Gilded Age Gilded Age Major Themes 1860’s-1900

Major Themes Why was it called the Gilded Age? What does this term imply? How does Mark Twain relate to this?

gild 1 (g ld) tr.v. gild·ed or gilt (g lt), gild·ing, gilds 1. To cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold. 2. To give an often deceptively attractive or improved appearance to. 3. Archaic To smear with blood.

Gilded Age Outside Factors End of Civil War Industrial Boom Material Progress America beginning to enter the world stage Millionaires and Philanthropy Inside factors Rampant Corruption Discrimination Weak and Ineffective presidents Labor exploited Farmer Problems Business Cycle

Political Seesaw 80-90% voter turnout Presidential Election close –(10,000-40,000 popular votes) House of Reps changes 5 times

Forgettable Presidents Grant (R) 1868 and ’72 Hayes (R) 1876 Garfield (R) 1880 and Arthur V.P Cleveland (D) 1884 Harrison (R) 1888 Cleveland (D) 1892

Laissez-faire Govt. Govt. tried not to intervene in people’s lives and the economy When it did, it usually sided with wealthy and conservative factions in the Gilded Age

Recurrent Issues… Parties saw eye to eye and tried to avoid Tariff –High Tariff vs. Low Tariff –Industry vs. Farmer Monetary Policy –Hard money vs. Soft/ Cheap –Creditors vs. Debtors –East vs. West –Industrialist vs. Farmer –Deflation vs. Inflation Civil Service Pol. machines, Patronage and Spoils System vs. Reform

Political Parties Strong, competitive, commanded loyalty and produced high voter turnout Democrats –Solid South and Northern industrial immigrant cities –Lutherans and Catholics –Resisted govt. efforts to impose morality Republicans –Midwest and rural/ small town Northeast –Big Business –Puritan base –Codes of personal morality –Govt. to have role in regulating the economy –Support of Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and Freedmen

Legacies of the Civil War Elections –Waving the “Bloody Shirt” Industry Reconstruction Race Relations

The Political Machine A Case Study of Gilded Age Politics Local politics were controlled by bosses and political machines within the party. Elected Official Party Boss Voters Corporations/ Business

Boss Tweed - William Tweed - Tammany Hall - Political Machine - Thomas Nast - New York Times

Ric Burns NY Clip on Tweed QFYhttp:// QFY

Major Themes Recap Gilded Age: Mark Twain –Outside versus Inside Political Seesaw Forgettable Presidents Laissez-faire Government Recurrent Issues –Tariff, Civil Service, Monetary Policy Political parties –Democrats and Republicans Civil War Legacies