CHAPTER 23

THE GILDED AGE

The Gilded Age

1869-1889 or 1870-1890Mark 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”

Most popular figure to emerge from Civil War.

Appeared non-political.

Voters tired of typical politicians!

Election of 1868

Republican Nominee--Grant

Republican Platform: Continued Military Reconstruction

Democratic Nominee--Horatio Seymore

Democratic Platform: Denounced Military Reconstruction

1.Jim Fisk and Jay Gould

2.Tweed Ring

3.Credit Mobilier Scandal

4.Whiskey Ring

Located in New York City

Led by William “Boss” Tweed

Political machine called Tammany Hall

Exposed by NY Times and cartoonist Thomas Nast

Liberal Republican Party formed in response to Grant’s corrupt presidency

“Turn the Rascals Out”

Republican Party endorsed Grant…”Grant us another term!”

Democrats endorse Horace Greeley

Caused by

1.Overproduction of railroads, mines, factories, and farm products

2.Bankers made too risky loans

3.Value of

“Greenbacks” went down

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!

Formed seeing more soft money

Elected 14 members to Congress

Died when the currency issue was resolved!!!

• 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.

Voting patterns during the Gilded Age

GOP- Grand Old Party …….Republicans

GAR- “Grand Army of the Republic”…veteransGenerally all Republicans

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.

Stalwarts- supported the use of the spoils system. Roscoe Conkling was the leader of the Stalwarts

Half-Breeds- wanted to reform the spoils system. James G. Blaine was the leader of the Half-Breeds.

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.

Election of 1876Samuel Tilden- DemocratRutherford B. Hayes- Republican

Which states were in dispute? Why?

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.

Compromise of 1877

Last major compromise in American history

REVIEW ALL

“Lemonade Lucy”- his wife, got nickname b/c

she didn’t allowing drinking in White House.

Rutherford B. Hayes • “Rutherfraud”

• “Old 8-to-7”

• “His Fraudulency”

The “Cold Water” administration

The “Cold Water” administration

This was the last Civil Rights Act past by the Republicans to protect blacks during Reconstruction.

Supposedly guaranteed equal accommodationsin 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.

Civil Rights Act of 1875

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.

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

Plessy v. Fergerson stated,”that separate but equal is O.K.” This legalized segregation!

Plessy v. Fergerson stated,”that separate but equal is O.K.” This legalized segregation!

18961896

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”

Chinese Exclusion Act

Chinese Exclusion Act-- slammed

the door on Chinese immigrants.

They were prohibited from

immigrating to the United States.

1882

President- James Garfield Republican- Half-Breed

Vice Pres.- Chester Arthur Republican- Stalwart

Election of 1880Election of 1880

“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?

What was a Stalwart?

What was a Half-Breed?

“I am a stalwart, Chester Arthur is now president of the U.S.!”… -Charles Guiteau

Charles Guiteau

The Assassination of James Garfield

Charles Guiteau shot Garfield. He was adisappointed and deranged office-seeker.

“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?

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

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

The Pendleton Civil Service ActThe Pendleton Civil Service Act 18831883

James G. Blaine- RepublicanGrover Cleveland- Democrat

Election of 1884

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.

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?”

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?”

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.

Election of 1884

“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.

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

“Public office is a public trust.” -Grover ClevelandQuotes

The “Forgettable Presidents”The “Forgettable Presidents”

U. S. GrantRutherford B. HayesJames A. GarfieldChester ArthurBen Harrison***Grover Cleveland

U. S. GrantRutherford B. HayesJames A. GarfieldChester ArthurBen Harrison***Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland- DemocratBenjamin Harrison- Republican

“Young Tippecanoe”

Grover Cleveland- DemocratBenjamin Harrison- Republican

“Young Tippecanoe”

Election of 1888Election of 1888

Grandson of William Henry Harrison

Grandson of William Henry Harrison