though the people support the government, the government should not support the people
Harrison Presidency
McKinley Tariff
Act of 1890
Billion Dollar
Congress
Sherman Silver
Purchase Act of
1890
Homestead steel
strike
Cleveland Presidency Part II
Plessy v.
Ferguson
Repeal of
Sherman Silver
Purchase Act
Panic of 1893
Wilson-Gorman
Tariff
Loan from JP
Morgan: 65
million in gold
Major Political Issues during the Gilded Age
Tariff:
Explain the forces in favor of a high tariff and the forces against a high tariff.
Include both political parties and society in general from Cleveland (I) through
Cleveland (II).
Money Supply:
Explain the pros and cons of bimetallism as well as inflation vs. deflation.
Describe which segments of society promoted bimetallism. 1875-1896
Civil Service:
Explain how reforming the government job structure splintered the Republican Party
As well as the final reform that was legislated to combat the decades old spoils system