U.S. History Background 1876 - 1900 George Washington Vanderbilt- built between 1889-1895 Wealthy American family- railroads, other business ventures, steel?

Ulysses S. Grant 1868 – 1876 – Republican – 18th Civil War hero Presidency marked with mass corruption Allies made millions off railroad construction Bribery and fraud widespread Businesses control government Makes people stop trusting politicians

Rutherford B. Hayes 1876 – 1880 – Republican – 19th Former governor of Ohio Called in Fed. Troops to put down the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 – 73 die 20 die and 29 wounded in Pittsburgh = first time in US history that troops fire on citizens Wanted to build Panama Canal – did not do it

James A. Garfield 1880 – 1881 – Republican – 20th Last born in log cabin Ohio Senator Won by only 9,000 votes Shot in the back at Washington train station Bed-ridden in White House for 3 months Dies in Sept. 1881 – only served for 6 months

Chester A. Arthur 1881 – 1885 – Republican – 21st President Former Customs official from New York Garfield’s VP – took over after assassination Reformed Civil Service Immigration reform – mentally ill not allowed; Chinese not allowed for ten years Hid fatal kidney disease from the public

                                 

Grover Cleveland 1885 – 1889 – Democrat – 22nd President 1st Dem. elected since the Civil War Former governor of New York Only President to be married in the White House Against giving $ to war veterans Interstate Commerce Act – attempted to regulate railroads Tried to do away with spoils system

Benjamin Harrison 1889 – 1893 – Republican – 23rd President Senator from Indiana – grandson of William Henry Harrison – (9th Pres) Actually lost pop. vote to Cleveland Sherman Anti-Trust Act – outlawed monopolies and protected trade Spent over 1 Billion $ building up navy Lost re-election to…

Grover Cleveland 1893 – 1897 – Democrat – 24th President Only president to serve non-consecutive terms Panic of 1893 – economic depression – 3 million lost jobs Pullman Strike – 125,000 railroad workers – shut down railroad system – sent troops to stop it Had secret mouth cancer surgery on Presidential yacht

William McKinley 1897 – 1901 – Republican – 25th President Former Governor of Ohio – his election marked that start of the Progressive Era Fought and won the Spanish-American War Annexed Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam Shot while shaking hands after a speech in Buffalo, New York – doctors could not find bullet Died of gangrene from wound - 1901