Politics in the Gilded AgePolitics in the Gilded AgeHomework QuestionsHomework Questions

How did business influence politics How did business influence politics during the Gilded Age?during the Gilded Age?

In what ways did government reform the In what ways did government reform the spoils system and regulate railroads?spoils system and regulate railroads?

What effect did the transition from What effect did the transition from depression to prosperity have on politics depression to prosperity have on politics in the 1890s?in the 1890s?

The Gilded AgeThe Gilded Age suggests that there suggests that there was a glittering was a glittering layer of prosperity layer of prosperity that covered the that covered the poverty and poverty and corruption that corruption that existed in much of existed in much of society. society.

This term was This term was coined by Mark coined by Mark Twain.Twain.

The Business of PoliticsThe Business of Politics

This table was covered in gold it is “gilded”

The Business of PoliticsThe Business of Politics

In the late 1800’s In the late 1800’s businesses operated businesses operated without much without much government government regulation. This is regulation. This is known as known as laissez-laissez-fairefaire economics. economics. Laissez-faire means Laissez-faire means ‘hands off’ in ‘hands off’ in French.French.Mr. Burns loves laissez-faire

The Business of PoliticsThe Business of Politics People liked laissez-People liked laissez-

faire in theory faire in theory Also liked money when Also liked money when

it came their way.it came their way. For example, For example,

American businesses American businesses accepted land grants accepted land grants and subsidies. and subsidies. A A subsidysubsidy is a is a

payment made by payment made by the government to the government to encourage the encourage the development of development of certain key certain key industries, such as industries, such as railroads.railroads.

School lunches are an example of subsidies

The Spoils SystemThe Spoils System Under the Spoils Under the Spoils

System, candidates System, candidates for political office for political office would offer would offer potential jobs in potential jobs in exchange for votes.exchange for votes.

The spoils system The spoils system also gave also gave supporters access supporters access to money and to money and political favors.political favors.

The Spoils SystemThe Spoils System

During the Gilded Age, During the Gilded Age, the Republicans and the Republicans and Democrats had Democrats had roughly the same roughly the same number of number of supporters. To keep supporters. To keep party members loyal, party members loyal, candidates rewarded candidates rewarded supporters and tried supporters and tried to avoid to avoid controversial issues.controversial issues.

The Spoils SystemThe Spoils System The Republicans appealed to the The Republicans appealed to the

industrialists, bankers, and eastern industrialists, bankers, and eastern farmers. They favored the gold farmers. They favored the gold standard, high tariffs, and the standard, high tariffs, and the enforcement of enforcement of blue lawsblue laws,, regulations regulations that prohibited certain activities that prohibited certain activities people considered immoral.people considered immoral.

The Democratic party attracted the The Democratic party attracted the less privileged groups such as northern less privileged groups such as northern urban immigrants, laborers, southern urban immigrants, laborers, southern planters, and western farmers.planters, and western farmers.

Reforming the Spoils Reforming the Spoils SystemSystemPresident Rutherford B. President Rutherford B.

HayesHayes Elected in 1877Elected in 1877 Hayes began to reform Hayes began to reform

the civil service, the the civil service, the government’s nonelected government’s nonelected workers, by appointing workers, by appointing qualified political qualified political independents instead of independents instead of giving positions to giving positions to supporters.supporters.

He did not have the He did not have the support of Congress or his support of Congress or his own Republican party.own Republican party.

Hayes did not seek a Hayes did not seek a second term.second term.

Reforming the Spoils Reforming the Spoils SystemSystem

President James A. GarfieldPresident James A. Garfield Before the 1880 Before the 1880

presidential election the presidential election the Republican party was split Republican party was split into three factions. into three factions. The Stalwarts defended The Stalwarts defended

the spoils system. the spoils system. The Half-Breeds hoped The Half-Breeds hoped

to reform the system.to reform the system. The Independents The Independents

opposed the spoils opposed the spoils system.system.

Garfield wanted to Garfield wanted to reform the system. reform the system. His running-mate His running-mate was Chester Arthur, was Chester Arthur, a Stalwart.a Stalwart.

