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Chapter 17: Politics in the Gilded Age. Section One: Political Machines. I. The Rise of the Political Machines. Challenges of city government Public services- fire, police, and sanitation departments Bridges, parks, schools, streets, sewer, utility Political Bosses
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Chapter 17: Politics in the Gilded Age Section One: Political Machines
I. The Rise of the Political Machines • Challenges of city government • Public services- fire, police, and sanitation departments • Bridges, parks, schools, streets, sewer, utility • Political Bosses • well- organized political parties- political machines • Dictated positions and made deals- pocketed money • Precinct captains and voters • Offered jobs, political favors, and services • Public Services • Alexander Shephard- D.C. • Jobs to supporters
II. Immigrants and Political Machines • Immigrants supporters • As soon as they arrived • Tammany Hall- New York City • Jobs for votes
III. Graft and Corruption • Election Fraud- vote early and often • Graft • Acquisition of money or political power through illegal or dishonest methods • Bribes, payoffs, kickbacks • George Washington Pluckitt- Tammany Hall- pg 522 • Tweed Ring- 1860s • $200 million in graft • Thomas Nast- cartoonist
Section Two Restoring Honest Government
I. Scandal in the White House • Grant’s first term • Scandals • Jay Gould- Gold Scandal- 1869 • V.P. Schulyer Colfax- Credit Mobilier Scandal- 1872 • The election of 1872 • Civil Service Reform • Easily re-elected • Grant’s second term • More corruption a. 1874- taxation of whiskey • Politics of the Gilded Age • 1873- Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner- The Gilded Age • Money lust- politicians take advantage
II. The Struggle for Reform • Election of 1876- Dem. Tilden vs. Rep. Hayes • Republican split • Hayes order prohibits federal employers from participating in campaigns • Stalwarts- opposed civil service reforms • Half-Breeds- supported civil service reforms • Election 1880- Hayes does not run • James A. Garfield- Half-Breed for pres. • Chester A. Arthur- Stalwart- for V.P.
II. Struggle for Reform cont. C. Garfield’s assassination 1. July 2, 1881- four months shot by Charles Guiteau D. Reforms and reactions 1. Pendleton Civil Service Act- competitive exams 2. 1884 Election- Grover Cleveland
III. Advances and Setbacks • Advances • Double # of federal jobs requiring civil service exams • Setbacks • Election 1888- Cleveland beat by Benjamin Harrison • Rep. fill every job not on the civil service exam list
Section Three The Populist Movement
I. The Farmers’ Plight • Tumbling prices • Overproduction • Financial trouble
II. Farmers Organize • The Grange Movement • National Grange- Oliver Hudson Kelley- 1867 • Social organization • Cooperatives- pool resources to buy and sell • “Granger laws”- railroad regulation • The Alliance movement • Farmers’ Alliance- Mary Elizabeth Lease a. cooperatives, lobbyist, graduated income tax • African American Farmers • Separate Alliance • Organized strike
III. The Money Question • 1873- Gold Standard- money in circulation was limited to the amount of gold in U.S. Treasury • Bland-Allison Act 1878 and Sherman Silver Act in 1890 1. Allowed the gov. to mint silver coins
IV. A Decade of Populist Politics • Populist Party- Feb. 1892 • Alliance members, farmers, labor leaders, and reformers • Graduated income tax, bank regulation, government ownership of railroad and telegraph, coinage of silver, immigrant restrictions, shorter work day, and voting reforms • Economic depression • Panic of 1893 • 3 million unemployed • Cleveland stops silver coinage
V. Election of 1896 • William Jennings Bryan vs. William McKinley 1. Gold standard vs. free silver- populism • The end of populism • Bryan lost • Improvements in economy