1. Politics in the Gilded Age 1869-1896
Pageant Chapter 23

2. The United States

3. 1. Intro Reconstruction – a time of rebuilding the South
Also a time of great political corruption
New technology and industry is on the rise
Civil War is over; which means the United States can now move forward into a new age
Over the next 5 chapters, we’ll be answering a new set of questions:
1) How will a largely agrarian U.S. respond to the age of industry?
2) How will the U.S. socially and politically deal with massive economic change and growth?
3) With a new sense of confidence, how will the U.S. fare when it ventures out into international affairs?

4. 2. Grant and Corruption The Election of 1868
Johnson retires after finishing Lincoln’s 2nd term; no one is surprised
Republicans nominate Ulysses S. Grant – victorious Union general and one of the most popular men in the United States
Using memories of the Civil War, Grant is easily elected (18th president)
The black vote was crucial for Grant’s victory. Since the amendments 13, 14, and 15, all blacks were voting Republican. So, in order to stay in power, Republicans had to control the South.
African-Americans would continue to vote largely Republican until President Franklin Roosevelt in the 1930s.

5. 2. Grant and Corruption
While Grant was an excellent general, he did not score as high as a politician and president
CORRUPTION – it was everywhere during Grant’s administration
Jay Gould
Jim Fisk
Boss Tweed – notorious for running New York through false elections and bribery
Gould and Fisk worked for Grant
Grant’s administration were full of dishonest, self-serving, incompetent workers
Grant was never proven to be involved in scandal but was either too naïve or too stupid to see what was going on

6. 2. Grant and Corruption
The Credit Mobilier scandal was by far the most infamous during Grant’s presidency.
What was it?
Pacific RR “insiders” formed Credit Mobilier construction company, hired themselves, and made up to 348% profits. Then they paid off congressman to keep their mouths shut. Even the Vice-President of the U.S. took money.
What is an “insider”?
An insider is a businessperson who uses their knowledge of NON-public information to publicly trade and invest. This is unfair and dishonest and ILLEGAL.

7. President Ulysses S. Grant

8. 3. 1873 Depression and Hard Money
1873 – The U.S. hits an economic depression. How?
With the explosion of industry, the U.S. RR and mining businesses had built too much for the market to handle. Profits failed, loans went unpaid, credit dropped.
Due to the depression, people in debt began calling for the U.S. government to print more money
“Hard money”
Why?
Debtors for inflation – More $, means cheap $, and easy-to-pay debts.
Creditors against inflation – They didn’t want loans repaid with cheap $

9. 4. Death of Reconstruction and the Birth of “Jim Crow”
Politics really didn’t get anywhere during what is called historically, the Gilded Age.
The Gilded age is the thirty year period after the Civil War; basically 1865 – 1900.
Not much was accomplished politically
Republicans – Stressed strict moral codes and government regulation of economy
Democrats – Tolerance of differences in people, opposed a great deal of government involvement.

10. 4. Death of Reconstruction and the Birth of “Jim Crow”
Grant serves two terms and retires
The Election of 1876
Rutherford B. Hayes (R) vs. Samuel J. Tilden
The election is too close to call (a margin of 20 electoral votes) and is disputed between Republicans and Democrats
A good old fashioned compromise is needed – The Compromise of 1877
A deal is cut
Republicans get their man Hayes as president
Democrats get federal troops removed from the South
This ends Reconstruction officially
This had a huge effect on African-Americans in the southern states

11. 4. Death of Reconstruction and the Birth of “Jim Crow”
1) Now that the troops have left the South, African-Americans would be freely subjected to “Jim Crow” laws.
2) The 14th amd. wouldn’t really provide relief, as it only stopped government violations, not individual violations.
3) The Supreme Court upholds and supports “separate but equal” as constitutional, a huge loss for civil rights.

12. President Rutherford B. Hayes

13. 5. The Chinese
Chinese immigrants flooded into the U.S. post-Civil War for the gold rush and to work on the RR
The massive numbers agitated influential Californians like Denis Kearney
Congress would get involved and pass the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882
Chinese would be barred from immigration until 1943

14. 6. Politics of the 1880s Election of 1880
James Garfield – Republican; elected the 20th president
From the swing state of Ohio
Becomes the 2nd president to be assassinated when he is shot by a man who was angered over being refused a job
His Vice-President, Chester Arthur takes over – 21st president
President Arthur pushes through the Pendleton Act of 1883
The Pendleton Act was important in fighting the terrible spoils system
Government jobs became classified and applicants would be tested – a system that continues today
The Civil Service Commission is set up

15. James A. Garfield

16. Chester Arthur

17. 6. Politics of the 1880s Election of 1884
Grover Cleveland (D) vs. James G. Blaine (R)
One of the more nastier campaigns in U.S. history as far as two candidates attacking each others character and digging into each others pasts
Cleveland wins due to receiving support from former Republicans who left and joined the Democrats – they came to be known as Mugwumps
Cleveland liked small government and high tariffs and produced a government surplus!
However Cleveland lost popularity when he tried to lower the tariffs
He would lose the 1888 Election to Benjamin Harrison; grandson of William Henry Harrison, the former president who only served a month before dying in office

18. Benjamin Harrison

19. 7. Populists and Politics of the 1890s
The Election of 1892
Harrison is finished after a one-term presidency
The People’s Party, or the “Populists” was a political party that started showing strong in 1892
The Populists backed their own presidential candidate – James B. Weaver
The Populists wanted government ownership of RR, telegraphs and telephone lines, as well as more opportunities for the people to participate in government

20. 7. Populists and Politics of the 1890s
However, Grover Cleveland wins on the Democratic ticket and becomes the 24th president and the only president thus far to win a second inconsecutive term
Unfortunately, where his first term he had a surplus, Cleveland faced an economic depression in his second
In an effort to save money, Cleveland stopped the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890
This angered the Populists, who wanted to purchase silver to coin for money
With the United States increasingly falling further into debt, Cleveland turns to Wall Street banker J.P. Morgan to borrow gold.
Though it angered many, as it put the government in debt of a private citizen, the loan from Morgan restored confidence in the U.S. finances and eased the crisis.