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National Politics of the Gilded Age

National Politics of the Gilded Age. Unit 19: National Politics APUSH Mrs. Baker. Define the economic and social characteristics of the Gilded Age. Explain the impact of these characteristics on the economic and social make-up of American society during this time period. . Do-It-Now Activity.

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National Politics of the Gilded Age

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  1. National Politics of the Gilded Age Unit 19: National Politics APUSH Mrs. Baker

  2. Define the economic and social characteristics of the Gilded Age. • Explain the impact of these characteristics on the economic and social make-up of American society during this time period. Do-It-Now Activity

  3. Political characteristics of the Gilded Age Brainstorm…

  4. The “Politics of Equilibrium” Politics of the Gilded Age

  5. Prevailing political ideology of the time • Campaign tactics of the two party • Party patronage • Well-Defined Voting Blocs • The Presidency as a Symbolic Office Causes of Stalemate

  6. “Do-Little” Government • Laissez-faire economics • Social Darwinism • From 1870 – 1900: • Government did very littler domestically • Main responsibilities of government • Deliver the mail. • Maintain national military • Collect taxes and tariffs • Conduct foreign policy • Only exception is the administration of Civil War veterans’ pensions Belief in a Limited Government

  7. Election campaigns of time were characterized by: • Brass bands, flags, campaign buttons, picnics, free beer, and crowd pleasing oratory. • Campaigns focused on the show and not the big issues. • 80% of eligible voters voted in presidential elections. Campaign Tactics

  8. Intense Loyalty to the Two Major Political Parties

  9. Party PatronageA Two-Party Stalemate

  10. Two Party Balance

  11. White southerners • Preservation of white supremacy • Catholics • Recent immigrants • Esp. Jews • Urban working poor • Pro-labor • Most farmers • Northern whites • Pro-business • African Americans • Northern Protestants • Most of the middle class Democratic Republican Well-Defined Voting Blocs

  12. Result of inactive legislative agenda: • Politics became a game of gaining office, holding office, and providing government jobs to the party faithful. • Created division within the parties Senator Roscoe Conkling Party Patronage

  13. Half Breeds Sen. James Blaine (Maine) Stalwarts Sen. Roscoe Conkling (New York) James A. Garfield Chester A. Arthur Presidential Election of 1880: Republicans

  14. Presidential Election of 1880:Democrats

  15. Inspecting the Democratic Curiosity Shop

  16. Election Results

  17. Charles Guiteau: I am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now! 1881: Garfield Assassinated

  18. Civil Service Act • The “Magna Carta” of civil service reform • Set up Civil Service Commission • Created a system by which applicants for classified federal jobs would be selected based on their scores. Pendleton Act (1883)

  19. Republican “Mugwumps”

  20. Grover Cleveland (Democrat) James Blaine (Republican) The Election of 1884

  21. Ma, Ma… where’s my pa? He’s going to the White House, ha… ha… ha…! A Dirty Campaign

  22. Blaine in 1884 Little Lost Mugwump

  23. Rum, Romanism, & Rebellion!

  24. Results of Election

  25. Cleveland’s First Term

  26. Bravo Senor Clevelando

  27. The Tariff Issue

  28. Grover Cleveland (Democrat) Benjamin Harrison (Republican) Presidential Election of 1888

  29. Results of Election

  30. Disposing the Surplus

  31. Billion-dollar Congress

  32. Election of 1892

  33. Cleveland Loses Support

  34. Discuss the characteristics of American politics at the national and state levels during the Gilded Age. • Discuss the major political and economic issues of the Gilded Age. • Examine the government action on these issues. • Explain the characteristics of American presidents during the Gilded Age • Discuss how each carried out the duties of his office. Essential Questions

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