Topic 5: Political Realignments Key terms

Guided Age

(roughly 1870–1900) was a period of rapid economic growth, industrialization, and extreme inequality in the United States. Mark Twain coined the term to suggest a thin layer of prosperity masking deep social issues like poverty, corruption, and labor unrest. The era saw the rise of monopolies, political machines, and mass immigration. It laid the foundation for the Progressive reforms that followed.

Spoils System

was a practice in which elected officials gave government jobs to loyal supporters and party members. Widely used during the 19th century, it led to widespread corruption and inefficiency. The assassination of President James Garfield in 1881 by a disgruntled office seeker helped turn public opinion against it. The system’s failures prompted civil service reform.

Patronage

refers to the power of politicians to appoint loyal supporters to government jobs and positions. It was a key feature of the spoils system, especially during the Gilded Age. While it secured political loyalty, it often ignored merit and promoted corruption. The system was eventually challenged by civil service reformers seeking more professional governance.

Pendleton civil act Service Act

created a merit-based system for federal employment, requiring exams for many government jobs in 1883. It was passed in response to public outrage over the spoils system and President Garfield’s assassination. The act marked a shift toward professionalized, nonpartisan government service. It significantly reduced political corruption in federal hiring.

Interstate Commerce Act

This act was established to regulate railroads and ensure fair rates for shipping in 1887. It was the first federal law to regulate private industry. Farmers and small businesses supported it to combat railroad monopolies. Though initially weak, it set a precedent for future federal regulatory laws.

Sherman-Anti Trust Act

was the first federal law aimed at preventing monopolies and promoting fair competition in 1890. It outlawed trusts and combinations that restrained trade. Though poorly enforced at first, it later became a key tool for breaking up monopolies like Standard Oil. It signaled the federal government’s growing role in regulating the economy.

Granger Movement

was a coalition of farmers formed in the late 1800s to combat the power of railroads and monopolies. It originated as a social and educational organization but became politically active. Grangers lobbied for railroad regulation and cooperative buying/selling. Their efforts laid the groundwork for future populist and progressive reforms.

Greenback Party

was a political party in the 1870s and 1880s that supported printing more paper money ("greenbacks") not backed by gold. Farmers and laborers supported it to fight deflation and make loans easier to repay. Though short-lived, the party highlighted economic struggles and helped influence later populist movements. It challenged the dominant gold-standard ideology of the time.

Farmer’s Alliance

was an organized agrarian economic movement in the 1870s and 1880s that sought to improve conditions for farmers. It advocated for railroad regulation, banking reform, and cooperative buying. The Alliance laid the foundation for the Populist Party. It demonstrated farmers’ increasing political mobilization in response to economic distress.

Populist Party

Founded in 1891, the People’sParty represented farmers, laborers, and reformers who opposed big business and political corruption. It demanded free silver, a graduated income tax, and government ownership of railroads. Though it peaked in the 1892 election, its ideas influenced later Progressive reforms. The Populists challenged the two-party system and brought working-class concerns into national politics.

Omaha Platform

was the formal statement of the Populist Party’s principles, adopted at their 1892 convention. It called for direct election of senators, free coinage of silver, income tax reform, and nationalization of railroads. The platform reflected the economic frustrations of farmers and workers. Many of its ideas were later enacted during the Progressive Era.

Coxeys Army

was a protest march of unemployed workers led by Jacob Coxey to Washington, D.C., during the depression of 1893–1894. The group demanded federal public works jobs to ease unemployment. Though largely ignored, the march was a powerful symbol of labor unrest. It was one of the first significant marches on the capital for economic justice.

Free Silver

a movement that called for the unlimited coinage of silver to inflate the money supply. Farmers and debtors supported it to raise crop prices and reduce loan burdens. It opposed the gold standard, which was seen as favoring bankers and industrialists. The issue divided American politics and dominated elections in the 1890s.

Gold Standard

a monetary system where paper money was backed by gold reserves. It was favored by bankers and business leaders for ensuring currency stability. Critics, like Populists, said it limited the money supply and hurt debtors. The debate between gold and silver became central to the 1896 election.

William Jennings Bryan

a Democratic and Populist leader known for advocating free silver and championing the common man. He ran for president three times and gained fame for his "Cross of Gold" speech. Bryan’s campaigns energized rural voters and the Populist cause. He represented a key challenge to the pro-business political order of the Gilded Age.

Cross of Gold Speech

Delivered by William Jennings Bryan at the Democratic National Convention in 1896, this speech criticized the gold standard and promoted free silver. Bryan argued that the gold standard was a form of economic oppression for working Americans. The powerful speech secured him the Democratic nomination. It became one of the most famous political speeches in U.S. history and symbolized the free silver movement.