Do Now! Civil Service: Includes federal jobs in the executive branch. Gold Standard: Policy of designating monetary units in terms of their value in gold. Bankers worried abandoning it would weaken the economy. Pendleton Civil Service Act: Established an exam for prospective government employees.

EQ: Why did the political structure change during the Gilded Age? The students will be able to interpret and analyze the concepts of the attitude and role of government.

Ch 16 Sec 2: Political and Economic Challenges During the Gilded Age, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans held control for more than two years in a row. This made it difficult to pass new laws. Presidents during this era seemed weak and lacked integrity. Inaction and corruption were common. The most noteworthy President of the era was Grover Cleveland. In an era known for its corruption, President Cleveland maintained a reputation for integrity.

*Not to be confused with this Grover

Political cartoonists expressed their concern about the damaging effects of corruption and big money. “The Bosses of the Senate” is one of the most famous political cartoons of the time, drawn by Joseph Keppler, showed a cluster of businessmen representing various trusts, glaring down on the chambers of the senate. Thomas Nast did a series of cartoons which exposed the illegal activities of William Marcy “Boss” Tweed, a powerful NYC politician. Eventually, Tweed was arrested. However, he escaped and fled to Spain where he was identified through one of Nast’s cartoons.

William Marcy “Boss” Tweed

Under the spoils system, politicians gave government jobs to loyal party workers without consideration of their qualifications. Government officials used federal contracts to convince people to vote for their candidates.

President James Garfield and other prominent figures wanted to reform the civil service system. This system includes federal jobs in the executive branch. In a reformed system, government workers would get jobs based on their expertise. Vice President Chester Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883 after Garfield was assassinated by a citizen who felt cheated out of a job. This act established a civil service commission. The commission wrote an exam that all potential government workers took. Getting a job was based on how well one did on the exam, not on one’s political affiliation and connections.

*Not to be confused with this Garfield

The tariff and the monetary policy were two economic issues that created controversy during this era. Republicans favored a high tariff. They argued that it would create new jobs and allow industry to grow. Democrats believed high tariffs would raise prices and make it harder to sell American goods abroad.

There was a disagreement over the gold standard, the use of gold as the basis of the nation’s currency. Bankers and others feared that the use of silver for coins would undermine the economy. Farmers argued that the rejection of silver money would lead to low crop prices and financial ruin. Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1873, which abolished the minting of silver coins. After protest, however, it authorized the minting of silver dollars.

In 1867, Oliver H. Kelley organized the Grange, an organization of farmers that provided education on farming techniques. It was one of a network of organizations created to solve farmers’ problems. Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota had set maximum rates for shipping grain. The Grange called for the regulation of railroad and grain elevator rates and prompted the federal government to establish the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). Farmers’ Alliances began working for reform in the late 1870s. The Farmers Alliance established postal banks to provide farmers with low-interest loans to farmers.

The Populist Party was a political party that ran slates of farm-friendly candidates. The party grew rapidly, putting pressure on the two major political parties to consider their demands. They called for the coinage of silver to raise crop prices. To combat high costs, they demanded government ownership of railroads. In 1892, they elected several governors and senators, and ten congressmen. Their presidential candidate received more than one million votes.

In 1896, Populists were forced to decide whether to nominate their own presidential candidate or to endorse Democratic Party nominee William Jennings Bryan. They chose to endorse Bryan, who supported many Populist proposals.

William Jennings Bryan, who advocated “free silver” lost the election to Republican candidate William McKinley. Bryan’s emphasis on monetary reform did not appeal to urban workers. The Populist decision to endorse Bryan weakened the party at the local and state levels. The party never recovered, and by the early 1900s, it had disappeared as a viable alternative to the two major political parties.

EXIT SLIP Support for civil service reform in the 1880's was a reaction to the a. abuses in the electoral college system b. principle of separation of powers c. spoils system d. gold standard

EXIT SLIP Support for civil service reform in the 1880's was a reaction to the a. abuses in the electoral college system b. principle of separation of powers c. spoils system d. gold standard

EXIT SLIP How did the spoils system lead to corruption and eventually government reform?