Gilded Politics

17
Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 1 Gilded Age Politics All that Glitters, is not Gold

Transcript of Gilded Politics

Page 1: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 1/17

Free Powerpoint Templates 

Page 1

Gilded Age Politics

All that Glitters, is not Gold

Page 2: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 2/17

Free Powerpoint Templates 

Page 2

Nickname

• “Gilded Age” 

 – Mark Twain and Charles Dudley

Warner – Corruption of Grant’s presidency 

Page 3: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 3/17

Free Powerpoint Templates 

Page 3

Politics, Parties, Patronage, andPresidents

• American beliefs:

 – Mistrust organized power

 – Harmony of Laissez-Faire

 – Government Passivity

 – Government’s job is to “clear the way of impediments and dangers, and leave everyclass and every individual free and safe in theexertions and pursuits of life.” --RoscoeConkling

Page 4: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 4/17

Free Powerpoint Templates 

Page 4

• “One might search the whole list of 

Congress, Judiciary, and Executive duringthe twenty-five years 1870-95 and findlittle but damaged reputation.” 

• Henry Adams (grandson of John Quincy Adams)

Page 5: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 5/17

Free Powerpoint Templates 

Page 5

Corruption

• Congress=dominant branch of gov’t 

 – PATRONAGE

• Little party difference

Page 6: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 6/17

Free Powerpoint Templates 

Page 6

Well-Defined Voting Blocs

DemocraticBloc

RepublicanBloc

White southerners(preservation ofwhite supremacy)

Catholics

Recent immigrants

(esp. Jews)

Urban workingpoor (pro-labor)

Most farmers

Northern whites(pro-business)

African Americans

NorthernProtestants

Old WASPs (supportfor anti-immigrantlaws)

Most of the middle

class

Page 7: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 7/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 7

The Presidents

• 3/5 Presidential Elections, difference of1%!!

• No strong identification with a particular

issue• One Democratic Prez, little difference from

Republicans

• Americans expect patronage

Page 8: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 8/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 8

So what DID matter?

• The Tariff

• Currency

• Civil Service• Regulation of RRs

Page 9: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 9/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 9

Tariff

• Regional attitudes

• Party lines

Page 10: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 10/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 10

Currency

• Paper money (greenbacks) for gold

or silver (specie)

• The gold standard

• Pressure to coin silver

 – “Hard money”, “Soft money” 

Page 11: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 11/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 11

Civil Service

• “…a subject almost as dangerous in

political conversation in Washington asslavery itself in the old days before the

war.” --Henry Adams• Spoils system

 – How funded

• Movement for competitive exams

• The Pendleton Act of 1883

Page 12: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 12/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 12

Increasing Political Participation

• 78.5% average voter turnout in the 1880s – Approx 63.8% in 2008

• Election hoopla

• Emotional local issues

Page 13: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 13/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 13

Role of immigrants

• Increasing political participation

• Bosses deliver votes – Mutual self interest

• Tammany Hall

Page 14: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 14/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 14

1884, a Dirty Election Year

Page 15: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 15/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 15

1884, A Dirty Election Year

Page 16: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 16/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 16

Speaking of dirty… 

• Rapid urban growth

demands for services – Fertile ground for graft and bossism

 – Power vacuum

 – Patronage for votes and contributions

 – Improvements for kickbacks

Page 17: Gilded Politics

8/4/2019 Gilded Politics

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gilded-politics 17/17

Free Powerpoint Templates  Page 17

Boss Tweed