Political Paralysis in the Gilded
Age
(1856-1909)
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
ParalysisParalysis elected by 500,000 African Americans to whom the government elected by 500,000 African Americans to whom the government
promptly paid less attentionpromptly paid less attention little done to stop discrimination, prejudice, & harassmentlittle done to stop discrimination, prejudice, & harassment poll taxes & gerrymandering in the South allow Democrats to poll taxes & gerrymandering in the South allow Democrats to
regain control of state governmentsregain control of state governments sharecropping cheats African Americans of land and profitsharecropping cheats African Americans of land and profit Panic of 1873 brings economic problems to the countryPanic of 1873 brings economic problems to the country
GildedGilded freewheeling railroad promoters swindle gullible bond freewheeling railroad promoters swindle gullible bond
buyersbuyers unscrupulous manipulators toy with stock marketunscrupulous manipulators toy with stock market judges and legislator accept bribes throughout the systemjudges and legislator accept bribes throughout the system Jim Fisk & Jay Gould attempt to corner gold market Jim Fisk & Jay Gould attempt to corner gold market
(1869)(1869)
GildedGilded Boss Tweed’s ring flourishes in New York CityBoss Tweed’s ring flourishes in New York City Credit Mobilier scandal (1872)Credit Mobilier scandal (1872) Whiskey Ring (1874-75)Whiskey Ring (1874-75) carpetbaggers in the South appear interested only in carpetbaggers in the South appear interested only in
profiteering and not in Reconstructionprofiteering and not in Reconstruction
ParalysisParalysis Election of 1876 standoff (Hayes v. Tilden)Election of 1876 standoff (Hayes v. Tilden) southern white blacks vs. blacks in Jim Crow Southsouthern white blacks vs. blacks in Jim Crow South railroads owners vs. railroad workers (1877)railroads owners vs. railroad workers (1877) Californians v. Chinese immigrants (Chinese Californians v. Chinese immigrants (Chinese
Exclusion Act of 1882)Exclusion Act of 1882)
GildedGilded Compromise of 1877 and House Electoral Commission Compromise of 1877 and House Electoral Commission
result in questionable presidential legitimacyresult in questionable presidential legitimacy southern patronage promised by the Compromisesouthern patronage promised by the Compromise southern blacks are sold out in name of Republican southern blacks are sold out in name of Republican
powerpower
last president born in a log cabin (Orange Township)last president born in a log cabin (Orange Township) entered Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (Hiram) entered Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (Hiram)
where he preached, taught, & served as principalwhere he preached, taught, & served as principal Ohio State Senator (1859) and lawyer (1861)Ohio State Senator (1859) and lawyer (1861) Civil War veteran (1861-63)Civil War veteran (1861-63) U.S. Congressman (8 terms)U.S. Congressman (8 terms)
ParalysisParalysis Half-Breeds led by James G. Blaine vs. Stalwarts led by Half-Breeds led by James G. Blaine vs. Stalwarts led by
Roscoe ConklingRoscoe Conkling debate over patronage splits the Republican partydebate over patronage splits the Republican party Garfield is shot July 2, 1881 by deranged office-seeker Garfield is shot July 2, 1881 by deranged office-seeker
Charles GuiteauCharles Guiteau dies September 19, 1881dies September 19, 1881
GildedGilded Half-Breeds led by James G. Blaine vs. Stalwarts led by Half-Breeds led by James G. Blaine vs. Stalwarts led by
Roscoe ConklingRoscoe Conkling debate over patronage splits the Republican partydebate over patronage splits the Republican party Garfield is shot July 2, 1881 by deranged office-seeker Garfield is shot July 2, 1881 by deranged office-seeker
Charles GuiteauCharles Guiteau dies September 19, 1881dies September 19, 1881
ParalysisParalysis sides with Half Breeds and supports the Pendleton Act (1883)sides with Half Breeds and supports the Pendleton Act (1883) a landmark in civil service reform that dooms his re-electiona landmark in civil service reform that dooms his re-election
GildedGilded politicians now look to manufacturers and lobbyists for money politicians now look to manufacturers and lobbyists for money
because city bosses have been weakenedbecause city bosses have been weakened
ParalysisParalysis a believer in the merit system who eventually caved to a believer in the merit system who eventually caved to
Democratic bosses & fired 2/3 of all federal employeesDemocratic bosses & fired 2/3 of all federal employees Cleveland’s appeals for lower tariffs pit consumers vs. Cleveland’s appeals for lower tariffs pit consumers vs.
monopoliesmonopolies battled pension grabbers supported by the Grand Army battled pension grabbers supported by the Grand Army
of the Republic (GAR)of the Republic (GAR)
GildedGilded tariffs run an embarrassing annual surplus of $145 tariffs run an embarrassing annual surplus of $145
million from tariffs passed in wartimemillion from tariffs passed in wartime Congress insists on pork-barrel bills that spend the Congress insists on pork-barrel bills that spend the
surplus instead of voting to lower the tariffsurplus instead of voting to lower the tariff
ParalysisParalysis Speaker of the House “Czar” Reed breaks Democratic Speaker of the House “Czar” Reed breaks Democratic
quorum tactics to stall Republican measuresquorum tactics to stall Republican measures indebted farmers & aggrieved workers form a new indebted farmers & aggrieved workers form a new
Populist Party (1892)Populist Party (1892) Harrison takes side of owners over labor in Homestead Harrison takes side of owners over labor in Homestead
Strike and Couer d’Alene district (1892)Strike and Couer d’Alene district (1892)
GildedGilded ““Billion Dollar” Congress showers pensions on Billion Dollar” Congress showers pensions on
veteransveterans government purchases of silver are increasedgovernment purchases of silver are increased McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 boosts rates to their McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 boosts rates to their
highest peacetime levels everhighest peacetime levels ever
ParalysisParalysis Panic of 1893 is the most punishing economic Panic of 1893 is the most punishing economic
downturn of the 1800s, lasting 4 yearsdownturn of the 1800s, lasting 4 years silverites and poor farmers vs. big business and the silverites and poor farmers vs. big business and the
gold standardgold standard consumers (low tariffs) vs. industrialists (high tariffs)consumers (low tariffs) vs. industrialists (high tariffs)
GildedGilded Cleveland secretly has malignant growth removed from roof Cleveland secretly has malignant growth removed from roof
of his mouth so that “soft money” V.P. Adlai Stevenson is not of his mouth so that “soft money” V.P. Adlai Stevenson is not aware of the procedureaware of the procedure
Cleveland secretly negotiates a $65 million gold loan with Cleveland secretly negotiates a $65 million gold loan with J.P. Morgan for a $7 million commissionJ.P. Morgan for a $7 million commission
special interest protections weaken the lower Wilson-special interest protections weaken the lower Wilson-Gorman Tariff (1894)Gorman Tariff (1894)
