6.13: Politics in the Gilded Age

Question 1

DEMOCRATS

Answer 1

• Mainly southerners
• States rights and racial segregation
• Counted on big city political machine and Catholic and Jew votes

Question 2

REPUBLICANS

Answer 2

• Mostly north
• Industrial
• Counted on black, middle class and protestant vote

Question 3

2 PARTIES

Answer 3

• Neither had strong legislative agenda
• Politics = game of patronage

Question 4

CIVIL SERVICES

Answer 4

• Pres Garfield heard from thousands of party supporters seeking jobs
• Assassinated at a train station by one man, Guiteau, he passed on
• Patronage system = issue
• 1881: Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act passed by Congress
• Patronage replaced w/ competitive examination
• Before party funded by faithfuls but now only funded by wealthy handful

Question 5

GOLD STANDARD

Answer 5

• Paper currency backed by gold vaults
• Ensures currency holds value v inflation
• Farmers and entrepreneurs wanted more paper currency in circulation beyond gold standard
• Wanted unlimited silver coinage
• Above would mean lower interest rate borrowing and paying debts w/ inflated dollars

Question 6

TARIFFS

Answer 6

• Funded federal gov
• 1890: tariffs producing 1/2 of federal rev
• Protective tariffs to protect industry amid Civil War
• Didn’t want to end money source
• Protective tariffs = great for industrialists but dire for consumers and farmers
• Retaliatory tariffs

Question 7

POPULIST PARTY

Answer 7

• Sought to work for people
• Sought to correct gross concentration of economic power into elite banks and trusts
• Sought direct election of senators
• Sought people to propose and vote on legislation
• Argued for slower silver coinage, graduated income tax and 8 hour work day
• Other parties took inspo due to popularity
• Democrats took up unlimited coinage of silver ideology and gained votes

Question 8

POLITICAL MACHINES

Answer 8

• Groups who knew how to secure votes for party
• Tammany Hall, NYC
• Boss Tweed
• Organized business, immigrant and poor needs for community fluorishment
• Now community owed them
• Stole millions from tax payers
• Bosses gave out orders and faithful employees reward = jobs