CHAPTER 23

Gilded Age Politics

Essential Question?

In what ways did the politics of the Gilded Era reflect the laissez-faire attitude of the federal government?

What events brought about the end of Reconstruction?

1868 Election

Democrats nominate Horatio Seymour Platform: End military reconstruction, circulate more

moneyRepublicans nominate General Ulysses Grant

“Waved the bloody shirt”: ignited feelings of resent against Democrats for Civil War

3 southern states not allowed to voteGrant wins 214 to 80, largely thanks to vote

from freedmen

1868 Election

President Grant’s Timeline

1869: Wyoming grant’s women suffrage

1870: 15th Amendment

1871: Tweed scandal in NY

1872: Credit Mobilier Scandal Reelected

1873: Panic of 18731875: Whiskey Ring

scandal1876: Bell invents

telephone1877: Compromise of

1877

President Ulysses GrantServes 2 termsNot very political or

culturally intelligentRode success of military

strategy in Civil War into White House

Very much a hands off president, will lead to corruption in cabinet and Congress

Personal friend of Mark Twain

Smoking and drinking will lead him to an early death

Corruption Abounds

Two entrepreneurs nearly succeed in monopolizing the gold market

Grant is involved, but Congress doesn't impeach, only call his actions “stupid”

Political Machines

Political machines are organizations that use corruption and intimidation to secure power.

Most common in cities and states.

Most infamous: Tammany Hall in NYC, led by Boss Tweed

Tweed bilked $200 million out of NY tax payers

When someone questioned his tactics, their taxes increased

Tweed was finally brought down by Thomas Nast, a cartoonist who bravely stood up to Tweed threats

Nast’s Cartoons

Credit Mobilier Scandal

Railroad company that inflated their prices.

Federal government agrees to pay high prices because Congress was being bribed.

Vice President also accepted bribes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HRacLgdPJs

Whiskey Ring Scandal

Members of Grant’s own cabinet created a scheme to steal revenue from the whiskey tax.

Grant promised the public that he would “punish all”, in reality he aided them in their defense and exoneration.

Other scandals polluted the reputation of Grant.

1872 Election

Republicans re-nominate Grant

Liberal Republicans call for changes Amnesty to former

Confederates Reduction of tariffs

Democrats nominate Horace Greeley, a long time Republican journalist

Lots of mud-slinging and name calling

Grant easily wins: 286 to 66

Liberal Republicans fade away, but Congress completes their two goals.

1872 Election

Panic of 1873

Railroad and factory production was moving too fast for the economy

When these ventures failed many banks also failed.Freedmen, whom had begun to exercise economic

independence were hit hard, many AA learn to distrust banks.

Real problem laid in the lack of money Paper money was issued in the Civil War, but now that it was over

most wealthy individuals wanted to see it taken out of circulation and replaced with gold.

Government adopts this policy, but only rich have gold, hence only rich have $

Many begin to clamor for currency based on gold and silver (bimetallism)

Gilded Age

Name coined by Mark Twain: refers to the surface of American looking calm and prosperous, while in reality it was confusing and impoverished.

Very few differences between the Democrat and Republicans from 1876 to 1896.

Patronage (Spoils System) ruled the day; winning candidates would reward their supporters with jobs they were often unqualified for.

Election of 1876

Republicans nominate Rutherford Hayes, largely because he had been gov. of Ohio, a politically important state.

Democrats nominate Samuel Tilden.The election was close, no candidate received

a majority.Also, the returns from 4 states were

contested, with both Rep. and Dem. Claiming election fraud.

An extreme constitutional dilemma loomed; and the Democrats controlled the House

Compromise of 1877

To avoid partisan politics an electoral commission was created with Senators, Representatives, and Supreme Court Justices.

This group secretly worked out a deal: Hayes (Rep) would receive the votes from the 4 disputed states and would become president.

In return, the Democrats would get a withdrawal of troops from the South, patronage positions, and a southern transcontinental RR.

Deal agreed upon on 3 days before the inaguration.

Compromise of 1877

President Rutherford Hayes

1877 Reconstruction Ends Railroad strike

1879 Edison invents electric

light Dumbbell Tenements

introduced

Birth of Jim Crow

With the military and Republicans gone from the south, the Democrats could regain control

African Americans suffered by loosing jobs, homes, and rights.

Freedmen were forced into Sharecropping or Tenant farming, often for their old masters.

