The Gilded Age

Question 1

What was the Gilded Age?

Answer 1

-Period from 1870s to 1890s when wealth of few covered up poverty and corruption of many
-Huge gap between wealthy and poor grew

Question 2

Populists and Populism

Answer 2

-Made up of mainly farmers
-Wanted to lift burden of debt from farmers and workers
-Wanted to give people a greater voice in their government
-Bimetalliam: Backing money by gold and silver thinking it would increase money supply graduated income tax
-Direct election of senators

Question 3

Political Machines

Answer 3

-Controlled the political part in city and offered services to voters + businesses in exchange for political and economic support (including immigrants)
-Worked like a pyramid (ward bosses, precinct workers, and city boss)
-Had close relationship with new immigrants (votes for help)
-Ran cities
-Tweed Ring

Question 4

Graft

Answer 4

-Illegal use of political influence for personal gani

Question 5

Patronage

Answer 5

-Giving government jobs to those who had helped politician get elected

Question 6

What did all of these lead to?

Answer 6

-Some people wanting a reform

Question 7

Civil Service Reform

Answer 7

-Purpose was to reduce corruption in government
-Mugwumps wanted change
-Stalwarts wanted things to stay the same
-Presidents that worked for reform were Hayes (1876), Garfield (1881), and Arthur (1881)