forging an industrial society
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Forging an Industrial Society. UNIT 6 1869-1900. Forging an Industrial Society. America went from a rural society beginning of the Civil War to urbanizing, industrial one by the end of the century Economic and technological change allowed a whole new civilization to emerge - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
UNIT 61869-1900
Forging an Industrial Society
Forging an Industrial Society
America went from a rural society beginning of the Civil War to urbanizing, industrial one by the end of the century
Economic and technological change allowed a whole new civilization to emerge
The last part of the 1800’s saw the rise of industry and industrial giants American movement to urban areas brought into question the spirit of
individualism, but also expansion and closure onto the Western frontier Reformers ushered in an age of more active governmental affairs on the
social and business fronts Economic change brought political and social turmoil and allowed for the
expansion of labor unions Disputes over monetary policies divided industrialists and farmers and gave
rise to the Populist party The South remained untouched by this prosperity and African Americans
became victims of institutionalized racism As the century ended Americans were again gripped by expansionism and
people questioned American’s role on the world stage
CHAPTER 23
Political Paralysis in the Gilded Age
I. The Bloody Shirt Elects Grant
Civil War brought government corruption and many Americans were disillusioned
Politics during the last 30 years of the century were corrupt at best
1868 US Grant elected president Grant’s victory could be attributed to former
slaves voting him into office, also the memories of his war exploits (waving the bloody shirt)
First many money issues came up during this election; eastern wealth focused on gold standard vs. Midwestern farmers who wanted to stay with system of greenbacks (money backed by faith and credit of US)
Farmers wanted to keep more money in circulation and keep interest rates low
II. The Era of Good Stealings
Postwar political atmosphere was full of political corruption
Jay Gould and Jim Fisk and their plot to corner the gold market was an example of the time
Tweed Ring in NYC- Boss Tweed leader gained favor of immigrants by making promises, providing services to them in return for support
Once in office he stole, bribed and fleeced the city for over $200 million (cartoons of Thomas Nast brought public attention and put him behind bars (1871)
III. A Carnival of Corruption
Misdeeds of federal governmentGrant’s cabinet was full of crooks1872 Credit Mobilier Scandal Union Pacific RR
formed Credit Mobilier Construction to build railroads and hired themselves at inflated prices
Gave stock to key Congressmen to cover up investigation, even paid off VP
1874-1875 Whiskey Ring robbed treasury of millions in excise tax revenue
1876 Sec. of War had to resign after pocketing bribes from suppliers to Indian reservations
IV. The Liberal Republican Revolt of 1872
Reformers tired of corruption formed Liberal Republican Party in 1872
Nominated editor of New York Tribune, Horace Greely
Democrats endorse Greely and his views on national unity
Election 1872 between Grant and Greely a choice of the lesser of two evils and Grant won
V. Depression, Deflation and Inflation
1873 Economic Panic Over production, expansion caused loans to
go unpaid Riots in NYC, black Americans and business
hardest hit (less stable footing) Call for “greenbacks”, not money based on
gold standard to pay back debt easier (greenbacks could be traded for gold)
Hard money people wanted to get rid of currency, removing it from circulation would make the value higher not lower (create scarcity)
Soft Money advocates wanted more money in circulation, it would cause higher prices, more profit and make debt easier to pay
Hard money won out, Grant refused to print more money
V. Depression, Deflation and Inflation
Debtors looked to silver as a substitute for greenbacks and gold
Silver undervalued by US government (16:1), higher prices on open market so miners did not sell to US government
1873 Congress formally drops making silver coins New discoveries in the same year, production up and
mining interests and debtors called end of production “Crime of ’73”
Demand for more silver scheme to promote inflation Grant has government buy more gold and reduce
greenbacks, policy of contraction worsened panic 1874- Result of money policy led to Democrats regaining
control of Congress 1878 limited production of silver coinage (Bland-Alison
Act)
VI. Pallid Politics in the Gilded Age
Political balance switched back and forth during this period, no president won popular vote during this period
Voter turnout was high and few significant economic issues separated the parties
Political affiliation came from ethnic and cultural differences
Lifeblood of both parties was political patronage, federal jobs (civil service) in exchange for votes, kickbacks in exchange for votes
1870’s Republicans split into two camps Stalwarts (led by Roscoe Conkling) and Half Breeds (led by James Blaine)
Stalwarts embraced system of exchanging votes for jobs, Half Breeds toyed with idea of civil service reform
Republicans vs. Democrats
Northern ProtestantAfrican AmericansSupported nativitist
causesSupported prohibitionPro-business
Southern whitesImmigrantsCatholicsJewsFreethinkersFarmers
Role of Government During Gilded Age
From 1870-1900 Govt. did very little domestically.
