1 / 12

The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age. 8.1. What Does “Gilded” Mean?. Mark Twain novel “Cheap coat of gold paint” America was corrupt with millionaires influencing politicians. Political Machines.

gittel
Download Presentation

The Gilded Age

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Gilded Age 8.1

  2. What Does “Gilded” Mean? • Mark Twain novel • “Cheap coat of gold paint” • America was corrupt with millionaires influencing politicians

  3. Political Machines • Powerful organizations which controlled politics through bribery, intimidation, and voter fraud to get politicians to support their cause • Bosses: led these machines. Traded votes for favors like money or improvements to the cities just to get the candidate he wants to win. Very secretive • Targeted immigrants most often

  4. Ulysses S. Grant • Civil War hero, but corrupt in office as president • Whiskey Ring: Grant’s treasurers took bribes from whiskey manufacturers • Credit Mobilier: Union Pacific Railroad construction company which sold shares to members of Congress in exchange for large land grants • Corporations and politicians had corrupt deals

  5. Gilded Age Presidents • Democrats tried to elect candidates to fight this corruption, but hard to do for that same reason • Republicans Rutherford B. Hayes and James Garfield won close elections • Garfield was assassinated however, so Chester A. Arthur became president

  6. Grover Cleveland • When Republicans nominated James Blaine in 1884, many Republicans were angry and gave their support to Grover (Democrat) • Cleveland wins!

  7. Grover Cleveland’s First Term • Cleveland hired and fired government workers based on merit, not their party loyalty • He started to rid corruption in government

  8. Cleveland’s Re-Election Bid • Won popular vote over Benjamin Harrison, but lost electoral college • Harrison (Republican) wins

  9. Benjamin Harrison • Helped fight corruption himself by establishing the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, which helped control inflation and monopolies

  10. Grover AGAIN?!?! • Cleveland ran again against Harrison and WON! • Only president in American History who did not serve consecutive terms • However, an economic depression hit during Cleveland’s second term and angered many Democrats

  11. William McKinley • Republican who served two terms • Worked well with Congress and helped earn trust again with the public towards government, thus ending the Gilded Age presidencies

  12. Civil Service Reform • Garfield worked on corruption by getting rid of the “spoils system,” which some believed led to his assassination • Chester Arthur took over, helped establish the “Pendleton Civil Service Act,” which helped government officials get hired on pure credibility, rather than spoils

More Related