1. Topic: Evaluating the “corruption” of the Gilded Age (1868-1890s)

2. The “Gilded Age” ( s)
Era named by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner
Social Problems
Wealth and selfish pursuits
Class inequalities
Big Business vs. “The People”
Problems of Corruption
Graft, bribery, kickbacks
Spoils System
The “Political Machine” (Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall versus Thomas Nast)
Politics as sports/entertainment
Stalemate between the two parties

4. The Gilded Age

5. Conclusion
Based on your debate- Was the machine politics of the Gilded Age good or bad for the “average American”? Defend your answer in 3-4 sentences.