CHAPTER 23 THE GILDED AGE

Nicknames for the Gilded Age : “Era of Good Stealings” Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner were the men who wrote a book The Gilded Age. Nicknames for the Gilded Age : “Era of Good Stealings” “Great Barbecue”

"Waving the Bloody Shirt" Ulysses S. Grant Election of 1868 Republican Nominee--Grant Republican Platform: Continued Military Reconstruction Democratic Nominee--Horatio Seymore Democratic Platform: Denounced Military Reconstruction Most popular figure to emerge from Civil War. Appeared non-political. Voters tired of typical politicians! "Waving the Bloody Shirt"

Corruption in Grant's Presidency Jim Fisk and Jay Gould Tweed Ring Credit Mobilier Scandal Whiskey Ring

Tweed Ring Located in New York City Led by William “Boss” Tweed Political machine called Tammany Hall Exposed by NY Times and cartoonist Thomas Nast

GRANT WINS!! ELECTION OF 1872 “Turn the Rascals Out” Liberal Republican Party formed in response to Grant’s corrupt presidency GRANT WINS!! Republican Party endorsed Grant…”Grant us another term!” Democrats endorse Horace Greeley

Caused by Overproduction of railroads, mines, factories, and farm products Bankers made too risky loans Value of “Greenbacks” went down PANIC OF 1873

Hard Money vs. Soft Money Democrats in Congress wanted to print more money to stimulate the economy. Republicans feared rise in inflation SPECIE RESUMPTION ACT OF 1875-Greenbacks out of circulation; payments in gold! "CRIME OF '73" BLAND-ALLISON ACT OF 1878

GREENBACK LABOR PARTY Formed seeing more soft money Elected 14 members to Congress Died when the currency issue was resolved!!!

Voting patterns during the Gilded Age 80% voted in the Gilded Age. Straight ticket- when you vote for everyone of the same party. Ticket splitting- when you vote for candidates on both parties. This was very rare during the Gilded Age. GOP- Grand Old Party …….Republicans GAR- “Grand Army of the Republic”…veterans Generally all Republicans

Patronage is the new word that means basically the spoils system Patronage is the new word that means basically the spoils system. Used heavily by both parties during the Gilded Age. Republicans were divided into 2 factions over the Spoils System: Stalwarts and Half-Breeds. Half-Breeds- wanted to reform the spoils system. James G. Blaine was the leader of the Half-Breeds. Stalwarts- supported the use of the spoils system. Roscoe Conkling was the leader of the Stalwarts

Which states were in dispute? Why? Election of 1876 Samuel Tilden- Democrat Rutherford B. Hayes- Republican Disputed election. Samuel Tilden got 184 electoral votes but needed just one more to become president. Hayes needed 20 and there were 20 electoral votes in dispute. Which states were in dispute? Why?

COMPROMISE OF 1877 Decided the winner of the Election of 1876 Congress passed the Electoral Count Act. 5 Senators, 5 House members and 5 from the Supreme Court… one independent Supreme Court justice, David Davis. (7 Republicans, 7 Democrats, and 1 independent) Tell the story! Would this happen today? Result: 8 Republicans to 7 Democrats

Compromise of 1877 1. Rutherford B. Hayes becomes president. 2 Hayes must withdraw all federal troops out of the South thus officially ending Reconstruction. 3. Hayes had to give some Democrats government jobs through the spoils system. REVIEW ALL Last major compromise in American history

The “Cold Water” administration “Rutherfraud” “Old 8-to-7” “His Fraudulency” Rutherford B. Hayes “Lemonade Lucy”- his wife, got nickname b/c she didn’t allowing drinking in White House. The “Cold Water” administration

Civil Rights Act of 1875 This was the last Civil Rights Act past by the Republicans to protect blacks during Reconstruction. Supposedly guaranteed equal accommodations in public places & prohibited racial discrimination in jury selection. (basically the Civil Rights Act of1964) This act was toothless and stayed that way for almost a century.

Barefaced intimidation The 3 methods that Southern Democrats used against blacks to keep them from exercising their civil rights: Poll taxes Literacy tests Barefaced intimidation “Grandfather clause” was passed by many states. This stipulated that if your grandfather had voted in the election of 1860…you were exempt from poll taxes & literacy tests.

JIM CROW LAWS The “Jim Crow” laws were a series of laws passed in South in 1890’s. These segregated blacks and whites in public places. These were declared legal and constitutional in Plessy v. Fergerson 1896 Plessy v. Fergerson stated,”that separate but equal is O.K.” This legalized segregation!

CHINESE IMMIGRANTS Many Chinese “coolies” were coming into California. They competed with the Irish and Blacks for jobs! Denis Kearney was the Irishman who organized the abuse of the Chinese. The Chinaman sometimes wore a pigtail called a “queues”

1882 Chinese Exclusion Act Chinese Exclusion Act-- slammed the door on Chinese immigrants. They were prohibited from immigrating to the United States.

Election of 1880 President- James Garfield Republican- Half-Breed Vice Pres.- Chester Arthur Republican- Stalwart “What is there in this place that a man should ever want to get into?” James A. Garfield What was a Stalwart? What was a Half-Breed?

The Assassination of James Garfield Charles Guiteau shot Garfield. He was a disappointed and deranged office-seeker. Charles Guiteau “I am a stalwart, Chester Arthur is now president of the U.S.!”… -Charles Guiteau

What did he mean by this quote? CHESTER ARTHUR “For the vice-presidency, I was indebt to Mr. Conkling, but for the Presidency of the U.S. my debt is to the Almighty.” -Chester Arthur What did he mean by this quote?

1883 The Pendleton Civil Service Act Passed because of the assassination of James Garfield. Reformed the Spoils System. Set up a merit system based on aptitude, instead of who you were or knew. Set a system of competitive examinations

Election of 1884 James G. Blaine- Republican Grover Cleveland- Democrat Grover Cleveland- bachelor at the time of his election. Had an affair with a widow, child was born and he took responsibility. Republican slogan was “Ma ma where’s my pa?” Mulligan Letters- group of letters written by Blaine that showed he was involved in some corrupt deals. At the bottom it read, “burn this letter!” Democrats used it as a slogan “Burn, burn, burn this letter!” Mugwamps- group of Republicans who refused to vote for Blaine.

Election was close, came down mainly to New Election of 1884 Election was close, came down mainly to New York. Slogan said by one of Blaine’s followers that helped his defeat was “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion” Insulted Irish in NY, and along with Mulligan Letters, cost him the election.

“Laissez-Faire”- “Hands off, let be” Govt “Laissez-Faire”- “Hands off, let be” Govt. should not intervene with private business. “Pork- barrel”- things not necessary or useful. Spending money not meant to be spent.

“Public office is a public trust.” -Grover Cleveland Quotes Though the people should support the government, the government should not support the people.” -Grover Cleveland “What’s the point in being elected or re-elected unless you stand for something?” -Grover Cleveland

The “Forgettable Presidents” U. S. Grant Rutherford B. Hayes James A. Garfield Chester Arthur Ben Harrison ***Grover Cleveland

Benjamin Harrison- Republican Grandson of William Henry Harrison Election of 1888 Grover Cleveland- Democrat Benjamin Harrison- Republican “Young Tippecanoe” Grandson of William Henry Harrison