Chapter 17: Politics in the Gilded Age Section One: Political Machines

I. The Rise of the Political Machines Challenges of city government Public services- fire, police, and sanitation departments Bridges, parks, schools, streets, sewer, utility Political Bosses well- organized political parties- political machines Dictated positions and made deals- pocketed money Precinct captains and voters Offered jobs, political favors, and services Public Services Alexander Shephard- D.C. Jobs to supporters

II. Immigrants and Political Machines Immigrants supporters As soon as they arrived Tammany Hall- New York City Jobs for votes

III. Graft and Corruption Election Fraud- vote early and often Graft Acquisition of money or political power through illegal or dishonest methods Bribes, payoffs, kickbacks George Washington Pluckitt- Tammany Hall- pg 522 Tweed Ring- 1860s $200 million in graft Thomas Nast- cartoonist

Restoring Honest Government Section Two Restoring Honest Government

I. Scandal in the White House Grant’s first term Scandals Jay Gould- Gold Scandal- 1869 V.P. Schulyer Colfax- Credit Mobilier Scandal- 1872 The election of 1872 Civil Service Reform Easily re-elected Grant’s second term More corruption a. 1874- taxation of whiskey Politics of the Gilded Age 1873- Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner- The Gilded Age Money lust- politicians take advantage

II. The Struggle for Reform Election of 1876- Dem. Tilden vs. Rep. Hayes Republican split Hayes order prohibits federal employers from participating in campaigns Stalwarts- opposed civil service reforms Half-Breeds- supported civil service reforms Election 1880- Hayes does not run James A. Garfield- Half-Breed for pres. Chester A. Arthur- Stalwart- for V.P.

II. Struggle for Reform cont. C. Garfield’s assassination 1. July 2, 1881- four months shot by Charles Guiteau D. Reforms and reactions 1. Pendleton Civil Service Act- competitive exams 2. 1884 Election- Grover Cleveland

III. Advances and Setbacks Double # of federal jobs requiring civil service exams Setbacks Election 1888- Cleveland beat by Benjamin Harrison Rep. fill every job not on the civil service exam list

Section Three The Populist Movement

I. The Farmers’ Plight Tumbling prices Overproduction Financial trouble

II. Farmers Organize The Grange Movement The Alliance movement National Grange- Oliver Hudson Kelley- 1867 Social organization Cooperatives- pool resources to buy and sell “Granger laws”- railroad regulation The Alliance movement Farmers’ Alliance- Mary Elizabeth Lease a. cooperatives, lobbyist, graduated income tax African American Farmers Separate Alliance Organized strike

III. The Money Question 1873- Gold Standard- money in circulation was limited to the amount of gold in U.S. Treasury Bland-Allison Act 1878 and Sherman Silver Act in 1890 1. Allowed the gov. to mint silver coins

IV. A Decade of Populist Politics Populist Party- Feb. 1892 Alliance members, farmers, labor leaders, and reformers Graduated income tax, bank regulation, government ownership of railroad and telegraph, coinage of silver, immigrant restrictions, shorter work day, and voting reforms Economic depression Panic of 1893 3 million unemployed Cleveland stops silver coinage

V. Election of 1896 William Jennings Bryan vs. William McKinley 1. Gold standard vs. free silver- populism The end of populism Bryan lost Improvements in economy