Name: _________________

The Gilded Age

1) Where did the name from this era in American history come from?

2) What was the underlying theme of the book that bore this title?

3) Who were the authors of the book?

4) What was the symbol of political corruption in the United States during this period?

5) Who was the leader who was led the most corrupt political organization in America?

6) How much money was stolen from the people of New York City by the political machine and its cronies?

7) Who attempted to corner the gold market?

8) Who helped him?

9) What was the Credit Mobilier scandal?

10) Who was the person at the center of the scandal?

11) What political offices did this person hold during his political career?

12) Whose administration did this scandal tarnish?

13) What was the “spoils system?”

14) What is meant by patronage?

15) What was honest graft?

16) Who coined this term?

17) How does the government’s civil service system work?

18) Who was the Presidential candidate that was the initial driving force behind the national desire for political reform?

19) What President did this individual attempt to defeat?

20) What non-political career did this individual hold prior to his bid for the Presidency?

21) What were the two political groups who supported this individual’s candidacy?

22) How did Grant win re-election?

23) What was Greely’s fate following the election?

24) Who was the Democratic candidate for President in 1876?

25) What was the main political issue that this candidate focused on?

26) What past experience made this candidate a popular one for the Democratic Party?

27) Who was the Republican candidate for President in the election of 1876?

28) How had this candidate gained fame as a politician?

29) Who was the individual who angered the Republican Party enough that it split in two groups?

30) What were the two groups?

31) What did each group stand for/believe in?

32) Who were the leaders of each of these two groups?

33) Which Republican group did President Garfield belong to?

34) Who assassinated him?

35) Why did this individual assassinate him?

36) What law did President Arthur help pass?

37) What flaws did the law contain according to its critics?

38) What did the new law do?

39) What was the important principle that this new law introduced to American politics?

40) Still divided, what Republican group supported James Blaine for President?

41) What was the nickname of the Republican reformers who sided with the Democrats?

42) Where did their nickname come from and what did it mean?

43) What was unique about President Grover Cleveland?

44) What was the nickname for Congress under President Harrison?

45) What did it do to earn this nickname?