AMSCO AP US History Chapter 19

laissez-faire economics and politics

The idea that government should do little to interfer with the free market. (p. 380)

weak presidents

The Gilded Age presidents were not memorable and only served one term. (p. 380)

close elections

National elections between 1856 and 1912, were very evenly matched. The objective was to get out the vote and not alienate voters on the issues. (p. 381)

divided government

Governance divided between the parties, as when one party holds the presidency and the other party controls one or both houses of Congress. (p. 381)

identity politics

Political activity and ideas based on the shared experiences of an ethnic, religious, or social group emphasizing gaining power and benefits for the group rather than pursuing ideological goals. (p. 381)

divided electorate

In the late 1800s, Republicans kept memories of the Civil War alive to remind war veterans of the pain caused by the Southern Democrats. Democrats could count on winning every former Confederate state. (p. 381)

Union veterans, "bloody shirt"

A form of politics that involved reminding Union veterans of how the Southern Democrats had caused the Civil War. (p. 381)

Anglo-Saxon heritage

Most supported Republicans and temperance or prohibition. (p. 381)

social reformers, temperance

The core of Republican support came from middle-class Anglo-Saxon Protestants who supported temperance or prohibition, along with business men. (p. 381)

Whig past, pro-business

Republicans followed the tradition of Hamilton and the Whigs, supporting a pro-business economic program of high protective tariffs. (p. 381)

Hamiltonian tradition

The Hamilton tradition supported a strong central government. (p. 381)

Protestant religion

These religious groups usually supported Republicans. (p. 381)

former Confederacy, "Solid South"

From 1877 until the 1950s, the Democrats could count on winning every election here. (p. 381)

states rights, limited government

Democrats of the Gilded Age were in favor of these ideas. (p. 381)

big-city political machines

In the North, one source of Democratic strength came from big-city political machines. (p. 381)

immigrant vote

In the North, one source of Democratic strength came from the immigrant vote. (p. 381)

against prohibition

The Catholics, Lutherans, and Jews were generally against this policy. (p. 381)

Catholics, Luterans, Jews

Democrats were usually from these religions and they were against temperance and prohibition campaigns. (p. 381)

Jeffersonian tradition

Democrats of the Gilded Age followed this tradition, which included states rights and limited government. (p. 381)

patronage politics

The use of government resources to reward individuals for their electoral support. (p. 381)

corrupt politicians

Party patronage, the process of providing jobs to faithful party members was more important than policy issues during the Gilded Age. (p. 381)

federal government jobs

During the Gilded Age, these jobs were given to those who were loyal their political party. (p. 381)

Stalwarts, Halfbreeds, and Mugwumps

Groups which competed for lucrative jobs in the patronage system. (p. 381)

Rutherford B Hayes

Ended Reconstruction, vowed to only serve 1 term. Withdrew last of federal troops from the South. Attempted to reestablish honest gov after corruption of Grant administration. Supported temperance. Was part of disputed election of 1876. (p. 382)

Election of 1880

In 1880, James A. Garfield was elected president in a very close election. His vice president was Chester A. Arthur. Hordes of Republicans were seeking some 100,000 jobs. (p. 382)

assassination of James Garfield

President James Garfield was shot while preparing to board a train. He died after an 11 week struggle. His assassin was a deranged office seeker who identified with Stalwarts. (p. 383)

Chester A. Arthur

He became president after James Garfield died of a gun shot wound. Supported a bill to grant federal jobs based on qualifications. Approved development of modern American navy. (p. 383)

"Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion"

In the 1884 election, the Democratic party was labeled with this phrase. It was levelled against Grover Cleveland as he had fathered a child from a woman who was not his wife. He was otherwise honest and frugal in the era of corrupt politicians. (p. 383)

election of 1884

Grover Cleveland won the 1884 presidential election. (p. 383)

Grover Cleveland

In 1884, he was elected president of the United States. He was the first Democratic president since 1856. (p. 383)

civil service reform

Public outrage over the assassination of President Garfield pushed Congress to remove some jobs from control of party patronage. (p. 384)

Pendleton Act of 1881

Set up by the Civil Service Commission, it created a system where federal jobs were awarded based on competitive exams. It also prohibited civil servants from making political contributions. At first, the law only applied to 10% of federal employees, but in later decades it expanded until most jobs were classified.

Politicians adapted by depending less on their armies of party workers, and more on the rich to fund their campaigns.

(p. 384)

"hard" money vs. "soft" money

Money backed by gold vs. paper money not backed by specie (gold or silver). (p. 384)

banks, creditors vs. debtors

Debtors wanted more "easy, soft" money in circulation. On the opposite side creditors stood for "hard, sound" money - meaning currency backed by gold. (p. 384)

Greenback party

This political party was formed by supporters of paper money not backed by gold or silver. Was used as an emergency measure for financing the Civil War. (p. 384)

Specie Resumption Act of 1875

Congress sided with creditors and investors when it passed this act which withdrew all greenbacks (paper money not backed by gold or silver) from circulation. (p. 385)

Panic of 1873, "Crime of 73"

Congress stopped making silver coins. (p. 385)

Bland-Allison Act of 1878

In 1878, this act allowed a limited coinage of silver each month at the standard silver-to-gold ratio of 16 to 1. (p. 385)

high tariff

In the 1890s, tariffs provided more than half of the federal revenue. Some Democrats objected to the tariffs because the raised the price on consumer goods and made it for difficult for farmers to sell to export because foreign countries enacted their own tariffs. (p. 385)

business vs. consumers

Some people objected to the high tariffs because the raised the prices on consumer goods. (p. 385)

