the gilded age

Question 1

what was hayes’ attitude to presidency

Answer 1

moderate, in policies and personality, aimed to reconcile south (tried to give ‘home rule’ to south + preserve rights of all americans - impossible to do both)

Question 2

who was samuel tilden and what was his approach?

Answer 2

tilden = demoncrat candidate, hayes’ rival in election 1876

moderate reformer, enhanced reputation by attacking corruption of tweed ring. could only succeed w/ support of south

Question 3

why was the election of 1876 disputed?

Answer 3

tilden narrowly won overall popular vote

but, electoral college = confused

democrats claimed tilden won south carolina, florida + louisiana

republicans, who still held power in those states, disqualified enough democrat votes as invalid to challenge results + declare hayes winner

obviously massive electoral fraud on both sides - potentially disastrous political stalemate

Question 4

compromise of 1877

Answer 4

after lengthy negotiations, hayes offered to:
remove all federal troops from south
provide fed aid, back railroad + public works development

Question 5

why did the democrats accept compromise

Answer 5

would enable redemption of south
giving up fight to make tilden president relatively small price to pay
easy to promise to treat freedmen equally, as no chance of this actually happening

Question 6

how did the 1877 compromise mark the end of reconstruction?

Answer 6

removal of troops took all force out enforcement acts + reconstruction leg, and the implementation of principles of 24th + 15th amendments

Question 7

what did the democrats stand for

Answer 7

states rights, white supremacy, limited role of federal govt, low tariffs, little man

Question 8

what did the republicans stand for

Answer 8

union, favoured big business, values of americans outside of south

Question 9

why was hayes a weak president?

Answer 9

one term promise = lame duck
political opponents strengthened by 1877 compromise

Question 10

consequences of 1877 compromise + redemption of the south

Answer 10

‘unredeemed’ state legislatures claimed by democrats

southern states become solid south, democratic stranglehold

redeemers dismantle reformist legislation, e.g. black voting rights undermined, discriminatory changes to law concerning land + black farmers

Question 11

consequences of 1877 compromise + redemption of the south

Answer 11

‘unredeemed’ state legislatures claimed by democrats

southern states become solid south, democratic stranglehold

redeemers dismantle reformist legislation, e.g. black voting rights undermined, discriminatory changes to law concerning land + black farmers

Question 12

who opposed hayes’ attempts to root out corruption + patronage?

Answer 12

block of republican dissidents, the Stalwarts, led by roscoe conkling

Question 13

how did hayes challenge the stalwarts?

Answer 13

sacked chester arthur, one of conkling’s key supporters

Question 14

who were the two fractions in the divided republican party

Answer 14

the stalwarts and the half-breeds

Question 15

who did the stalwarts support?

Answer 15

ulysses grant - seemed likely to win

Question 16

who did the nominating convention become deadlocked between?

Answer 16

blaine and grant

Question 17

who emerged as the dark horse candidate from this infighting?

Answer 17

james garfield (governor of ohio)

Question 18

how did garfield try to unite the party?

Answer 18

by accepting chester arthur as running mate

Question 19

why was the appearance of republican dominance misleading

Answer 19

although garfield win 1880 election, margin of victory v close

garfield won popular vote by only 10,000

Question 20

summary of chester arthur as president

Answer 20

limited talent

dubious integrity - tainted by links to conkling

only chosen to run as vp to unite party

mediocre, not disastrous

Question 21

when did grover cleveland become president

Answer 21

1884, defeated in 1888, second term 1892

Question 22

why did cleveland win in 1884

Answer 22

support from immigrants and southerners, promised to keep tariffs low

promise to tackle corruption + end spoils system

Question 23

what was harrison’s winning campaign in 1888 election

Answer 23

need for high protective tariff

Question 24

why did harrison win the election

Answer 24

support from frand army of the republic (GAR), org. represented verterns of northern armies in civil war

cleveland had refused to go along w GARs demands, denouncing as unjustified + corrupt

harrison gave GAR pensions, won support + votes

Question 25

mckinley tariff

Answer 25

proposed by harrison, passed by congress in 1890, increased tariff levels

Question 26

what was the state of corruption at the beginning of this era

Answer 26

state govts riddled w patronage + pork barrel politics, e.g. tweed ring in nyc and tammany hall

power and influence of big businesses - cartels + trusts

Question 27

attempts to tackle corruption

Answer 27

efforts made to deal w problem by grant + hayes, only in presidency of garfield was there any real progress

Question 28

pendleton act - who passed, what was it?

Answer 28

The Pendleton Act provided that federal government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit and that government employees be selected through competitive exams

chester arthur

Question 29

limited imporvement in terms of corruption

Answer 29

political machines e.g. tammany hall still powerful

harrison’s public image = anti-corruption, but dealings w GAR classic example of pork-barrel politics

Question 30

sherman antitrust

Answer 30

passed by congress 1890, allowed fed powers to try to limit monopolies etc