Main duties of the federal govt.: Deliver the mail. Maintain a national military. Collect taxes & tariffs. Conduct a foreign policy. Administer the annual Civil War veterans’
pension. Americans expected little support from federal
government most was local and state support Party bosses ruled. Congress most powerful branch of government
during this period Presidents should avoid offending any factions
within their own party. The President just doled out federal jobs.
Roscoe ConklingUS Senator
aka Lord Conkling
VII. Hayes-Tilden Standoff and Compromise (1876-1877)
1876 Grant does not run, Republicans pick Rutherford Hayes as compromise (from electoral rich Ohio)
Democrats pick Samuel J. Tilden (NY), man who bagged Boss Tweed
Tilden wins popular vote, disputed electoral votes in SC, LA, FL- no official winner as inauguration approached
Compromise of 1877 settled dispute
Hayes would take office in exchange for federal troops leaving the south
Republicans promised political patronage to Dems. and to subsidize construction of southern RR
VII. Hayes-Tilden Standoff and Compromise (1876-1877)
Compromise brought end to Reconstruction, also sacrificed A-A’S in South
Civil Rights Act of 1875 last major legislation by radicals in Congress (guaranteed equal accommodations in public places)
Declared unconstitutional 1883, ruling stated only government, not individuals, were subject to 14th Amendment
When troops left Republican regimes across South fell apart
VIII. The Birth of Jim Crow in the Post-Reconstruction South
White Redeemers using fraud, intimidation and playing on racial fears retook power
Blacks who tried to assert their rights faced discrimination at every turn
Many blacks and poor whites were forced into tenant farming (crop-lien system) and remained perpetually in debt
What began as informal separation of the races in 1870’s became systematic across the south within 20 years
Legal codes that became known as Jim Crow laws
VIII. The Birth of Jim Crow in the Post-Reconstruction South
Jim Crow laws: Literacy requirements and poll taxes
ensure disenfranchisement of South’s black population
1896 Supreme Court validates South’s social order with Plessey vs. Ferguson ruled “separate but equal” was constitutional under 14th Amendment
Created inferior schools, separated most public facilities, made blacks second class citizens
Blacks that tried to stand up for themselves were dealt with harshly, indicated by record number of lynching's
Would be nearly a century before these problems were addressed
IX. Class Conflicts and Ethnic Clashes
1877 Ended age of regional warfare and opened age of racial and class warfare
Byproduct of economic depression following Panic in 1873 RR workers wages cut and workers struck back Work stoppages across nation and Hayes sent in troops to quell unrest
(hundreds killed) Failure of strike showed weakness and first stirrings of labor movement Racial and ethnic tension fractured unity
IX. Class Conflicts and Ethnic Clashes
Tension high in California between Chinese and Irish
Many Chinese came to work in goldfields and RR’s
Irish (Kearneyites) resented competition of cheap Chinese labor , terrorized Chinese
1882 Congress cuts off further immigration from China until 1943
1896 and 1898 victory for Chinese in Yik Wo vs. Hopkins, US vs. Wong Kim protected them in employment and citizenship (guaranteed by 14th Amendment)
Wong Kim case protected other immigrant groups as well
X. Garfield and Arthur
1880 presidential campaign Republicans nominate James Garfield and Stalwart running mate Chester A. Arthur, they win election
Garfield was assassinated by disgruntled office seeker Charles Guiteau
Outcome of death was that it led to call for reforming spoils system
Arthur was thought to be a man in favor of the spoils system but he shut out many of his Stalwart pals and advocated for reform
X. Garfield and Arthur
1883 Pendleton Act passed – established a Civil Service Commission that made appointment to federal jobs based on examination rather than influence and political favor
Banned practice of compulsory campaign donations from federal employees
Politicians had to find money elsewhere and they turned to the big corporations; they supported big business with legislation, they were rewarded with money
XI. Blaine- Cleveland Mudslingers of 1884
1884- Blaine (leader of Half- breeds) nominated , Democrats nominate Grover Cleveland
Cleveland had been reformer mayor of Buffalo, NY and Governor of NY
Reformers called Mugwumps Reform to them, create a disinterested,
impartial govt. run by an educated elite like themselves.
