Politics U.S.A

Consider: What is the job of our politicians? What is politics?

How did citizens mobilize to alter the status quo? Lessons?

Ancient Greeks

The idea is linked with ethos or character Aristotle claimed it was a moral enterprise How do we view the job? Service? Ultimate purpose is: patronage and spoils How can we overcome disillusionment? The Public Good?

Politics in the Gilded Age

Age of Status Quo & Laissez Faire Get elected and keep power Stalwarts v. Half breeds Series of weak of executives Legislative Initiatives Southern Democrats & New South Impact of Grantism

Constituencies and Issues

Ethnicity: Irish, Germans, Blacks Religious Affiliation: Protestants Regionalism: Solid South Age and Sex: Males Only The Issues: Civil Service Reform Tariffs, Greenbacks & the economy The Bloody Shirt’s legacy

Scandals, Abuses & Political Reforms

Credit Mobilier, Black Friday, Whiskey Ring and Incompetency

Republicans & Internal Conflicts Tariffs and Greenbacks Pendleton Act and Meritocracy Corporate Practices and Regulation The I.C.C and Anti Trust Legislation Popular indignation

Machine Politics

Bossism and the Cities Patronage and Spoils The Bewildered Immigrants Tammany Hall: Honest v. Dishonest Urban Scene and Services State Legislatures and U.S. Senate Theodore Roosevelt and Reformers

The San Francisco Experience

Conditions and Terrible 70s Labor unrest and Workingman’s Party 1879 Constitution Boss Buckley and the Machine 1900 and Union Labor Party Boss Ruef and 06 Earthquake Fremont Older, the Fed & Graft Trials

Progressivism

Assess how the events of the era helped the reformers in their

efforts to address the abuses.