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The Gilded Age 1877-1900

The Gilded Age 1877-1900. Issues & Problems. African Americans & Social Tensions. Experienced a narrowing of rights President Hayes removed federal troops from the South after the Election of 1876 Compromise of 1877

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The Gilded Age 1877-1900

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  1. The Gilded Age 1877-1900 Issues & Problems

  2. African Americans & Social Tensions • Experienced a narrowing of rights • President Hayes removed federal troops from the South after the Election of 1876 • Compromise of 1877 • Southern states passed several restrictive measures to get around the 15th Amendment

  3. Disenfranchisement • Literacy tests • Poll Tax • Grandfather clause required ancestors to have voted prior to 1866 • Intimidation by violence • 1894—130,000 registered black voters v 1904—1,300 • Image: http://bergetoons.blogspot.com

  4. Segregation • Jim Crow Laws—kept blacks & whites segregated • Railroad cars • Waiting stations • Jury boxes & Bibles • Cemeteries • Restaurants • Parks • Hospitals • Image: www.solcomhouse.com

  5. Segregation Cont’d • De facto Segregation • Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)Homer Plessy sat in a car reserved for whites & was arrested • Argued the Separate Car Act violated 14th amendment • Supreme Court maintained that Jim Crow Laws were constitutional because “separate but equal” facilities didn’t violate the 14th amendment • Not equal in reality • Ex.: In 1915, $14 for every white student in S.C. v. less than $3 for every black student

  6. Booker T. Washington • Most famous black leader of the 19th century • Born a slave in 1856 • Called for blacks to build up economic resources & establish reputations • Prove themselves • Shouldn’t focus on overturning Jim Crow • Championed education • Taught at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama • vocational education

  7. W.E.B. DuBois • Criticized Washington for accommodating southern whites & segregation • Argued for full & immediate equality for blacks • Blacks should not limit themselves to a vocational education • Blacks shouldn’t have to “earn” the right to vote

  8. W.E.B Du Bois • Wrote an essay called, “The Talented Tenth” in 1903 • The term described the likelihood of 1 in 10 African American men becoming leaders • These talented tenth need to step up to the plate and be role models • Advocated classical education as opposed to just industrial/vocational education

  9. Niagara Movement • Founded the Niagara movement in 1905 • Black civil rights organization • Educated blacks should make a difference and take action now • Called for end to disenfranchisement, segregation, and policies of accommodation • Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Movement

  10. Ida B. Wells • Fought for justice for blacks • Schoolteacher in Memphis, Tennessee • Bought a local newspaper— “Free Speech” • Wrote articles against mistreatment of blacks • Wrote editorials attacking lynching in the South • Run out of town for crusade against lynching

  11. Discrimination in the West Chinese & Mexican Americans

  12. Chinese Immigrants • Barred from employment in California cities & attacked by mobs of whites for taking “white” jobs. • Segregated schools • Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882—prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the country • Several federal court cases sided with Chinese and upheld their rights

  13. Yick Wo v. Hopkins • 1886 • Supreme Court sided with a Chinese immigrant that challenged a California law banning him from operating a laundry • 1898 • Supreme court ruling of Wong Kim Ark

  14. Mexican Americans • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) had guaranteed property rights of Mexicans who lived in the Southwest prior to the Mexican-American War • Despite treaty, many Mexican-Americans lost their land • Image: http://www.cah.utexas.edu

  15. Mexican-Americans & Land • U.S. Courts put burden of proof on Mexican-Americans to show they owned the land • Different legal customs & communally held land made ownership difficult to prove • “Sante Fe Ring”—group of whites that used political connections to take millions of acres of land in New Mexico through fed. Gov. grants

  16. Mexican Americans cont’d • Fought to maintain rights and land • “Las Gorras Blancas” (1889) fought back by cutting holes in fences, burning barns, haystacks, & scattering livestock of large white ranch owners. • Hispanic citizens in Tucson formed the “AlianzaHispano-Americana” in 1894 to protect their culture, interests, & legal rights. • Image: southvalleyart.com

  17. WomenGains & Setbacks • Left out of 14th & 15th Amendments • In 1869, Susan B. Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed the National Woman Suffrage Association • 1872, Anthony voted illegally in an election in New York—tried and convicted • Fined $100 • Never paid the fine • U.S. Government took no collection action against her

  18. Women’s reform in other areas • By 1906, only 4 Western states granted women’s suffrage—Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, & Idaho • More women attending college • By 1900, women represented 1/3 of ALL college students. • Frances Willard formed the Women’s Christian Temperance Union • prohibit sale of alcohol • public health, welfare reform

  19. Politics & economics Challenges of the Gilded Age

  20. Stalemate in politics • Parties evenly divided • No group could gain control for a significant amount of time • Between 1877-1897, Republicans or Democrats gained control of the White House & both houses of Congress at the same time only twice. • Neither held control for more than 2 years • Difficult to pass new legislation

  21. Presidents of the Gilded Age • Weak in comparison to Lincoln • Won by slim margins • Lacked integrity • Hayes won through the Compromise of 1877 • 1880—Garfield (Republican)/ Arthur • 1884—Cleveland wins as first democrat in 24 years • 1888—Benjamin Harrison (Republican) lost popular vote • 1892—Cleveland • 1896—McKinley (Republican)

  22. Age of Corruption • Many government officials accepted bribes • Spoils System • Made parties very powerful • Political cartoons—big money & corruption • Thomas Nast—editorial cartoonist “Father of the American Cartoon • Image: www.npr.org

  23. Civil Service Reform • Civil Service—system of federal jobs in the executive branch • Jobs to be awarded on basis of expertise regardless of reigning political party • Civil service reform becomes a reality after the assassination of President James Garfield (1881) • Shot by Charles J. Guiteau because he believed the Republican Party owed him a gov. job

  24. Chester A. Arthur & Civil Service Reform • Garfield’s vice president • Supported civil service reform • Public indignation over assassination • Signed Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883 • Formed Civil Service Commission • Civil service exam for those who wanted to work for the government • Reduced power of the spoils system

  25. Economic Challenges • Debate on tariffs • Republicans supported high tariffs • Democrats thought tariffs increased cost of goods & hurt American farmers • Major parties committed to the gold standard • Rise of populists & bimetalists • Coinage act of 1873 • Reversed policy of making gold and silver coins • “Crime of 1873” • Anti-silver—undermine economy • Pro-silver—rise in prices would increase income

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