The Gilded Age

1. The Gilded Age • A. Best and worst American civilization---1870 to 1900 • Major events • Industrial expansion, inventors and inventions • Settlement of the West • Railroad = symbol of grow = distribution system • Rise of a labor unions • Rise of immigration • Rise of urbanization • Political parties took no clear cut stand on issues • Captains of industry were the political leaders • protect a laissez-faire system and capitalism.. • B. Examples of Corruption

2. 3. James A. Garfied--1881---Republican • Assassinated by an upset spoilsman--Charles Guiteau • 4. Chester A. Arthur---1881 to 1885---Republicans • Pendleton Civil Service Act--reformed the spoils system • 5. Grover Cleveland--1885 to 1889 and 1893 to 1897 • Only Democrat---Serves two terms but not consecutive • Conflicts between business and labor. • Formation of Labor Unions • Haymarket Riot • Pullman Strike • Interstate Commerce Act--1887 • Tariff of 1894 • 6. Benjamin Harrison--1889 to 1893---Republican • Four major laws were signed during his presidency: • Sherman Anti-Trust Act • Sherman Silver Purchase Act • McKinley Tariff Act • Dependent Pension Act

3. OSTENTATIOUS WEALTH CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION

5. Two Different Worlds 1 TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS • The wealthy lived extravagant lifestyles and considered themselves elitists. • The common people resented their snobbish attitudes and wealth. There was a caste system in the U.S. • 1861---------3 millionaires----------1900--------3,800 • 1900, 90% of wealth, controlled by 10% of population.

6. The Emergence of Political Machines • PoliticalMachine • Organized group that controls a city’s political party • • Give services to voters, businesses for political, financial support • • After Civil War, machines gain control of major cities • • Machine organization: precinct captains, ward bosses, city boss The Era of Good Stealings

7. POLITICAL MACHINES • The Role of the Political Boss • May serve as mayor he: • controls city jobs, business licenses • influences courts, municipal agencies • arranges building projects, community services • •Bosses paid by businesses, get voters’ loyalty, extend influence • Immigrants and the Machine • Many captains, bosses 1st or 2nd generation Americans • Machines help immigrants with naturalization, jobs, housing • Election Fraud and Graft • •Machines use electoral fraud to win elections • •Graft—illegal use of political influence for personal gain • •Machines take kickbacks, bribes to allow legal, illegal activities The Era of Good Stealings

8. WILLIAM BOSS TWEED • Corrupt political leader put New York City in debt • Political boss • 1851 elected to city council • 1852 served in Congress • Kept Democratic Party in power in NYC called Tammany Hall • Formed the Tweed Ring • Bought votes, encouraged corruption, controlled NYC politics The Era of Good Stealings

9. WILLIAM BOSS TWEED • Received large fees for interests (*kickbacks) from the Erie Railroad • Tweed Ring milked the city with false leases, padded bills, false vouchers, unnecessary repairs and over-priced goods *Return of a portion of the money received in a sale or contract often illegal and corrupt in return for special favors. The Era of Good Stealings

10. WILLIAM BOSS TWEED • Exposed for his corruption by cartoonist and editor, Thomas Nast • Tweed Ring fell and 1873 Tweed convicted of embezzlement • Later Tweed was arrested on a civil charge and jailed in NYC, later died there The Era of Good Stealings

11. PRESIDENT GRANT'S SCANDALS • Credit Mobilier • Phony construction company owned by stockholders of Union Pacific Railroad. • Hired Credit Mobilier to build the transcontinental railroad • Charged the U.S. government nearly twice the actual cost of the project. • Bribed Congress to stop the investigation. • Largest scandal in U.S. history, and led to greater public awareness of government corruption. A Carnival of Corruption

12. PRESIDENT GRANT'S SCANDALS • Whiskey Ring • A group of President Grant’s officials imported whiskey • Used their offices to avoid paying taxes • Cheated US treasury of millions. • Salary Grab • Congress gave itself a raise, $5,000 to $7,500 annually. • Congressmen received a retroactive check for $5,000, plus their raise…… • Became a political issue….Later repealed. A Carnival of Corruption

13. 1876 Election • Tilden did not receive enough electoral votes. • Special Commission gives votes to Hayes. • Hayes wins the election • Democrats refuse to recognize Hayes as President * *Disputed Electoral votes 164 The Hayes-Tilden Standoff, 1876 369 total electoral votes, need 185to win.

14. CORRUPT BARGAIN The Hayes-Tilden Standoff, 1876 vs Rutherford B. HayesSamuel Tilden • The election of 1876 and the Compromise of 1877 are referred to as the Corrupt Bargain. • The Democrats and Republicans work out a deal to recognize Hayes as President • In return, President Hayes must end Reconstruction and pull the Union troops out of the South. • Once this happens, there is no protection for the Freedmen and the South will regain their states and go back to the way it was.