Cleveland threatens lower tariff

Toward the end of Grover Cleveland's first term he urged Congress to lower the tariff rates. There was a growing surplus in the federal treasury. (p. 385)

election of 1888, Harrison "Billion Dollar Congress"

In 1888, the Republican Benjamin Harrison became the president and the Republicans controlled Congress. They passed the first billion dollar budget in U.S. history. (p. 386)

McKinley Tariff of 1890

In 1890, this tariff raised the tax on foreign products to a peacetime high of 48 percent. (p 386)

Sherman Antitrust Act

outlawed "combinations in restraint of trade"

Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890

This act increased the coinage of silver but it was not enough to satisfy the farmers and miners. (p. 386)

African Americans

Around 1890, a bill to protect voting rights of African Americans passed the House but was defeated in the Senate. (p. 386)

Farmers' Alliances in South and West

In 1890, this group of discontented farmers elected senators, representatives, governors, and majorities in state legislatures in the West. (p. 386)

rise of the Populist Party

In 1892, delegates met in Omaha, Nebraska to draft a political platform that would reduce the power of trusts and bankers. They nominated James Weaver as their candidate for president. (p. 386)

Omaha Platform

In 1892, the Populist party met in Omaha, Nebraska to draft this political platform and nominate a presidential candidate. (p 386)

Populist Party Platform

Were determined to do something about the concentration of economic power in the hands of trusts and bankers.

- Called for direct popular election of US Senators instead of indirect by state legislatures

- use of initiatives and referendums that allow citizens to vote directly on proposed laws

- unlimited coinage of silver to increase money supply

- graduated income tax

- public ownership of railroads by US government

- telegraph and telephone systems operated by US Government

- loans and federal warehouse for farmers to enable them to stabilize prices for their crops

- 8 hour work day for industrial workers

Alliance of whites and blacks in South

The Populist party tried to form a political alliance with these poor farmers. (p. 387)

Thomas Watson

He was from Georgia and he appealed to poor farmers of both races to join the Populists party. (p. 387)

reformers vs. rasism in South

In the presidential election of 1892, Southern Democrats feared the Populist party and used every technique possible to keep blacks from voting. (p. 387)

James B. Weaver

In 1892, he was the Populist candidate for president. He is one of the few third party candidates in history to have ever won any electoral votes. (p. 387)

government regulation and ownership

The Populist movement attacked laissez-faire capitalism and attempted to form a political alliance between poor whites and poor blacks. (p. 387)

run on gold reserves, J.P. Morgan bail out

A decline in silver prices encouraged investors to trade their silver dollars for gold dollars. The gold reserve fell dangerously low and President Grover Cleveland was forced to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890. The president then turned to J.P. Morgan to borrow $65 million in gold to support the dollar and the gold standard. (p. 387)

election of 1892, Cleveland returns

The 1892 presidential election was between President Benjamin Harrison and former president Grover Cleveland. Cleveland became the only president to win a presidential election after having left the office. (p. 387)

Panic of 1893

In 1893, the stock market crashed as a result of speculation in railroad companies. One of the worst and longest depressions in U.S. history. (p. 387)

repeal of Sherman Silver Purchase Act

A decline in silver prices encouraged investors to trade their silver dollars for gold dollars. The gold reserve fell dangerously low and President Grover Cleveland was forced to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890. (p. 387)

Wilson-Gorman Tariff of 1894

This tariff provided a moderate reduction in tariff rates and levied a 2 percent income tax. (p. 388)

Coxey's Army, March on Washington

In 1894, Populist Jacob A. Coxey led a march to Washington to demand that the federal government spend $500 million on public works programs. (p. 388)

Coin's Financial School

In 1894, this book taught Americans that unlimited silver coining would end the economic problems. (p. 388)

William Jennings Bryan

The 1896 Democratic nominee for president. (p. 388)

"Cross of Gold" Speech

William Jennings Bryan gave this speech at the 1896 Democratic convention. The prosilver and anti-gold speech assured him of the nomination. (p. 389)

fusion of Democrats and Populists

In the 1896 presidential election the Democrats and Populists both nominated William Jennings Bryan for president in fused campaign. (p. 389)

unlimited coinage of silver at 16 to 1

In 1896, the Democrats favored silver coinage at this traditional but inflationary rate. (p. 389)

"Gold Bug" Demorats

Democrats who favored gold. (p. 389)

Mark Hanna, Money and mass media

A master of high-finance politics, he managed William McKinley's winning presidential campaign by focusing on getting favorable publicity in newspapers. (p. 390)

McKinley victory

William McKinley won the presidential election of 1896 by carrying the all the Northeast and the upper Midwest. (p. 389)

gold standard and higher tariff

In 1897, William McKinley became president just as gold discoveries in Alaska increased the money supply under the gold standard. The Dingley Tariff increased the tariff rate to 46 percent. (p. 390)

Dingley Tariff of 1897

Increased the tariff rate to more than 46 percent and made gold the official standard of U.S. currency. (p. 390)

rise of modern urban industrial society

The 1896 election was a victory for big business, urban centers, conservative economics, and moderate middle-class values. Rural America lost its dominance of American politics. (p. 390)

decline of traditional rural-agricultual

The 1896 election marked the point of decline of rural America's power in national politics. (p. 390)

start of the modern presidency

William McKinley emerged as the first modern president, he would make America an important country in international affairs. (p. 390)

era of Republican dominance

The election of McKinley in 1896 started an era of Republican dominance of the presidency (seven of next nine elections) and Congress. (p. 390)