On July 2, 1881 On July 2, 1881 Garfield was Garfield was assassinated by a assassinated by a Stalwart who Stalwart who wanted Arthur as wanted Arthur as president.president.

Reforming the Spoils Reforming the Spoils SystemSystem

After the assassination, President Arthur After the assassination, President Arthur was able get congressional support for the was able get congressional support for the Pendleton Civil Service Act. This act Pendleton Civil Service Act. This act created a commission which classified created a commission which classified government jobs.government jobs.

Politics in the Gilded Age–Politics in the Gilded Age–AssessmentAssessment

What did Mark Twain mean by the phrase The What did Mark Twain mean by the phrase The Gilded Age?Gilded Age?A)A)Everything was wonderful because it was covered with Everything was wonderful because it was covered with

gold.gold.B)B)He supported the economics of the gold standard .He supported the economics of the gold standard .C)C) It was a prosperous time for all people.It was a prosperous time for all people.D)D) There was a glittering layer of prosperity that There was a glittering layer of prosperity that

covered the poverty and corruption that existed in much of covered the poverty and corruption that existed in much of society. society.

What did Rutherford B. Hayes do to ensure that What did Rutherford B. Hayes do to ensure that he wouldn’t be reelected?he wouldn’t be reelected?A)A)He regulated the railroad industry.He regulated the railroad industry.B)B)He appointed qualified people to civil service positions.He appointed qualified people to civil service positions.C)C) He supported laissez-faire economics.He supported laissez-faire economics.D)D) He supported the enforcement of blue laws.He supported the enforcement of blue laws.

People on the MovePeople on the MoveHomework QuestionsHomework Questions

What were the experiences of What were the experiences of immigrants in the late 1800s and immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s?early 1900s?

What different challenges did What different challenges did immigrants from Europe, Asia, and immigrants from Europe, Asia, and Mexico face?Mexico face?

What is riding in steerage? Describe What is riding in steerage? Describe this experience.this experience.

The Immigrant The Immigrant ExperienceExperience

Immigrants came to the Immigrants came to the United States fleeing United States fleeing crop failures, shortages crop failures, shortages of land and jobs, rising of land and jobs, rising taxes, famine, and taxes, famine, and religious and political religious and political persecution.persecution.

In the 1880s in Russia In the 1880s in Russia many Jewish people many Jewish people fled a wave of fled a wave of pogroms,pogroms, or violent or violent massacres of Jews.massacres of Jews.

Red Dots show where pogroms happened1871-1906

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpHCwKGu8eg

The Immigrant The Immigrant ExperienceExperience

Steam-powered Steam-powered ships could cross ships could cross the Atlantic the Atlantic Ocean in two or Ocean in two or three weeks. three weeks. Most immigrants Most immigrants traveled in traveled in steerage,steerage, a large a large open area open area beneath the beneath the ship’s deck. ship’s deck.

The Immigrant The Immigrant ExperienceExperience

Between 1865 and 1890 about 10 Between 1865 and 1890 about 10 million immigrants arrived. Most million immigrants arrived. Most came from northwestern and came from northwestern and central Europe.central Europe.

In the 1890s, most new In the 1890s, most new immigrants came from central, immigrants came from central, southern, and eastern Europe southern, and eastern Europe and the Middle East.and the Middle East.

The “Golden Door”The “Golden Door”

More than 70 More than 70 percent of all percent of all immigrants immigrants came through came through New York City New York City which was which was called the called the “Golden Door.”“Golden Door.”

Immigrants from EuropeImmigrants from Europe In 1892, the federal In 1892, the federal

government required government required all new immigrants to all new immigrants to undergo a physical undergo a physical exam. exam.

Immigrants with Immigrants with contagious diseases, contagious diseases, such as tuberculosis, such as tuberculosis, faced faced quarantine,quarantine, a a time of isolation to time of isolation to prevent the spread of prevent the spread of disease.disease.

Immigrants from EuropeImmigrants from Europe Urban neighborhoods Urban neighborhoods

dominated by one ethnic dominated by one ethnic or racial group of or racial group of immigrants were called immigrants were called ghettos.ghettos.

Some ghettos formed Some ghettos formed because immigrants felt because immigrants felt more comfortable living more comfortable living near people with the near people with the same language and same language and traditions.traditions.