15. Reconstruction Ends • Corruption: Reconstruction legislatures & Grant’s administration symbolized corruption & poor government. • The economy: Reconstruction legislatures taxed and spent heavily, putting the southern states deeper into debt. • Violence: As federal troops withdrew from the South, some white Democrats used violence and intimidation to prevent freedmen from voting. This tactic allowed white Southerners to regain control of the state governments. • The Democrats’ return to power: The pardoned ex-Confederates combined with other white Southerners to form a new bloc of Democratic voters known as the Solid South. They blocked Reconstruction policies. • The Country: The Civil War was over and many Americans wanted to return to what the country was doing before the war. There were five main factors that contributed to the end of Reconstruction. The Compromise of 1877 & the End of Reconstruction

16. Successes Failures Union is restored. Many white southerners bitter towards US govt & Republicans. South’s economy grows and new wealth is created in the North. The South is slow to industrialize. 14th and 15th amendments guarantee Blacks the rights of citizenship, equal protection under the law, and suffrage. After US troops are withdrawn, southern state governments and terrorist organizations effectively deny Blacks the right to vote. Freedmen’s Bureau and other organizations help many black families obtain housing, jobs, and schooling. Many black and white southerners remain caught in a cycle of poverty. Racist attitudes toward African Americans continue, in both the South and the North. Southern states adopt a system of mandatory education. Successes and Failures of Reconstruction The Compromise of 1877 & the End of Reconstruction

17. Agreement between Democrats and Republicans • Hayes pulls the troops out of the South. • Southerners take over their state governments called “REDEEMERS” • Successes Freedmenwould be lost because Southerners would take over their state governments. • Jim Crow laws kept Blacks from voting and becoming equal citizens. Birth of Jim Crow Cartoon of Hayes: end of Reconst

18. President Rutherford Hayes Elected in 1877 Reformed the civil service, appointing qualified political independents instead of giving positions to supporters. No Congressional support or from the Republican Party. Hayes did not seek a second term. SPOILS SYSTEM Add to Compromise 1877

19. Reconstruction Map Solid SouthPolitical term that describes how the South would vote in future elections…… Always voted for the Democrats because they hated the Republicans. Class Conflicts

20. SPOILS SYSTEM • Under the Spoils System (patronage), candidates for political office would offer potential jobs in exchange for votes. • gave supporters access to money and political favors. • During the Gilded Age, the Republicans and Democrats had roughly the same number of supporters. • To keep party members loyal, candidates rewarded supporters and tried to avoid controversial issues. • The Republicans • appealed to the industrialists, bankers, and eastern farmers. • They favored the gold standard (sound money) and high tariffs • Blue laws, regulations that prohibited certain activities people considered immoral. • The Democrats • attracted the less privileged groups. • such as northern urban immigrants, laborers, southern planters, and western farmers. • Supported soft money and silver coinage.

21. 1880 Presidential Election: Democrats

22. President James A. Garfield 1880 election, Republicans were split into 3 factions. Stalwarts defended the spoils system—Senator Roscoe Conkling Half-Breeds reform but still supported it– Senator James Blaine Independents opposed the spoils system. Garfield wanted reforms. His running-mate was Chester Arthur, a Stalwart. July 2, 1881 Garfield was assassinated by a Stalwart who wanted Arthur as president.

23. 1880 Presidential Election

24. PRESIDENT GARFIELD'S ASSASSINATION • Assassinated by an upset Spoilsman. • Led to VP Chester Arthur becoming president • Supported a change to the corrupt spoils system. • Signed into the law the Pendleton Act also called the Civil Service Act. • Required candidates applying for government positions to a test to determine their qualifications.

25. 1881: Garfield Assassinated! Charles Guiteau:I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!

26. I have just shot the President. I shot him several times as I wished him to go as easily as possible. His death was a political necessity. I am a lawyer, theologian, and politician. I am going to the jail. Please order out your troops and take possession of the jail at once. Charles Guiteau to William T. Sherman

27. Pendleton Act (1883) • Civil Service Act. • The “Magna Carta” of civil service reform. • 1883  14,000 out of 117,000 federal govt. jobs became civil service exam positions. • 1900  100,000 out of 200,000 civil service federal govt. jobs.

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

30. LAISSEZ FAIRE • An economic belief supported by the U.S. that opposes the government regulating business. • In the late 1800’s businesses operated without much government regulation. This is known as laissez-faire economics. • Laissez-faire means ‘allow to be’ in French or the government stays out of you business. • Laissez faire supports the economic system of capitalism

31. Laissez Faire Federal Govt. • From 1870-1900  Govt. did very little domestically. • Main duties of the federal govt.: • Deliver the mail. • Maintain a national military. • Collect taxes & tariffs. • Conduct a foreign policy. • Exception  administer the annual Civil War veterans’ pension.

32. CAPITALISM • Economic system characterized by private property ownership • Individuals and companies compete for their own economic gain (Profit) • Capitalists determine the prices of goods and services. • Production and distribution are privately or corporately owned. • Reinvestment of profits • Supports laissez faire

33. SOCIALISM • Economic system based on cooperation rather than competition • Believes in government ownership of business and capital • Government controls production and distribution of goods. • Opposite of laissez faire and capitalism

34. PRESIDENT McKINLEY'S ASSASSINATION William McKinley Theodore Roosevelt • President McKinley had just been re-elected in 1900 and beginning his 2nd term when he was assassinated in 1901… • VP Roosevelt became President.