Period 6 1865-1900 2/18/2025 Flashcards
What did Cleveland believe regarding government?
Frugal and limited government in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson
What significant system did Cleveland implement?
A new civil service system
What types of bills did Cleveland veto?
Private pension bills for those falsely claiming to have served or injured in the War
What was the significance of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887?
It was the federal government’s first effort to regulate business
What was the purpose of the Dawes Act of 1887?
Reformers hoped it would benefit Native Americans
How many acres of government land were retrieved from cattle ranchers and railroads?
81 million acres
Fill in the blank: Cleveland signed into law the _______ which was the federal government’s first effort to regulate business.
Interstate Commerce Act of 1887
Fill in the blank: The _______ was aimed at benefiting Native Americans.
Dawes Act of 1887
What event prompted Congress to remove certain government jobs from party patronage?
Public outrage over Pres. Garfield’s assassination in 1881
What did the Pendleton Act of 1881 establish?
It set up the Civil Service Commission
How were applicants for classified federal jobs selected according to the Pendleton Act?
On the basis of their scores on a competitive examination
What was prohibited for civil servants under the Pendleton Act?
Making political contributions
Initially, the Pendleton Act applied to what percentage of federal employees?
10%
What happened to the classification of federal jobs over time?
The system was expanded until most federal jobs were classified
What is the significance of classified jobs in relation to politicians?
They were taken out of the hands of politicians
How did politicians adapt to the reform brought by the Pendleton Act?
They depended less on party workers and more on the rich to fund their campaigns
True or False: The issue of campaign funding by the rich versus party workers is still debated today.
True
Fill in the blank: The Pendleton Act was aimed at removing certain government jobs from _______.
party patronage
What was one of the most hotly debated issues of the era?
Whether or not to expand the money supply
This debate was significant during the industrial age.
What did the money question reflect during the industrial age?
The growing tension between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’
This tension was particularly evident among different economic classes.
Who wanted more money in circulation?
Debtors, farmers, and start-up businesses
They believed it would help them borrow at lower interest rates.
What did many Americans blame for restricting the money supply after the Panic of 1873?
The gold standard
This was seen as a cause of the depression.
What did easy or soft money advocates campaign for?
More paper money (greenbacks) and unlimited minting of silver coins
This was aimed at expanding the supply of U.S. currency.
Who stood for sound, or hard, money?
Bankers, creditors, investors, and established businesses
They preferred currency backed by gold.
What is hard sound money backed by?
Gold stored in government vaults
This backing is intended to maintain the currency’s value.
Why would dollars backed by gold likely hold their value?
They would be more likely to hold their value against inflation
This is due to the limited supply of gold.
What did big holders of money understand about the economy and population growth?
A limited number of gold-backed dollars would gain in value
This understanding influenced their support for the gold standard.
By how much did the dollar increase in value between 1865 and 1897?
As much as 300%
This increase was anticipated due to the limited supply of gold-backed currency.
What are Greenbacks?
Paper money not backed by gold or silver issued by the federal government in the 1860s
Issued as emergency measures for financing the Civil War.
Why were Greenbacks significant for farmers?
Farmers gained a lot of Greenbacks, and the government’s attempt to withdraw them would cause financial loss for farmers
Northern farmers associated Greenbacks with prosperity due to high prices during the war.
What was the reaction of creditors and investors to Greenbacks?
They attacked the use of paper money not backed by gold or silver as a violation of natural law.
What legislation did Congress pass in 1875 regarding Greenbacks?
The Specie Resumption Act, which withdrew the last of the Greenbacks from circulation.
What was the Greenback Party?
A political party formed by supporters of paper money.
How many votes did Greenback candidates receive in the 1878 congressional elections?
Nearly 1 million votes.
How many members were elected to Congress from the Greenback Party in 1878?
14 members.
Who was a notable Greenback candidate?
James Weaver of Iowa.
What happened to the Greenback Party after the hard times of the 1870s?
The Greenback Party died out.
What was the ongoing goal of the Greenback Party after its decline?
To increase the amount of money in circulation.
What did Congress do in the 1870s regarding silver?
Stopped the coining of silver
This was part of a broader monetary policy shift during that time.
What event revived demands for the use of silver?
Silver discoveries in Nevada
These discoveries led to increased calls for expanding the money supply.
What was the Bland-Allison Act?
A compromise law passed in 1878 allowing limited coinage of silver
It allowed between $2 million and $4 million in silver each month at a 16 to 1 ratio.
What was the silver-to-gold ratio established by the Bland-Allison Act?
16 to 1
This ratio was set for the limited coinage of silver.
Who continued to press for unlimited coinage of silver?
Farmers, debtors, and western miners
They were not satisfied with the limitations set by the Bland-Allison Act.
What was the purpose of the high tariff enacted during the Civil War?
To protect U.S. industry and fund the Union government
High tariffs were a means to stimulate economic growth.
What was the disagreement between western farmers and eastern capitalists regarding tariffs?
Whether tariff rates on foreign imports should be high or low
This disagreement highlighted the regional economic interests.
What was one consequence of the high tariffs after the Civil War?
Other nations retaliated with their own taxes on U.S. farm products
This led to a loss of overseas market share for American farmers.
How did high tariffs affect American farmers?
Created surpluses of corn and wheat, resulting in lower farm prices and profits
Farmers struggled due to reduced market access and increased competition.
