1. Issues of the Gilded Age Chapter 12
Ryan Lowdermilk

2. Segregation and Social Tensions
Following the election of 1876 President Hayes removed federal troops from the South
This action allowed southern states to reassert their control over African Americans
Southern governments enacted various measures aimed at disenfranchising African Americans
They also enacted Jim Crow Laws

3. Segregation and Social Tensions
The most famous black leader during the Gilded Age was Booker T. Washington
Born into slavery
Washington argued that black Americans needed to accommodate themselves to segregation
Meaning they should not focus their energies on seeking overturn Jim Crow laws
He called for blacks to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”
Build up their economic resources and establish reputations as hardworking honest citizens
In addition to speaking and writing Washington established the Tuskegee Institute
Provided an industrial education
Talked about this in his Atlanta Exposition

4. Segregation and Social Tension
A second famous African American of the Gilded Age was W.E.B. Dubois
Harvard Ph.D.
Criticized Washington’s willingness to accommodate Jim Crow laws in the South
He believed that black should demand equality and not limit themselves to vocational education
He believed that Washington wrongly shifted the burden of equality onto the shoulders of black Americans

5. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois

6. Segregation and Social Tensions
Before the Civil War women played a prominent role in many reform movements
Expanding rights for African Americans left some women’s rights activists like Susan B. Anthony angry
In 1869 Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Women Suffrage Association to fight for a constitutional amendment for women to win the right to vote
Anthony was arrested when she voted in NY

7. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

8. Segregation and Social Tensions
Women’s rights activists did achieve some gains during the Gilded Age
The number of women attending college jumped
Frances Willard led the Women’s Christian Temperance Union
They also promoted other social welfare issues

9. Political and Economic Challenge
Party loyalties were so evenly divided that no faction or group gained control for any period of time
In comparison to Lincoln the presidents of the Gilded Age appeared weak
Hayes, Harrison, Arthur, Cleveland

10. 4. Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.
From  Govt. did very little domestically.
Main duties of the federal govt.:
Deliver the mail.
Maintain a national military.
Collect taxes & tariffs.
Conduct a foreign policy.
Exception  administer the annual Civil War veterans’ pension.

11. 5. The Presidency as a Symbolic Office Senator Roscoe Conkling
Party bosses ruled.
Presidents should avoid offending any factions within their own party.
The President just doled out federal jobs.
1865  53,000 people worked for the federal govt.
1890  166,000 “ “ “ “ “ “
Senator Roscoe Conkling

12. Political and Economic Challenge
Political cartoonists of the Gilded Age played an important role in raising attention to political corruption
Joseph Kneppler “The Bosses of the Senate”
Thomas Nast
A series of cartoons about William Marcy Tweed

13. “The Bosses of the Senate”

14. “Twas Him”

15. Political and Economic Challenge
Political parties and the spoils system were central components of politics during the Gilded Age
Under the spoils system politicians awarded government jobs to loyal party workers with little regard for their qualifications
The feeling that the spoils system corrupted government or made it inefficient promoted many people to call for civil service reform

16. Political and Economic Challenge
Civil Service reform called for most government workers to get their jobs based on expertise and maintain them regardless of the political party they were affiliated with
Independent attempts by politicians to change the system failed
Hayes attempted to change the system by nominating independents to his cabinet

17. Political and Economic Challenge
The Republican Party did not support change until the assassination of President James Garfield
He was assassinated by a man who believed he should have been appointed to a government job
Chester Arthur became president he supported the movement for civil service reform

18. 1881: Garfield Assassinated!
Charles Guiteau: I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!

19. Political and Economic Challenge
Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act
This act established a Civil Service Commission which wrote a civil service exam and getting a government job meant doing well on the exam

20. 1888 Presidential Election
Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (DEM) * (REP)

21. Changing Public Opinion
Americans wanted the federal govt. to deal with growing soc. & eco. problems & to curb the power of the trusts:
Interstate Commerce Act – 1887
Sherman Antitrust Act – 1890
McKinley Tariff – 1890
Based on the theory that prosperity flowed directly from protectionism.
Increased already high rates another 4%!
Rep. Party suffered big losses in 1890 (even McKinley lost his House seat!).

22. 1892 Presidential Election
Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison again! * (DEM) (REP)

23. Political and Economic Challenge
The tariff and monetary policy were critical economic issues during the Gilded Age
The tariff issue divided the political parties and disagreed on the commitment to the gold standard
The debate over the tariff had been an issue throughout American history
The Republicans favored a high tariff arguing that it would allow American industries to grow

24. Remember All this is happening during the Gilded Age
End of Reconstruction, disenfranchisement, Jim Crow
Industrialization, Urbanization, Immigration
Growth of Railroads
Indian Wars
Weak Presidents, corrupt politicians, political machines
Robber barons v. Capt. Of Industry

25. Key People Booker T. Washington W.E.B. Dubois William Jennings Bryan
Presidents Hayes, Garfield, Cleveland, Arthur WEAK!!!!
Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Morgan
William Marcy Tweed, Thomas Nast