UNIT 2: POLITICAL AND SOCIAL REFORMS IN THE GILDED AGE

Political Machines

The Populist Movement

The Progressive Movement

Reforming the New Industrial Order

Reforming Society

Reforming Government

Intro. To the “Gilded Age”: 1870s-early 1900s

All of part of the recent trends of: Industrialism Big Business Immigration Urbanization

Politics Social Reforms

Unit 1

Unit 2

Laissez faire

Government Regulations

Definition of “Gilded”

To cover with gold or gold leafing, and to give a bright or pleasing aspect to

During the Gilded Age, life was made to seem wonderful, but underneath the surface there were many problems

Labeled the “Gilded Age” by Mark Twain

Problems of the Gilded Age: Review

Life in the big cities Cultural diversity/immigration Behavior of big business corporations Behavior and role of labor unions Behavior and role of laissez-faire

government Ideas of capitalism and Social Darwinism Many pros and cons regarding these

issues

Attempts to Reform

“Participatory Democracy”1) “Grass Roots” Efforts:

-Political, social, economic actions by citizens-Protest movements and organizations

2) Social Reform Movements-Populist Movement and Populist Party-Progressive Movement and Political Party

3) Actual Government Actions-Acts and Laws-Court cases and Supreme Court decisions

Increase in Population…

Put high demands on city governments Fire Police Sanitation Departments Construction Utility Systems (sewage, water, etc)

BUT Laissez Faire = No real government action

The Rise of Political Machines District

representatives and city council members took charge of public services

Often times, they pocketed money meant for the public

Political Machines

Well organized political parties that dominated local and state governments

Party Bosses: Men who ran political machines

Provided jobs, favors and services to local residents

Most famous political machine was known as Tammany Hall in New York City

Tammany Hall

Tammany Hall, cont’d…

Democratic Party machine that controlled NYC politics

Helped immigrants rise in American politics (most notably, the Irish)

Provided immigrants with an early version of the welfare system

Tammany Hall, cont’d

Tammany Hall provided the following for immigrants: Welcome upon arrival Temporary housing Jobs Citizenship Funerals

Tammany Hall, cont’d

Why would a political machine like Tammany Hall focus on immigrants?

• Represented a HUGE supply of supporters and voters

• Tended to be very loyal

William “Boss” Tweed

Head of Tammany Hall in the late 19th Century

Believed to have stolen $40-$200 Million from New York City taxpayers through corruption

How Did They Profit?

Election fraud (stuffing ballot boxes)

Intimidating voters Graft: Acquiring money

or political power through illegal or dishonest methods

Kickbacks: Payments of part of the earnings from a job or contract

Thomas Nast & The Tweed Ring Thomas Nast was a political cartoonist

who despised Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall

Chose to use cartoons because many immigrants couldn’t read!

Created the Republican Elephant and the Democratic Donkey (and the modern day version of Santa!)

Describe the Word…

Thomas NastGraftPolitical MachineGildedTammany Hall

Describe the Word…

William “Boss” TweedKickbacksParty Bosses ImmigrantsPolitical Cartoon

Tammany Hall: Boss Tweed

Role of Thomas Nast (like Jacob Riis) Bring attention to a problem Publicize the issues Put pressure on the government to do

something Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883

Said you had to be qualified for certain gov. jobs

Similar to Sherman Anti-Trust Act

The Populist Movement

Farmers (like workers, immigrants, and minorities) suffer: Ignored by government Poor Isolated and alone Not respected Not really represented

The Populist Movement, cont’d… Major issue for farmers=DEBT

Technology increases production Farmers borrow money to purchase new

technology All farmers do this THUS Overproduction THUS Prices fall (Law of Supply and Demand) THUS Farmers borrow money THUS Farmers go into more debt Railroad monopolies overcharge farmers for

shipping and storage

Farmers Organize

National Grange: 1867: Oliver Kelley

Social Organization and formation of cooperatives Pressure RR companies to regulate shipping

and storage rates Farmers’ Alliance Movement 1870s:

Led by Mary Elizabeth Lease Demanded graduated income tax Provided low cost insurance Pushed for tougher regulations on RR

Farmers Organize

Greenback Party—1870s Populist Party:

1890: James Weaver Pushed for a graduated income tax Pushed for banking regulation Wanted government ownership of RR

(=Socialism) Wanted coinage of silver Wanted restricted immigration Wanted shorter work day Wanted voting reforms

Populist Movement, cont’d

William Jennings Bryan (Populist Democrat) ran against William McKinley (Republican) in the election of 1896

