Examines the defining political features of the era, including powerful urban political machines like Tammany Hall, the spoils system, and the early movements for civil service and economic reform.
A political organization, typically in a city, that maintains power by controlling votes. It often used patronage and provided services (jobs, food) to constituents, especially immigrants, in exchange for political loyalty.
Who was William "Boss" Tweed?
The infamous leader of New York City's Tammany Hall political machine. His "Tweed Ring" defrauded the city of tens of millions of dollars through graft and corruption before being exposed by political cartoons and journalists.
What was Tammany Hall?
The Democratic Party political machine that dominated New York City politics from the mid-19th to the early 20th century. It was most famous for its rampant corruption under Boss Tweed.
What was the "spoils system" or "patronage"?
The practice of a winning political party giving government jobs and favors to its supporters as a reward for loyalty, rather than basing appointments on merit or qualification.
What was the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883?
A landmark U.S. law that established that federal government jobs should be awarded based on merit through competitive exams, not political affiliation. It created the Civil Service Commission to oversee this process.
What event spurred the passage of the Pendleton Act?
The assassination of President James A. Garfield in 1881 by Charles Guiteau, a disgruntled and mentally unstable office seeker who felt he was owed a job through the spoils system.
Who were the "Stalwarts" and "Half-Breeds"?
Rival factions within the Republican party. Stalwarts, led by Roscoe Conkling, staunchly defended the spoils system. Half-Breeds, led by James G. Blaine, gave lip service to reform but were mainly interested in controlling patronage themselves.
What was the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887?
A federal law designed to regulate the railroad industry. It required railroad rates to be "reasonable and just" and created the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), the first federal regulatory agency.
Why was the Interstate Commerce Act initially ineffective?
The law's wording was vague and it lacked strong enforcement mechanisms. Furthermore, the Supreme Court consistently sided with railroads in legal challenges, stripping the ICC of any real power.
What was the main goal of the Populist (People's) Party in the 1890s?
A political movement of farmers and laborers that advocated for major reforms, including government ownership of railroads, a graduated income tax, and the unlimited coinage of silver to increase the money supply.
What was the "free silver" debate?
The central economic issue of the 1890s. Populists and Democrats wanted to expand the money supply by coining silver alongside gold to cause inflation, which would help indebted farmers. Republicans and bankers favored the more stable gold standard.
What role did political cartoonist Thomas Nast play?
Nast was a highly influential cartoonist for *Harper's Weekly*. His powerful, satirical drawings were instrumental in exposing the corruption of Boss Tweed and the Tammany Hall machine to a wide, literate and illiterate audience.
What is meant by the term "Gilded Age"?
Coined by Mark Twain, this term refers to the late 19th century. It suggests that the era's glittering surface of prosperity and technological progress masked underlying problems of political corruption, wealth inequality, and social unrest.
