Ch 21

waving the bloody shirt

The use of Civil War imagery by political candidates and parties to draw votes to their side of the ticket.

Crédit Mobilier Scandal

A scandal involving a construction company formed by owners of the Union Pacific Railroad, which inflated prices for government contracts and bribed politicians.

Panic of 1873

A worldwide depression that began in the U.S. due to a bank's bankruptcy, leading to widespread economic collapse and calls for inflationary measures.

Gilded Age

A term for the period from 1865-1896, coined by Mark Twain, highlighting both the era's wealth and corruption.

Patronage

A system in the Gilded Age where political parties granted jobs and favors to regulars for electoral support.

Compromise of 1877

An agreement that resolved the 1876 election and ended Reconstruction by withdrawing federal troops from the South.

Civil Rights Act of 1875

The last federal civil rights legislation until the 1950s, promising Black people equal access to accommodations without enforcement.

Sharecropping

An agricultural system post-Civil War where farmers rented land and had to give a share of crops to landowners, often leading to perpetual debt.

Jim Crow

A system of racial segregation in the South based on 'separate but equal' facilities that prevented racial mixing.

Plessy v. Ferguson

A Supreme Court case that upheld segregation laws under the doctrine of 'separate but equal' facilities.

Great Strike of 1877

A major strike triggered by wage cuts at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad that resulted in significant unrest and casualties.

Chinese Exclusion Act

Federal legislation that banned most Chinese immigration to the U.S., marking the first major legal restriction on immigration in history.

Pendleton Act

Legislation that established the Civil Service Commission, instituting job appointments based on exams rather than patronage.

Gould

A businessman who attempted to manipulate gold prices through market control, ultimately failing and causing public outrage.

Greeley

The nominee of the Liberal Republicans for president in 1872, known for his emotional political views and reform efforts.

Hayes

The Republican nominee for the 1876 election, who won the presidency through the Compromise of 1877, ending military Reconstruction.

Garfield

The Republican candidate for the election of 1880, assassinated in office by a disgruntled office seeker.

Arthur

The vice-president who became president after Garfield's assassination, known for reforming the spoils system and passing the Pendleton Act.

Cleveland

The Democratic nominee in 1884, known for his integrity and opposition to high tariffs, who faced controversy during his presidency.

Whiskey Ring Scandal

A corruption case where government officials pocketed profits from the tax on whiskey.

Belknap Scandal

A scandal where Secretary of War William Belknap accepted bribes from trade post companies while failing to supply Native Americans.

Soft-money policy

A monetary policy favored by farmers post-Civil War that advocated for unbacked paper money.

Hard-money policy

A monetary policy supported by creditors favoring a return to a gold-backed system of credit.

Stalwarts and Half-Breeds

The two factions in the Republican party, with Stalwarts supporting patronage and Half-Breeds advocating for civil service reform.

Electoral commission process of 1876

A commission of senators, representatives, and justices was formed to resolve disputed votes, resulting in a Republican victory.