1. Gilded Age Economics and Politics

2. Why did the political structure change during the Gilded Age?
Congress passed few laws between 1877 and It was an era marked by inaction and political corruption.
The Gilded Age raised questions about whether or not democracy could succeed in an era dominated by powerful industrial corporations and men of great wealth.

3. Between 1877 and 1897, party loyalties were evenly divided.
• Neither political party achieved control of both the White House and Congress for more than two years in a row.
• Presidents during the Gilded Age were elected only by slim margins.
• This made it difficult to pass new laws.
Between 1877 and 1897, party loyalties were evenly divided.

4. Cartoonists such as Thomas Nast worked to expose corruption.
Corruption plagued national politics as many officials accepted bribes.
Cartoonists such as Thomas Nast worked to expose corruption.
Nast cartoon of “Boss” Tweed

5. The spoils system was the glue of the political parties.
The spoils system, in which party supporters received government jobs regardless of their qualifications, shifted power to a few.
This system made the political parties extremely powerful. 5

6. A movement arose to promote civil service reform.
Change finally happened, in part, because President James Garfield was assassinated by a man who believed the Republican Party owed him a job.
Ending the spoils system was difficult. 6

7. Chester A. Arthur became President and supported civil service reform.
In 1883, he signed into law the Pendleton Civil Service Act,
which established a merit-based system for government employment.

8. Economic debates focused on tariffs and monetary policy during the Gilded Age.
Republicans favored tariffs on imported goods. Tariffs supported American industry, but Democrats claimed that they increased consumer prices and made it harder for farmers to sell their products abroad.
Monetary policy disputes centered on whether or not to maintain the gold standard, where gold is the sole basis of the nation’s currency.

9. Some wanted to use both gold and silver.
The Coinage Act of 1873 reversed the policy of having the government issue both gold and silver coins.
Some wanted to use both gold and silver.
Some people wanted to use only gold as money.
Bankers were worried silver would impact trade and undermine the economy. Farmers hoped it would create inflation and raise their income. 9

10. Populism

11. Objectives
Analyze the problems farmers faced and the groups they formed to address them.
Assess the goals of the Populists, and explain why the Populist Party did not last.

12. People moving to the West and South in the late 1800s knew that their lives would not be easy.
Problems facing the farmers of the West and South
low prices for crops
high transportation, equipment, and loan costs
drought
reduced influence in politics
They did not anticipate the many problems that made survival nearly impossible.

13. Frustrated by these problems, farmers began to organize.

14. Farmers created groups to address their problems.
These groups formed a network called the Grange movement. The Grange was formally organized by Oliver H. Kelley in 1867 and gained a million members.
The Grange declined after the 1870s, but Farmers’ Alliances became important reform organizations that continued the Grange’s goals.

15. government ownership of railroads
The spread of the Farmers’ Alliances led to the formation of the Populist Party in 1892.
The Populist platform warned about the dangers of political corruption, an inadequate money supply, and an unresponsive government. They called for:
coinage of silver
an income tax
government ownership of railroads
bank regulations 15

16. The debate over monetary policy was an important issue of the day.
Those who wanted to use silver and gold—including the Populist Party—were on the other.
Those who wanted only a gold standard were on one side.

17. The Populists did well in 1892, electing three governors, five senators, and ten congressmen.
The Populist candidate for president received one million votes in that election. 17

18. An economic depression began in 1893, and labor unrest and violence broke out. The Populist Party grew.
In 1896, a young lawyer named William Jennings Bryan spoke at the national Democratic convention.
The speech, with its Populist message of “free silver,” moved Democrats to nominate Bryan. The Populist Party chose to give him their support.

19. He toured the country, talking directly to voters.
William Jennings Bryan campaigned against Republican candidate William McKinley in a way that had never been seen before.
He toured the country, talking directly to voters.

20. McKinley won against Bryan in 1896 and in 1900.
Bryan’s emphasis on money reform wasn’t popular with urban workers.

21. The Populist Party was weakened by supporting William Jennings Bryan on the Democratic ticket.
It survived another decade, but its viability as an alternative to the two major parties was over.
Many of the reforms sought by the Populists eventually became reality. The new campaigning style used by Bryan became the norm. 21