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Gilded Age

Political Corruption and Economic Trouble. Gilded Age. Political Challenges. Balance of Power Government stayed almost perfectly balanced through the gilded age. No one political party dominated the government (for the most part)

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Gilded Age

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  1. Political Corruption and Economic Trouble Gilded Age

  2. Political Challenges • Balance of Power • Government stayed almost perfectly balanced through the gilded age. • No one political party dominated the government (for the most part) • Stalemate made it difficult for laws and government changes to happen. • Presidential and legislature elections were very close making losers block legislation until they won again.

  3. Presidents of the Gilded Age • Weak compared to presidents before • Most won by slim margins and many seemed to lack integrity • Rutherford B Hayes won because of a secret deal • Benjamin Harrison lost the popular vote but won electoral college • Chester Arthur became president only after President James Garfield was assassinated • Upset his own party that they chose not to re-nominate him. • Grover Cleveland was one of the few that had a little success

  4. Grover Cleveland • Served as mayor of buffalo New York, governor of New York, and then 22nd president. • Lost re-election to Benjamin Harrison • Won again 4 years later and also became 24th president • Known for serving with integrity in a time of known corruption.

  5. Corruption • Grover Cleveland was an anomaly – most politicians were corrupt • Politics were driven by lobbyists and corrupt bargains • Big business would strike deals with candidates to get laws passed for them. • Some believed the senate was entirely controlled by the rich business owners.

  6. Political Cartoons • Brought to light the problems plaguing the government. • Joseph Keppler • Showed the corruption in his most famous cartoon “the bosses of the senate” representing the trusts that controlled the senate.

  7. Political Cartoons • Thomas Nast did a series that exposed the illegal activities of William Marcy “Boss” Tweed • Ran a political organization that used connections and group rule to dominate politics and lawmaking in New York City • Manipulated tax dollars and more • Was arrested and escaped jail, found in Spain, identified by one of Nast’s cartoons.

  8. The Spoils System • Created corruption and struggles • Giving jobs based on party loyalty rather than qualification started to stagnate the government • Political parties get strength from the spoils system • Convinced people to vote for candidates with the option for a job.

  9. Spoils system prompts Civil Service reform • Civil service • System that includes federal jobs in the executive branch. • In a working system jobs would be given based on qualifications • Spoils system prevented this – politicians thought they wouldn’t get support if they didn’t give these jobs to supporters. Led to an inefficient system. • Reform was difficult • Took the assassination of president Garfield to prompt a change • Shot by Charles Guiteau who believed that he had been robbed of a spoil system job.

  10. Reforming the civil service • Chester A Arthur liked the spoils system but also noted the need to reform • Signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883 • Established a commision to write a service exam • People now got jobs depending on how they did on the exam • Reduced the power of the spoils system

  11. Economic Challenges • Debates over how to monitor money and business in the united states also created trouble. • Movement to commit to the Gold Standard • Debate how to use tariffs to regulate production

  12. Tariff Debate • Tariffs help to keep markets regulated and help American made products become cheaper • Debate over lower tariffs became major political issue in presidential elections. • Republicans wanted a high tariff to allow American manufacturers to make more and create more jobs • Democrats thought that high tariffs allowed price increases and prevented the sale of goods over seas • Particularly for farmers.

  13. Money • First challenge was the inflation from production of paper money during the war • Greenbacks • Government moved away from greenbacks • At the same time congress passed the Coinage Act of 1873 • Moved to only make gold coins. • People worried that not using silver would hurt the economy • Others felt that using silver would undermine the economy • Others wanted to create inflation so prices would increase and so would their income.

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