This new system closely resembled slavery: a poor AA constantly found themselves indebted to the landlord.

Southern states passed laws creating segregation de jure, and also disfranchised AA through literacy tests, poll taxes, and the grandfather clause.

AA also fall victim to lynchings in growing numbers.

Plessy v. Ferguson

1896Homer Plessy defies

state law by sitting in the white section of a train.

Case goes to the Supreme Court, on the claim that the 14th Amendment (Equal protection) was violated

Supreme Court fules against Plessy.

Finds segregation constitutional on the basis of “separate, but equal”

Justifies years 60 more years of legal(de jure) segregation.

Great Railroad Strike

1877 RR owners lowered wages.

Enraged workers organized a nationwide strike.

Transportation and commerce halted.

President Hayes calls federal troops to break the strike.

Over 100 killed.

Nativism Returns

Many Chinese men came to US to work in gold rush and railroad building.

White workers feared completion from Chinese, most were willing to work for lower wages.

Violent nativists often assaulted and murdered Chinese.

1882: Chinese Exclusion Act- 1st US law to stop immigration

- prohibited all new immigrants from China

Us v. Wong Kim Ark: established the principle of birth on US soil = US citizenship.

Principle has helped countless immigrant children become citizens.

1880 Election

Republicans dump Hayes, favor James Garfield with VP Chester Arthur.

Duo defeat Dem candidate Winfield Hancock 214 to 155.

Garfield is for civil service reform (ending Spoils System), while Arthur is against (Stalwart)

Assassination of Garfield

Garfield refused to give jobs to people that supported him unless they were qualified.

A disappointed office seeker shot Garfield, several months later he died.

Many believed that new president Arthur would continue with the Spoils System.

Arthur and many others saw the need to reform, passed the Pendleton Act which ended the Spoils System.

Ended patronage from individuals, but laid the groundwork for corporate financing of political campaigns.

Garfield Assassination

President Arthur Timeline

1881 Garfield Assassination Booker Washington

heads Tuskegee Institute

1882 Chinese Exclusion Act

1883 Pendleton Act

1884 Twain publishes

Huckleberry Finn

1884 Election

Rep nominate James Blaine, but he was tied to political scandals that hurt his election.

Dems nominate Grover Cleveland, NY governor

Campaign was perhaps the dirtiest in history, Rep uncovered the fact that Cleveland had an illegitimate son.

Rather than lie, Cleveland confessed.

Election came down to a group of Rep called Mugwumps: they supported Cleveland and sought to extend reforms throughout federal government.

Cleveland won 219 to 182

Only Dem pres elected 1860 to 1912

President Cleveland Timeline (1st Term)

1886: Haymarket Square Riot Wabash v. Illinois AFL founded Statue of Liberty

erected1887

Interstate Commerce Act

Dawes Severalty Act

Cleveland as President

Favored laissez-faire policies (“the government should not support the people.”)

Helped reunite the nation by naming several former Confederates to Cabinet.

Said he favored civil service, but fired many Republicans and replaced them with Dems.

Cleveland also attacked the high tariffs of the day.

Knew that low tariffs = low prices for consumers = less $ for monopolies.

Big business supported higher tariffs, so they also supported the Republican party.

1888 Election

Dems nominate ClevelandRep nominate Benjamin Harrison,

grandson of Pres. William Harrison.The issue of the tariff proved decisive, and

Harrison won 233 to 168.

President B. Harrison Timeline

1889: Jane Addams founds Hull House Oklahoma Land Rush

1890: Sherman Antitrust Act Populist Party founded Battle of Wounded

Knee1892: Homestead

Strike

Billion Dollar Congress

Congress spent money like never before.

Passed a new tariff, highest to that point in history.

Tariff forced poor, including farmers, to buy high priced goods from American manufacturers, poor suffered, especially farmers.

Farmers’ Alliance formed to fight for farmer rights.

Rise of the Populists

Backed by struggling farmers, the Populist Party was created.

Omaha Platform Bimetallism Income tax Direct election of

senators Initiative and

referendum Shorter workday Immigration

restrictions

All of these measures would eventually be enacted.

The Populists were hindered by constant strikes.

1892: Homestead Strike- Carnegie’s steel plant, 10 dead; federal troops called in.

Eastern mill workers and southern whites did not support the Populist because of calls for racial equality.