Social Darwinists Laissez faire government to them: Favoritism & the spoils system seen as
govt. intervention in society. Their target was political corruption,
not social or economic reform Campaign 1884 one of the dirtiest in
American history with accusations and partisan fervor (turned many off to voting)
XII. Old Grover Takes Over
The “Veto Governor” from New York. First Democratic elected since 1856. A public office is a public trust His laissez-faire presidency: Opposed bills to assist the poor as
well as the rich. Vetoed over 200 special pension bills
for Civil War veterans Biggest political issue was the tariff America had profited from protection and the Treasury
had a huge surplus ($145 million) 1887 Cleveland brings up tariff issue and this becomes a
major issue in the next presidential election 1888 Cleveland voted out of office and Republican
Benjamin Harrison takes over
XIII. The Billion Dollar Congress
Republicans couldn’t wait to take office, Democrats planned to thwart all House business
Republicans in Congress passed first billion dollar budget and depleted treasury
Gave out more pensions to Civil War veterans, increased government purchases of silver, passed higher tariff
Tariff caused farmers more problems selling goods on the unprotected world markets, protected goods were very profitable for American industry
Rural voters turned out in 1890 Congressional elections and Republicans fell out of power
XII. Cleveland, Depression and Backlash
Democrats and Cleveland retake presidency 1892
1893 financial panic and depression hit American economy
Over speculation, overbuilding, depressed agricultural prices, labor unrest all contributed
Free silver agitation hurt American credit abroad and European banks called in loans
Federal government laissez faire policies did not help American people
Cleveland had to deal with deficit left behind by Harrison
Gold reserve in the Treasury fell and the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed
US was in danger of going off gold standard and having currency become unreliable
XII. Cleveland, Depression and Backlash
1895 Cleveland turns to financier J.P. Morgan and Wall Street to lend government $65 million worth of gold
Created a backlash that seemed like government was in bed with big business
Democrats tried to lower tariffs to make economy more competitive abroad and they passed a small income tax (later struck down by Supreme Court)
Disallowing income tax seemed like more proof that government was a tool of big business
XIV. The Drumbeat of Discontent
1892 Populist Party first appeared It was a coalition of frustrated farmers in the south and west that
denounced government injustice They met in Omaha to announce their support for the following1. System of “sub-treasuries.”2. Abolition of the National Bank.3. Direct election of Senators.4. Govt. ownership of RRs, telephone & telegraph companies.5. Government-operated postal savings banks.6. Restriction of undesirable immigration.7. 8-hour work day for government employees.8. Abolition of the Pinkerton detective agency.9. Australian secret ballot.10. Re-monitization of silver.11. A single term for President & Vice President
XIV. The Drumbeat of Discontent
1892 Nationwide strikes, Homestead Steel strike Workers rights seen as trampled on Populists see possibility of farmers and workers joining together Populists run James Weaver for president and win over 1 million votes The populists did not get the support from the industrial workers in the north and
the farmers in the south In the south the political elite played on racial fears to keep Populist support
down Caused Southern states to aggressively disenfranchise A-A voters (literacy tests
and using the “grandfather clause”), 50 years before blacks would vote in heavy numbers again