Other ghettos formed Other ghettos formed from from restrictive restrictive covenantscovenants,, when when homeowners agreed not homeowners agreed not to sell real estate to to sell real estate to certain groups. certain groups.

Still other ghettos formed when Still other ghettos formed when ethnic groups isolated themselves ethnic groups isolated themselves because of threats of violence, because of threats of violence, mostly from whites.mostly from whites.

Immigrants from EuropeImmigrants from Europe

Immigrants from AsiaImmigrants from Asia Most immigrants who entered the United States Most immigrants who entered the United States

through the West Coast were from Asia. Chinese through the West Coast were from Asia. Chinese and Japanese formed the largest groups.and Japanese formed the largest groups.

In the mid-1800s, American railroad companies In the mid-1800s, American railroad companies recruited about a quarter of a million Chinese recruited about a quarter of a million Chinese workers.workers.

Immigrants from AsiaImmigrants from Asia Under pressure from Under pressure from

labor unions, Congress labor unions, Congress passed the Chinese passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. Exclusion Act in 1882. The act prohibited The act prohibited Chinese laborers from Chinese laborers from entering the country. entering the country. It was not repealed It was not repealed until 1943.until 1943.

What did Union workers What did Union workers call workers that come call workers that come to take their jobs?to take their jobs?

President Theodore President Theodore Roosevelt made a Roosevelt made a compromise with the compromise with the Japanese government. Japanese government. It was called the It was called the Gentlemen’s Gentlemen’s AgreementAgreement because it because it was not official. It was not official. It called for San called for San Francisco to end it’s Francisco to end it’s policy of school policy of school segregation and for segregation and for Japan to stop issuing Japan to stop issuing passports to laborers.passports to laborers.

Immigrants from MexicoImmigrants from Mexico Employers hired Mexican laborers to work on Employers hired Mexican laborers to work on

farms, ranches, and mines. They also helped farms, ranches, and mines. They also helped construct railroads in the southwestconstruct railroads in the southwest

-When the United States -When the United States entered World War entered World War

I in I in 1917, 1917, demand demand for workers for workers increased sharply.increased sharply.

““Pull Factors” New Pull Factors” New opportunities drew opportunities drew Mexican workers to the Mexican workers to the United States. United States.

When the Immigration When the Immigration Restriction Act of 1921 Restriction Act of 1921 limited immigration from limited immigration from Europe and Asia, labor Europe and Asia, labor shortages increased shortages increased Mexican immigration.Mexican immigration.

““Push Factor” Turmoil at Push Factor” Turmoil at home- The 1910 Mexican home- The 1910 Mexican Revolution and the civil Revolution and the civil war that followed killed war that followed killed approximately ten percent approximately ten percent of Mexico’s population.of Mexico’s population.

Panchco Villa Mexican Rebel

People on the Move–People on the Move–AssessmentAssessment

What was the Gentlemen’s Agreement?What was the Gentlemen’s Agreement?

A)A) An agreement to secure jobs for Russian immigrants in return for An agreement to secure jobs for Russian immigrants in return for American manufactured goods.American manufactured goods.

B) B) A compromise that China would provide more labor for the A compromise that China would provide more labor for the railroads in return for American wheat.railroads in return for American wheat.

C) C) A compromise that schools in the United States would not A compromise that schools in the United States would not segregate Japanese students in exchange for Japan to stop issuing segregate Japanese students in exchange for Japan to stop issuing passports to laborers.passports to laborers.

D) D) A compromise between homeowners not to sell real estate A compromise between homeowners not to sell real estate to certain groups of people.to certain groups of people.

What was a restrictive covenant? What was a restrictive covenant?

A) A) Immigrants felt more comfortable living near people with the Immigrants felt more comfortable living near people with the same language and traditions.same language and traditions.

B) B) The labor party did not want Chinese people lowering pay rates.The labor party did not want Chinese people lowering pay rates.

C) C) A compromise between homeowners not to sell real estate to A compromise between homeowners not to sell real estate to certain groups of people.certain groups of people.

D) D) A group of people that wanted to sell their land to A group of people that wanted to sell their land to speculators.speculators.