True or False: Southern Democrats supported high tariffs after the Civil War.
False
Southern Democrats objected to high tariffs because they raised consumer goods prices.
What began to lose their hold on voters by the late 1880s?
The politics of stalemate and complacency
What issues were contributing to discontent among Americans in the late 1880s?
Government corruption, the money issue, tariffs, railroads, and trusts
What did politicians begin to do in response to public concerns?
Take small steps to respond
What was necessary to shake the Democrats and Republicans into taking action?
A third party - the Populists - and a major depression in 1893
Fill in the blank: Discontent over government corruption, the money issue, tariffs, railroads, and _______ was growing.
trusts
True or False: The Populists were the only factor that led to action from the Democrats and Republicans.
False
What political issue did President Cleveland challenge toward the end of his first term?
The high protective tariff
Cleveland’s challenge created a political storm.
What did President Cleveland propose regarding tariff rates?
Lower tariff rates
This proposal was made because there was a growing surplus in the federal treasury.
Why did President Cleveland believe the government didn’t need the added tax revenue?
Because there was a growing surplus in the federal treasury
This surplus made the high protective tariff unnecessary.
What issue did President Cleveland introduce that divided Democrats and Republicans?
The tariff question
This was the first significant issue that clearly separated the two parties.
Who were the presidential candidates in the election of 1888?
Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison
Cleveland campaigned for a lower tariff, while Harrison campaigned for a higher tariff.
What was the Republican argument regarding lower tariffs in the 1888 election?
A lower tariff would wreck business prosperity
This argument was used to raise campaign funds from big business and to rally workers.
How did Republicans use fear in their campaign for the 1888 election?
To raise campaign funds and rally workers
Workers in the North were concerned about their jobs depending on U.S. industry.
Did Cleveland receive more popular votes than Harrison in the 1888 election?
Yes
Despite receiving more popular votes, Cleveland lost the election.
Why did Cleveland lose the election of 1888 despite winning the popular vote?
Harrison’s sweep of the North gained a majority in the Electoral College
Electoral College votes ultimately determine the election outcome.
Who was associated with the Billion Dollar Congress?
President Harrison
What was unusual about the political control during the Billion Dollar Congress?
Republicans controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress
What significant budget did the new Congress pass?
The first billion-dollar budget in U.S. history
What was the McKinley Tariff of 1890?
It raised the tax on foreign products to over 48%
What increases were made concerning Civil War veterans during the Billion Dollar Congress?
Increases in the monthly pensions to veterans, widows, and children
What did the Sherman Antitrust Act do?
Outlawed combinations in restraint of trade
What was the purpose of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890?
Increased the coinage of silver
Fill in the blank: The Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 increased the coinage of silver, but in amounts too small to satisfy _______.
[farmers and miners]
What significant voting rights bill was passed by the House but defeated in the Senate?
A bill to protect the voting rights of African Americans
What economic event was caused by overspending during the Billion Dollar Congress?
The depression in 1893
What political shift occurred in the congressional elections of 1890?
Many Republicans were replaced by Democrats, particularly in the Midwest.
What factors contributed to voters’ discontent with Republicans in 1890?
Unpopular measures passed by Republican state legislatures, such as prohibition of alcohol and Sunday closing laws.
Which demographic groups rushed back to the Democrats during the 1890 elections?
Voters who were neither Anglo-Saxon nor Protestant.
What stance did the Democrats take that appealed to certain voters in the 1890 elections?
Democrats had not tried to legislate public morality.
What was a significant factor in the Republican setbacks of 1890?
Growing agrarian discontent in the South and West
This discontent was among farmers who felt marginalized and affected by economic policies.
What political party did the Farmer’s Alliance movement help to establish?
The People’s, or Populist Party
The Populist Party aimed to represent the interests of farmers and laborers.
In what year did delegates meet in Omaha, Nebraska, to draft a political platform for the Populist Party?
1892
This meeting was crucial for outlining the party’s goals and candidates.
What was one of the main goals of the Populists regarding economic power?
To address the concentration of economic power in the hands of trusts and bankers
The Populists sought reforms to distribute economic power more equitably.
What did the Omaha platform call for politically?
Restoration of government to the people through:
* Direct election of U.S. Senators
* Enacting state laws by voters through initiatives and referendums
* Recall of politicians
The direct election of Senators led to the 17th Amendment.
What does the term ‘Recall’ refer to in the context of the Populist platform?
The ability to remove a politician or government official from office before their term ends
This mechanism was intended to increase accountability among elected officials.
What was one of the economic reforms advocated by the Populist Party?
Unlimited coinage of silver to increase the money supply
This was aimed at addressing issues of inflation and monetary policy.
What type of tax did the Populist platform propose?
A graduated income tax
This tax system would impose higher rates on those with greater incomes.
What did the Populists advocate for regarding railroads?
Public ownership of railroads by the U.S. government
This was intended to prevent monopolistic practices and ensure fair rates for farmers.
What did the Populist platform propose for telegraph and telephone systems?
They should be owned and operated by the government
This was aimed at providing equitable access and reducing costs for users.
What support did the Populists propose for farmers?
Loans and federal warehouses to stabilize prices for their crops
This aimed to help farmers manage the volatility of market prices.
What labor reform did the Populist platform include?
An 8-hour workday for industrial workers
This was part of the broader labor rights movement during this period.
What’s the 12th amendment?
Income tax
