GILDED AGE POLITICS

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GILDED AGE POLITICS

• POLITICAL MACHINES, REFORM, POPULISM

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POLITICAL MACHINES

• DEFINITION
• A GANG OF PEOPLE WHO CONTROLLED CITY GOVT FOR
  THEIR OWN PROFIT AND SELF INTEREST

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HOW THEY GOT MONEY

• GRAFT/PADDING BILLS
• ILLEGAL USE OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE FOR PERSONAL
  GAIN
• OVERCHARGE TAX PAYERS TO BUILD STUFF FOR THE
  GOVT. THE BUILDERS AND MACHINE MEMBERS SPLIT
  THE EXTRA .
• BRIBES
• GOVT OFFICIALS WOULD ACCEPT BRIBES FOR LICENSES,
  NOT DOING INSPECTIONS, ETC. THE OFFICALS WOULD
  KICKBACK SOME OF THE MONEY TO THE MACHINE

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HOW THEY GOT VOTES

• IMMIGRANTS
• THE MACHINE MEMBERS GAVE IMMIGRANTS JOBS,
  ARRANGED FOR HOUSING IN EXCHANGE FOR VOTES
• PADDING LISTS/FRAUD
• MACHINE MEMBERS USE DEAD PEOPLES NAMES, DOGS,
  IMGINARY PEOPLES NAMES THEN ADD THEM TO THE LIST
  OF REGISTERED VOTERS AND VOTE ILLEGALLY

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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

• PARTY BOSS
• WARD BOSS
• PRECINCT CAPTAIN
• COMMON PEOPLE BUSINESSMEN

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EXPOSING MACHINES CORRUPTION

• THOMAS NAST
• A CARTOONIST WHO EXPOSED POLITICAL MACHINES
  THROUGH HIS DRAWINGS
• MOST POOR PEOPLE COULDNT READ WELL
• RAISED AWARENESS AMONG THE COMMON PEOPLE OF WHY
  POLITICAL MACHINES WERE BAD

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EXAMPLE

• TAMMANY HALL DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS OF NY
  CITY/POLITICAL MACHINE OF NYC
• BOSS TWEED POLITICAL BOSS OF NY CITY
• TWEED RING GROUP THAT CONTROLLED TAMMANY HALL
• NY COUNTY COURTHOUSE- BOSS TWEED CHARGED
  TAXPAYERS 13 MILLION TO BUILD COURTHOUSE BUT IT
  ONLY COST 3 MILLION. HE POCKETED 10 MILLION

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REFORM IN THE GILDED AGETARIFF

• POOR WANT
• RICH WANT
• RELEVANT PRESIDENTS
• RESULT
• WINNER

• LOWER TARIFF
• HIGHER TARIFF HIGHER TARIFF DONT WANT TO
  COMPETE WITH FOREIGN GOODS
• CLEVELAND- TRIES TO LOWER, NO SUCCESS
• HARRISON- RAISED TARIFFS TO 48
• CLEVELAND- ONLY LOWERED TO 41
• MCKINLEY- RAISED BACK TO 46
• HIGH TARIFF
• RICH

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REFORM IN THE GILDED AGEMONETARY

• POOR WANT
• RICH WANT
• RELEVANT PRESIDENTS
• RESULT
• WINNER

• MORE PRINTED- BIMETALLISM (GOLD AND SILVER)
• LESS PRINTED- GOLD STANDARD TO MAKE VALUE
  HIGHER
• HAYES VETOES, BUT CONGRESS PASSES BLAND ALLISON
  ACT- ALLOWED SOME SILVER COINAGE
• 1890- SILVER PURCHASE ACT PASSED BY HARRISON-
  GOVT BUYS EXCESS SILVER
• CLEVLAND REPEALS
• 1900- GOLD STANDARD ACT PASSED
• GOLD STANDARD
• RICH

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REFORM IN THE GILDED AGECIVIL SERVICE

• POOR WANT
• RICH WANT
• RELEVANT PRESIDENTS
• RESULT
• WINNER

• END OF SPOILS SYSTEM- WANT JOBS BASED ON MERIT
• CONTINUE SPOILS SYSTEM- MEANS FED. EMPLOYEES
  WOULD CHANGE WITH EVERY PRESIDENT
• HAYES TRIES TO CLEAN UP THE NYC CUSTOM HOUSE BUT
  CONGRESS DOES NOT SUPPORT
• STALWARTS FORM TO OPPOSE REFORM
• GARFIELD STARTS REFORM BUT ASSASSINATED!!
• VP ARTHUR TURNS REFORMER PASSES PENDLETON ACT-
  MAKE FED. APPOINTMENTS BASED ON CANDIDATES
  PERFORMANCE ON TEST
• CIVIL SERVICE REFORM- NOW LIMITED OF PEOPLE ARE
  CHANGED
• POOR

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FARMERS IN THE GILDED AGEDEBTS

• OWED FOR
• NEW MACHINERY, SEED, LAND, ETC.
• HARD TO PAY DEBTS SINCE
• BANKS AND WEALTHY CONTROLLED THE SUPPLY (UNDER
  PRINTING MONEY)
• RICH WANT LESS PRINTED, ONLY BACKED BY GOLD-
  CALLED
• GOLDBUGS
• FARMERS WANT GOLD AND SILVER USED TO BACK SO
  MORE CAN BE PRINTED- CALLED
• SILVERITES AND BIMETALLISM

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FARMERS IN THE GILDED AGERAILROADS

• WERE OVERCHARGING FARMERS TO SHIP CROPS. HAD A
  MONOPOLY
• FARMERS WANT THE GOVT TO STOP THIS AND REGULATE
  THEM
• THEY FORM A SOCIAL/POLITICAL ORGANIZATION CALLED
  GRANGE FOUNDER OLIVER HUDSON KELLEY
• THE GRANGE SUCCESSFULLY ELECT LOCAL AND STATE
  POLITICIANS TO REGULATE RRDS IN STATES. UPHELD
  BY COURT CASE MUNN V. ILLINOIS
• BUT MOST RRDS RUN BETWEEN STATES AND NEED FEDERAL
  OVERSIGHT
• INTERSTATE COMMERCE ACT WILL BE PASSED, BUT NOT
  ENFORCED

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POPULIST PARTY

• POPULISM
• MEMBERS FARMERS, FACTORY WORKERS, PEOPLES
  PARTY, LITTLE PEOPLE, MINERS, WOMEN
• WANTED BIMETALLISM AND FREE COINAGE OF SILVER,
  LIMITED HOURS OF WORK, GOVT REGULATION OF RRDS
• NOMINATE WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN TO RUN FOR
  PRESIDENT

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POPULISM

• REPUBLICANS
• MEMBERS GOLDBUGS, WEALTHY, POWERFUL, BUSINESS
  INTERESTS
• MCKINLEY THE FRONT PORCH CAMPAIGN- AT HIS
  HOUSE COME AND WAVE

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WIZARD OF OZ

• OZ OUNCES (GOLD AND SILVER MEASURED IN)-
  WASHINGTON, D.C.
• DOROTHY COMMON MAN
• WICKED WITCHES RR-WEST, BANKS- EAST
• MUNCHKINS FACTORY WORKERS, FARMERS, MINERS
• YELLOW BRICK ROAD GOLD STANDARD
• SLIPPERS SILVER
• TIN MAN FACTORY WORKERS (MISSING HEART FROM
  INDUSTRIALIZATION)
• SCARECROW FARMERS (MISSING BRAIN)
• LION WJB
• WIZARD PRESIDENCY