Bryan lost and McKinley took office

Signaled the end of the Populist Party

The Progressive Movement

Industrial Age = Major Advancements Industrial Age = Major Problems

Basic levels at which reform can occur Grass-roots level = Individuals Org. level = Reform movements Gov. level = Laws, acts, court cases

Populist MovementProgressivism Main concerns:

Big gap between rich and poor Bad urban conditions Bad working conditions Social problems Political problems

Desire for more “democracy” Desire more participation Government authority from the people

Progressive Profile

Native born Middle or Upper Class Usually from Urban areas College Educated

Muckrakers

Investigative journalists who wrote about corruption in business and politics, hoping to bring about change and reforms

Reforming the New Industrial Order Harsh working conditions/hours, pay Realities for women and children

Attempts at reform-push for new labor laws Government involvment

Florence Kelley (1893): Anti-Child Labor Laws National Child Labor Comm. (1904) Rose Schneiderman—Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

(1911): New York passes fire safety codes

Supreme Court Cases: Inconsistent Lochner v. New York (1905)

10 hour workday overturned Muller v. Oregon (1908)

Some limits upheld for hours worked Role of Louis Brandeis Use of scientific research and evidence

Labor Unions Closed shops: Union membership

required Freedom of Contract: Workers can

negotiate terms of their contract with bosses

AFL: American Federation of Labor ILGWU: International Ladies Garment

Workers Union IWW: Industrial Workers of the

World/Wobblies

Reforming Society

Urban Reforms: Basically Make the cities healthier and more livable State Tenement Housing Association National Tuberculosis Association Daniel Burnham—building codes Playgrounds, parks, etc.

Reforming Society, cont’d…

Moral Reforms: Basically prohibition Anti-Saloon League Woman’s Christian Temperance Union-

Carrie Nation Frances Willard Reverend Billy Sunday Eventually: 18th Amendment (1919)—

Volstead Act

Reforming Society, cont’d…

Racial Reforms: Against discrimination W.E.B. DuBois/Booker T.

Washington NAACP—1909—use of courts for

equality Guinn v. United States (1915)

Outlawed “grandfather clauses” Buchanan v. Warley (1917)

Overturned housing segregation

National Urban League (1911) Fought for racial equality in jobs

and housing Society of American Indians

(1911)

Problems for Women

Lacked the right to vote until 1920 (known as women’s suffrage)

19th Amendment states that the government cannot deny a person their right to vote based on sex

Reforming Government

If we are cleaning up cities, workplaces, and racial discrimination, then why not “clean up government”?

Main idea of Progressives: Make system more fair! Give government back to the people Make political process more democratic

Specific Political Reforms

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883) Direct Primary: People nominate

politicians 17th Amendment: Senators elected by

the people Secret Ballot: All candidates are on one

uniform ballot Initiative: People introduce laws

themselves Referendum: Citizens can put newly

created laws on the ballot for societal approval/disproval

Recall: Enables voters to remove an elected official from office

Reforming Cities: Progressive Mayors

Samuel Jones: Toledo (1897) Tom L. Johnson: Cleveland Use of city commissions, managers

Galveston 1900 Robert LaFollette: the “Wisconsin Idea”

Amendments to the Constitution Civil War through Reconstruction: 1865-

1870 13th Am. (1865): Abolition of slavery 14th Am. (1868): Due process/equality for

citizens 15th Am. (1870): Voting rights cannot be

denied due to color of skin: Suffrage for African American males

Amendments to the Constitution, cont’d…

Gilded Age/Progressive Era Amendments 16th Am. (1913): Federal income tax 17th Am. (1913): Direct election of US

Senators 18th Am. (1919): Prohibition of alcohol 19th Am. (1920): Suffrage for women

Even US Presidents began to “reform” and adapt progressive policies

Teddy Roosevelt

Wanted to use presidency as a “bully pulpit” to further his own goals

Goals: Conservation: Preserve national parks and

wildlife

Teddy Roosevelt, cont’d…

Goals, cont’d: Improve life for lower and

middle class Original “trust-buster” Every American deserves a

“Square Deal, no more, no less” Used “arbitration” to settle

disputes (third party gets involved)

William Howard Taft

Did not want to overstep his boundaries (unlike T. Roosevelt)

Wanted to improve conditions for common man and help working class

Not well liked Called the White House the most

lonesome place on earth

Woodrow Wilson

Outspoken reformer who wanted Civil Rights and working class reforms

Liked the idea of using the government as an agent of change

Considered to be a “trust-buster” as well