1. Phones up! Be ready for a warm up discussion!

2. “One might search the whole list of Congress, Judiciary, and Executive…[from] 1870 to 1895 and find little but damaged reputation”
Henry Adams

4. Political Corruption in the Gilded Age
An Era of Good Stealings

5. Spoils System and Political Machines
Government jobs to loyal party members
Fierce competition to prove loyalty
What might be some problems with this system?
Political Machines
Small groups of politicians running cities
Won loyalty of large voter base by making promises and providing for them
Huge voter turnout

7. President Grant 1869-1877 Civil War Hero Scandalous! Re-election
Untrustworthy friends and colleagues given top government positions
VP Colfax- railroad scheme
Re-election
Some broke away from Grant
Liberal Republican Party
Civil service reform
End corruption in government
Corrupt politicians across the nation during his tenure

8. President Garfield 1881-1881 :/
Assassinated early during presidency
Assassin angry he didn’t get a government post
All goes back to the spoils system and expectations people had
Early drafts that later became the Pendleton Service Reform Act

9. Reform Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883) Est Civil Service Commission
In charge of Civil Service Exam
Eventually helped weed out those employed due to the spoils system

10. Effects of Government Corruption
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Want a govt job? Take the test

11. Attempts to Regulate Business
Interstate Commerce Commission (1887)
Monitored RR shipping rates
But only valid if crossed state lines
First fed agency to monitor business practices
Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)
Outlawed trust that prevented free trade across state lines
Rarely enforced
Usually courts sided with business anyway
Businesses used law against unions and strikes and typically won

13. President Cleveland 1885-1889 and 1893-1897
Reputation for honesty
“A Democrat thief is as bad as a Republican thief”
Supporter of laissez-faire capitalism and gold standard
Opposed government subsidies and imperialism

15. Economic Crisis Great Panic of 1893 Inspired Populist Party
Wheat price plummeted
Run on banks thus causing banks to fail
High unemployment
Pres Cleveland blamed silver!!!
Inspired Populist Party