Issues of the Gilded Age Chapter 16 Page 519

Segregation and Social Tensions Section 1 Obj: Asses how whites created a segregated society in the South and how AA’s responded Analyze efforts to limit immigration and the effects Compare the situations of Mexican Americans and of women to those other groups

A: AA’s lose Freedoms After reconstruction, AA’s would lose many freedoms 1876, President Hayes removes troops from the south Soon, southern gov’ts enact Jim Crow Laws- keep blacks segregated

Works- Black vote only 3% Loss of voting rights- 15th amendment prohibited denying someone the right to vote South gets around this 1. Poll Tax 2. literacy tests 3. grandfather clauses 4. All white primaries 5. Violence Works- Black vote only 3%

B: Segregation Laws 1896- Supreme court rules “separate but equal” Plessy v. Ferguson South passes all sorts of Jim Crow Laws Examples?? North- de facto segregation- not in law but still happens

C: Opposition Booker T. Washington- argued AA’s needed to “accommodate themselves to segregation” Build resources, and demand equality later Established Tuskegee institute W.E.B. Du Bois- couldn’t disagree more. Must seek equality now!! Ida B. Wells- crusade to end lynching

D: Other discriminated Groups 1. Chinese Americans- 1879 California passes laws prohibiting hiring of Chinese Separate schools, Chinese attacked Chinese Exclusion Act- prohibited immigration

Courts sided with whites settlers in land disputes 2. Mexican Americans- After treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 4 out of 5 Mexicans Americans lost their land to white settlers Courts sided with whites settlers in land disputes Las Gorras Blancas- fight back, destroy fences and property Take fight to labor unions

3. Women- help free slaves, but realize slaves themselves Push for a constitutional amendment- right to vote Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton – formed National women’s suffrage association Tried to vote in 1872- arrested Four states would grant right to vote by 1906- Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho Also fought for education and temperance movement- WCTU

Political and Economic Change Section 2 During Gilded Age Political corruption ran wild as politicians used positions to make money and stay in power A. Power Stalemate 1877 to 1900- neither political party maintains power Presidents weak and surrounded by political scandal

Rutherford B. Hayes- 1876 James Garfield- 1880 Chester Author- 1881 Won on secret deal James Garfield- 1880 shot Chester Author- 1881 Grover Cleveland- 1884 Benjamin Harrison- 1888 Lost popular vote, won election Grover Cleland- 1892 Only one seen as honest

B. Corruption in Politics Political Cartoonist brought attention to the politics- most famous “the bosses of the Senate” Most famous Boss- William Marcy Tweed- Ran New York politics, eventually arrested, but escaped to Spain

C. Spoils System First to use- Andrew Jackson Reward political supporters with government jobs Most of the time, not qualified Ex. Postal service, thousands of jobs to supporters

D. Reform Civil Service- gov’t jobs that serve people- became very inefficient Chester Arthur signs Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883- created civil service commission to test candidates for gov’t jobs Had to pass exam to get the job

E. Other Issues Gold Standard- gov’t backed money in gold Farmers want to add silver to circulation- increase inflation Bankers and big business against Tariffs- Republicans want high tariffs, Democrats want low tariffs Why?

Farmers and Populism Section 3 A. Plight of the Farmer Life was already very difficult Prices of crops fall as more is produced Cotton 1870- 15cents, 1895 – 6 cents Cheaper to burn crops as fuel The more produced, the worst it got

B. Big Business Practices Railroad hurt farmers by over charging Banks, because of lack of currency, set interest rates extremely high New presidents interested only in big business

C. Farmers Organize Oliver H. Kelly- created the Grange- union calling for regulation of railroad and taught new farming techniques Millions join Farmers Alliances replaces as Grange fades Formed coops Asked gov’t for low interest loans

D. Populist Party Created in 1892- People’s party Goals: Coinage of silver Gov’t ownership of railroad Women’s suffrage Tried to unite White and Black Farmers, but Southerners would have no part Populist would be very successful in local and state elections

E. WJB Populist try to unite farmers and industrial workers William Jennings Bryan- Nebraskan, runs for president under populist and democratic nomination Gave the famous speech “Cross of Gold”

F. Election of 1896 WJB against William McKinley WJB ran extensive campaign- toured nation McKinley didn’t leave Ohio: Back Porch Candidate McKinley, backed by big business

G: Defeat McKinley won election Populist could not win urban workers Did lobby for 8 hour day, but minting silver would hurt urban workers Populist would disappear after the election