1. Gilded Age: A thin but glittering layer of prosperity which covered the poverty and corruption of much of society.

5. Economy Industry expansion helped some Americans prosper
Depression, low wages, and debt plagued the working class
Laissez faire  Let it be  Government should not interfere with business

6. Business and Politics
Most businesses liked laissez faire policies when they benefited them but…
Would accept high tariffs on imported goods
Would accept subsidies to encourage development of key industries

7. Political Parties Republicans
Favored by industrialists, bankers, and farmers.
Nonexistent in the South.
Wanted:
Tight money supply backed by gold
High tariffs
Strict limits on immigration
Enforcement of Blue Laws: Regulations that prohibited certain private activities (ex: drinking on Sunday)
Democrats
Favored by people who believed they were “less privileged” in American society. Included immigrants, laborers, southern planters
Wanted:
Increased money supply backed by silver
Lower tariffs
Higher farm prices
Less government aid to business
Fewer blue laws

8. Spoils System “To the victor goes the spoils” Favored by politicians
System led to corruption and dishonesty for personal profit

9. Hayes and Civil Service
1877 – Hayes wins (Compromise of 1877)
Appoints qualified political independents to his Cabinet and fires employees who were not needed
First reform of Civil Service  Government’s non-elected workers

10. Pendleton Civil Service Act
Ends the Spoils System
Act created a Civil Service Commission which classified government jobs and tested applicants fitness for them
Stated that federal employees could not be required to contribute to campaign funds and could not be fired to political reasons.

11. People on the move The Immigrant Experience
WHY: Fleeing crop failures, shortage of land and jobs, rising taxes and famine
HOPES: Dreams of getting rich, free government land through the homestead act, personal freedom, education opportunity, democratic government

12. Crossing the ocean
Steerage: Limited toilets, no privacy, poor food, stale air, cheap price.

13. Waves of Immigration
most from northern Europe. Germany, Great Britain, Ireland.
Southern and eastern Europe, Middle East. Italians, Greeks, Slavs, Russians, Jews, Armenians.
1891- Office of the Superintendent of Immigrations was formed to determine who was fit for life in America.
70% of all Immigrants come through NY.

14. What happens to Immigrants once in the U.S.
Physical Exams: Quarantine; isolation to prevent spread of disease.
Work opportunity: Immigrants paid less than Americans., Women paid less than men. Labor Unions are angered by this.

15. Immigrants from Asia China:
1800 RR Co. recruited Chinese to build the railroad. Immigrants worked off the cost of passage to the U.S.
American labor unions fought to exclude Chinese Immigrants because they accepted low wages.
Chinese exclusion act only allowed immigrants from China into country if they had family in the U.S. In place until 1943

16. Japan
Most come from Hawaii

17. The Gentlemen’s Agreement
San Francisco school board ruled that all Chinese, Japanese, and Korean children should attend separate schools.
Japanese government condemned this segregation claiming it violated an 1894 treaty giving Japanese citizens the right to enter the U.S. freely. Created tension.
The Gentlemen’s Agreement:
Compromise which called on San Francisco to end its school segregation and Japan to stop issuing passports to laborers.