1. Believe in yourself!!!
YOU CAN DO THIS 

2. Theme #1—Image A

3. Theme #1—Image B

4. Theme #1—Image C

5. Theme #1: Labor Unions Industrial work was hard:
12 hour days, 6 days per week
Received low wages; No sick leave or injury compensation
Industrial work was unskilled, dangerous, & monotonous
These bad conditions led to the growth of labor unions—groups that demanded better pay & conditions through collective bargaining
Low wages ($ /year but living cost $600); railroad injury rate 1 in 26, death rate 1 in 399; Composition of work force in 1900: 20% women (in 296 of 303 jobs) 10% of girls & 20% of boys had jobs (“child labor” meant ↓14 yrs)
all children poorly paid, but girls less than boys; Earning comparisons: Adults > Children; Men > Women; Skilled > Unskilled; Protestants > Catholics or Jews; Whites > Blacks & Asians; Blacks worked menial jobs; Chinese worked on Pacific Coast; often discriminated against (Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882)

6. Theme #1: Labor Unions
In 1868, the Knights of Labor formed to help all workers, regardless of race, gender, or skill
The most successful union was the American Federation of Labor (AFL) led by Samuel Gompers:
Made up only of skilled workers
Used collective bargaining & strikes to gain better pay, shorter hours, & better work conditions
Included 1/3 of all U.S. laborers 17

7. Theme #1: Labor Unions
Some people turned to socialism: government control of business and property, equal distribution of wealth
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, called the “Wobblies”) formed in 1905
Socialism seemed appealing to some Americans, but never became a major option for workers
By 1900, only 4% of all workers were unionized

8. Theme #2—Image A

9. Theme #2—Image B

10. Theme #2—Image C

11. Theme #2: Strikes & Labor Unrest
One of the tactics used by unions to gain better pay was to strike:
Strikes were designed to stop production in order to gain pay
Business leaders resisted strikes by hiring replacement workers or private police to break up strikes
In some cases, violence broke out

12. 1. Political Machines
The Gilded Age saw the rise of political machines—well-organized groups that controlled a political party in a city
Machines offered services to voters & businesses in exchange for political votes
Were very influential with immigrants; Helped with jobs, housing, & naturalization
NY County Courthouse supposed to cost city $250,000 but ended up costing $13million.

13. Political machines influenced immigrant voters by creating parks near slums, barbeques, giving away Christmas presents to children

14. 1. Political Machines
Machines were led by city bosses who used a network of ward bosses & precinct captains to:
Influenced votes: ballot stuffing, multiple votes
Control access to city jobs, business licenses, courts
Arrange building projects & community services

15. 1. Political Machines Machine politicians were often corrupt:
Use fraud to win elections
Graft—Using their political influence for personal gain
Took kickbacks & bribes
The most notorious machine boss was Boss Tweed of New York’s Tammany Hall who defrauded the city of millions of dollars

16. Boss Tweed
“Tweed Courthouse”—NY County Courthouse was supposed to cost $250,000 but cost $13 million.

17. 1. Political Machines
The cartoonist Thomas Nast was the progressive reformer credited with exposing Tweed through his political cartoons.
Boss Tweed: “I don't care a straw for your newspaper articles; my constituents don't know how to read, but they can't help seeing them damned pictures!"

18. The Dwarf and The Giant thief
Image A
CAN THE LAW REACH HIM?-
The Dwarf and The Giant thief

19. 2. Political Scandals
National politicians, especially under President Grant’s administration, were seen as corrupt as well:
Crédit Mobilier Scandal involved Union Pacific using Crédit Mobilier as a way to make dishonest profit.
Whiskey Ring involved gov’t whiskey distillers bribing gov’t officials to avoid paying taxes

20. A

21. 3. Patronage
During the Gilded Age, many gov’t positions, such as tax collectors or post office officials, were appointed by patronage (spoils system) — a reward for political loyalty.
This ended up creating divisions within the Republican party (Halfbreeds, Stalwarts, Mugwumps)
Why is this a problem?
Calls for civil service (government administration) reform began
In 1883, Congress passed the Pendleton Act, creating merit-based exams for most civil service jobs

22. Theme #4—Image C

23. 4. Populism
Farmers, debtors, and Western miners were frustrated by politics that increasingly favored the interests of the rich.
Government favored big business through:
Subsidies/Land Grants
McKinley Tariff (caused overproduction lower prices lower profits).
Lack of Regulation of railroads (charged farmers more for short hauls, cheaper freight rates in the east than out west, cheaper shipping rates for large suppliers, arbitrary pricing)

24. 4. Populism Party Platform
What did they want?
Bimetallism- “Free Silver Slogan”
Progressive Income Tax
Government farming subsidies
Government ownership of key industries- (shipping and communication)