Gilded Age Politics and Populism

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering the political structures, key presidencies, economic theories, and the rise of Populism in the United States from 1865 to 1900.

Gilded Age Politics

The period from 1865-1900 characterized by a presidency dominated by Republicans, pro-business government involvement, and high voter participation of almost 80%.

Spoils system

The practice in Gilded Age party politics where government appointments were made based on party loyalty rather than ability.

James A. Garfield

The 1880 Republican president considered a moderate (half-breed) who was shot on July 2, 1881, by Charles Guiteau.

Pendleton Act

An 1883 Civil Service Reform law that established exams for certain government jobs and made it illegal to remove jobholders for political reasons.

Grover Cleveland

The Democratic president elected in 1884 and 1892 who claimed "A public office is a public trust" and dealt with the Panic of 1893.

McKinley Tariff

An 1888 tariff that set a new high rate of $50\%$ which generated a surplus but was too high for foreign countries to sell to America.

Sherman Anti-trust Act

An 1890 federal law intended to regulate big business; it was initially weak and seldom used until the 20th Century.

Billion-Dollar Congress

The name given to the government under Benjamin Harrison that spent the treasury surplus on "pork barrel" projects.

Pork Barrel Spending

Government expenditures for localized projects, such as studying the sex life of the Japanese quail ($107,000$) or building a restroom on Mt. McKinley ($800,000$).

Coxey’s Army

A group of unemployed workers who marched on Washington during the Depression of 1894.

Bullion theory

An economic theory of the period based on metal currency; the U.S. used a gold and silver standard until 1873.

Silver to Gold Ratio

The valuation of metallic currency favored by the silver lobby, set at $16:1$.

Populist Party

Also known as the "People’s Party," this 3rd party grew out of agrarian despair and the Farmer's Alliances in the 1890s.

Ocala demands

A list of six major Populist goals including the sub-treasury system, free silver, direct election of U.S. Senators, and railroad regulation.

William Jennings Bryan

The 1896 Democratic candidate who absorbed the Populist platform and traveled 16,000 miles to deliver his "Cross of Gold" speech.

Cross of Gold speech

A famous oration by William Jennings Bryan advocating for free silver, concluding that mankind should not be crucified upon a "cross of gold."

Front-porch campaign

The well-funded ($3 million$) and media-intensive 1896 campaign strategy used by William McKinley.