1. U.S. History
Objective 5.04

2. Goal 5 – Becoming an Industrial Society (1877 – 1900)
The learner will describe innovations in technology and business practices and assess their impact on economic, political, and social life in America.

3. Objective 5.04
Describe the changing role of government in economic and political affaris.

4. Gilded Age Politics
“Gilded Age” – glittering exterior hid a corrupt political core and growing gap between the rich and poor
(the outside is nice, but the inside is falling apart)
term coined by Mark Twain

7. A Dishonest Government?
Americans started to lose faith in the gov’t. after the scandals of the Grant administration
What scandals were around during his administration?....

8. Credit Mobilier
Union Pacific Railroad stockholders formed the Credit Mobilier construction company to build railroads
Shares sold or given to congressmen who then approved fed. money to help build railroads

9. Whiskey Ring
Distillers and federal officials defrauded government of taxes imposed on liquor.
Liquor tax too high to help Republican party?

10. Belknap Scandal
Secretary of the Interior sold reserved lands

11. Corruption extended to local gov’t as well
Big city politics often ran by machines

12. Services for citizens
Many cities had trouble providing services for their citizens
Urban poor turned to political machines for help
Provided many services to the poor
Could mobilize large numbers of votes for candidates they supported
Usually supported by voters who gained favors or jobs and businessmen who conspired with “bosses” to gain graft

13. Graft
The illegal taking of bribes or kickbacks by a municipal official in exchange for speeding up a legal process or ignoring illegal activity.

14. Bosses Machines were run by bosses
Candidates did the bidding of the machine bosses

15. Loyalty Machines gained voters’ loyalty by providing urban services
Many immigrants were attracted to machines
Helped with naturalization, housing, and jobs

16. Tammany Hall
One of the most notorious and corrupt political machines was New York City’s Tammany Hall
Run by William M. “Boss” Tweed
Controlled New York City through bribes and patronage – handing out city jobs or political power in exchange for political support

18. New York City lost millions of dollars to Tammany Hall through graft
New York County Courthouse
Cost taxpayers $13 million
Actual construction cost was $3 million

19. Boss Tweed meets his match
Thomas Nast – political cartoonist of the Gilded Age
Drew cartoons trying to expose the corruption of Tammany Hall
Came up with the Tammany tiger, the Republican elephant, the Democrat donkey, Santa Claus for Coca-Cola

20. “I don’t care so much what the papers write about me – my constituents can’t read; but …they can see pictures!”
- Boss Tweed

29. Tweed’s End Boss Tweed spent time in jail but escaped
Caught in Spain after he was recognized from a Thomas Nast cartoon.

30. The end of the spoils system
Spoils system – well known with Andrew Jackson after he was elected in 1828
“To the victor belong the spoils.”

32. Patronage
Many presidents still gave jobs based on patronage – giving jobs to those who helped the candidates get elected
Many of these appointees were unqualified

33. Reform to the patronage system
Reformers wanted to eliminate patronage and encouraged a merit system of hiring.
Wanted civil service (gov’t administration) jobs to go to the most qualified people.

34. Reform begins Civil service reform began under Rutherford B. Hayes
Named independents to his cabinet
Set up commission to investigate customhouses
Fired two in NYC

35. Reform makes enemies
Customhouse firings enraged some Republicans like Roscoe Conkling
Conkling and his supporters came to be called Stalwarts

37. Election of 1880 Republicans divided between stalwarts and reformers
An Ohio independent named James Garfield was nominated and won with stalwart-leaning Chester A. Arthur as his running mate.

38. Garfield assassinated
July, 1881 – Garfield shot in a Washington D.C. train station by Charles Guiteau
Stalwart who Garfield turned down for a job

40. Arthur becomes a reformer
First msg. to Congress urged passing a civil service law
Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 – law establishing the civil service test for those seeking government jobs.
Reaction to Garfield’s assassination

43. Pendleton Act effects
Public administration became more honest and efficient
Officials could no longer pressure employees for campaign contributions
Politicians turned to other sources

44. Big Business Politicians turned to big business owners for $$$$$$
Big businesses wanted a raise in tariffs

45. 1884 Democrats win first presidential election in 28 years
Grover Cleveland
Tried to lower tariffs
Congress opposed

46. Mugwumps
Republican party leaders who threw their support to Dem. Grover Cleveland because they disliked Republican candidate James G. Blaine

47. 1888 Cleveland ran for reelection
Low tariff platform
Opponent was Benjamin Harrison (grandson of W.H. Harrison) – supported business and high tariffs

48. 1888 Cleveland won popular vote
Harrison won electoral vote and presidency
Helped pass McKinley Tariff Act of 1890
Highest levels yet

49. Cleveland reelected Cleveland ran again and was elected in 1892
Worked some to lower tariffs
1897 – McKinley elected – raised tariffs again

50. Big Business makes gains
US v. E.C. Knight – American Sugar Co. was allowed to keep control of 95% of the sugar industry