19th Century U.S. Economic and Political Developments

Federal Land Grants

Government policies that provided public land to railroads, colleges, and settlers in the 19th century to encourage westward expansion and economic development.

Credit Mobilier

A scandal during the Grant administration involving a fraudulent construction company created by Union Pacific Railroad executives to overcharge for building the transcontinental railroad, leading to widespread corruption.

Interstate Commerce Act 1887

The first federal law to regulate railroads, it aimed to curb unfair practices like discriminatory rates and established the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Sherman Antitrust Act 1890

A landmark federal law that aimed to prevent monopolies and promote fair competition by banning business practices that restrained trade.

U.S. v. E.C. Knight Co.

An 1895 Supreme Court case that weakened the Sherman Antitrust Act by ruling that manufacturing was not subject to federal regulation under the commerce clause.

Assassination of President Garfield

President James Garfield was assassinated in 1881 by a disgruntled office seeker, leading to calls for civil service reform.

Pendleton Act 1881

Legislation passed in response to President Garfield's assassination, establishing a merit-based system for federal employment through the Civil Service Commission.

Civil Service Commission

Created by the Pendleton Act, this commission oversaw the implementation of merit-based exams for federal jobs, reducing patronage in government hiring.

Soft vs. Hard Money

A debate over currency policy, with 'soft money' supporters favoring inflationary policies like issuing greenbacks or silver coinage, while 'hard money' advocates preferred the stability of gold-backed currency.

Demands for Silver Money (Cause)

Farmers and debtors in the late 19th century supported the use of silver to back currency (bimetallism) to increase the money supply and combat deflation.

Greenback Party

A political party formed in the 1870s that advocated for paper currency ('greenbacks') not backed by gold or silver to inflate currency and ease the debt burden on farmers and workers.