Day 7 Opening Task Read & take notes on the Omaha Platform Preamble… Connections to today? Trump or Bernie messages? Day 7 Opening Task

Day 7 Objectives Evaluate the political conditions that existed in the local and national level in the USA during the Gilded Age Judge the degree to which the governments of the Gilded Age addressed the concerns of the times.

Gilded Age Revisited Who am I? “The external glitter of wealth conceals a corrupt political core that reflects the growing gap between the very few rich and the very many poor.” 

8a. “The Politics of the Gilded Age failed to deal with the critical issues of the times (1865-1900).”

Federal Government…

The Presidential Elections tell us…

Mugwumps were Republicans who sided with Grover due to James Blaine’s corrupt stain that turned them off…Grover ran pretty much as a Republican in his political views

Federal Government… Political Stalemate (Exec & Leg)… Corrupt…Patronage vs Civil Service Reform… Half-Breeds vs Stalwarts and Irony of 1881-1883 Republicans and Democrats… Similarities Strong political stances? ___________Presidents Differences North vs South Eventually split on Gold vs Silver and Tariffs

Charles Guiteau

Turnout Rates of Eligible Voters… Gilded Age

Good thing I have never been corrupt. Local Government Deep Corruption… City govs were not ready for conditions… The Political Machine Immigrants , legit business , illegit business  Extortion and Benefaction… Voter Fraud + Graft Machiavelli… How legit was this analogy? Good thing I have never been corrupt.

Tammany Hall Tweed Ring from 1866-1871 4 men led by William Tweed Ran Tammany Hall (HQ of Dem Party in NY) At his peak, Tweed picked the NY Gov, NY Assembly Speaker and NYC Mayor Embezzled public funds Best example is  1861-1881 Official construction bill was $13 million (2x the cost of Alaska in 1867)

Effects of Gilded Age Politics… Where will we turn to, politically? Effects of Gilded Age Politics… Maybe we’re not the critical issue of the times!! Where will we turn to, politically? 8a. “The Politics of the Gilded Age failed to deal with the critical issues of the times (1865-1900).”

What would these guys have said about what was happening??

Before the Populist Party Farmers began to unite... The Grange 1867-1880s The Farmer’s Alliance 1874-1892 Both  sought federal regulations of industry (RR’s!) & to unite farmers… FA demands looked like Populist demands

10a. After its startling successes of the late 1880s and early 1890s, why did the Populist Party quickly fade into oblivion after 1896?

1892 Populist Party Platform Preamble by Ignatius Donnelly

The Populist Party Omaha Platform 1892 16-1 Fed Gov RR+Telegraph Graduated Income Tax Immigration restriction 8-hour day Fed Gov Regulation Election of Senators… James Weaver 1892 Presidential Election

“Startling Successes”? Tried to unite rural with urban worker. Tried to unite the white and black farmer. Too much sectionalism and 2-party power kept this from happening Populists tried to bridge a few groups…but…

After 1892… Panic of 1893 impact? Leadup to Election of 1896… Party is declining 1896 Election, Populists join… Bi-metallism movement One-plank platform…hmm William Jennings Bryan and the Democrats Anti-Grover reaction

People vs Plutocrats Populists lose on this map, but win later on… 10 to 1 campaign spending and Mark Hanna (McK) Stories…(36 speeches…day after election day )

The Election of 1896 isn’t the end for Populists…

The Gilded Age ripples into our next era