Chapter 21 A New Spirit of Reform
The Gilded Age Mark Twain call the 1870’s the Gilded Age Gilded metal has a thing coat of gold over cheap metal
Poor and powerless Americans were hidden under the nation’s wealth
The Spirit of Reform Reformers though the industrial society was hurting the average American Wanted a CHANGE
Credit Mobilier Scandal Involved the Union Pacific Railroad Made money illegally Phony company VP President Colfax was involved
Grant’s Scandals William Belknap Secretary of War Cheated the Native Americans President Grant William Belknap
Grant’s Scandal Treasury department Illegal payments from whiskey companies
Boss Tweed William Marcy Tweed Provided clothes, food, fuel for votes Controlled government offices Stole millions from NY City
Thomas Nast Newspaper cartoons led to the arrest and conviction of Boss Tweed
Mugwumps Reformers who criticized the spoil system Wanted government officials to pass a civil service exam
James Garfield 20 th president Shot by Charles Guiteau Guiteau was mad because he did not get a job
1881-Garfield Assassinated Charles Guiteau
Chester Arthur 21 st president Passed civil service laws Pendelton Act Jobs were given only to qualified people and not fired for political reasons
Grover Cleveland 22 nd president Known for running an honest government Sided with the Mugwumps Wanted reform
Cleveland was a “reformer”.
“Filing the Rough Edges” Big business wanted to continue high tariffs Consumers did not
Election of 1888 Grover Cleveland (Democrat) Benjamin Harrison (Republican)
The Smallest Specimen Yet
Benjamin Harrison 23 rd president Grandson of William Henry Harrison
Election of 1892 Harrison vs. Cleveland (again)
Grover Cleveland 24 th president Only president to serve two non- consecutive terms as president of USA
Unions Knights of Labor Started by Uriah Stephens as a secret organization Later led by Terrence Powderly Represented all workers
American Federation of Labor Led by Samuel Gompers Organized by skills Worked to get an 8- hour workday and better working conditions
Strikes Workers refuse to work until demands are met Strikebreakers (scabs) were nonunion people who replaced striking workers Pullman’s Strike 1894
Trusts Organizing small companies into larger businesses Congress passed laws to correct problems Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890) made it illegal for large companies to form monopolies
Populist Party Represented the average American Opposed big business Wanted graduated income taxes Public-owned railroads, telegraphs and telephone companies Wanted to make silver money available again
Election of 1896 William Jennings Bryan (Populist) William McKinley (Republican)
Progressives Reformers Middle class, well- educated Determined to change American society