The Gilded Age (1865-1900) Practice Flashcards

The Definition and Scope of the Gilded Age

• The Gilded Age is a historical period that lasted from $1865$ to $1900$.
• The term "Gilded" refers to an object that is covered with gold on the outside but is not truly golden on the inside. This serves as a metaphor for the era's rapid economic growth, which masked significant social conflict and underlying tension.
• Key topics defining this period include the development of the New South, westward expansion, the rise of industrial America, the growth of cities and American culture, and the dynamics of national and local politics.

The "New" South and Early Civil Rights Movements

• Following the Civil War, the Southern economy was characterized by sharecropping and tenant farming.
• In these systems, a sharecropper or tenant farmer lived on and rented land from a landowner. They farmed the land and were forced to give all profits to the landowner in exchange for their residence. This system created a cycle of poverty that kept individuals and families destitute.
• Plessy v. Ferguson ($1896$): A landmark Supreme Court case where the decision legalized segregation and established the "Separate but Equal" doctrine.
• Booker T. Washington: An ex-slave and early civil rights leader who advocated for gradual equality for Black Americans. He believed this could be achieved through vocational education and founded the Tuskegee Institute.
• W.E.B. DuBois: A Northern-born early civil rights leader and founding member of the NAACP. He advocated for immediate equality for Black Americans, differing from Washington's gradualist approach.
• Ida B. Wells: An African-American woman and author of "The Red Record," a book documenting lynching in the South. She exposed these murders to help secure laws to prevent them and was also a vocal advocate for women's suffrage.

Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny

• Moving West involved significant conflict between Native Americans, the United States government, and settlers or homesteaders.
• Conflict arose because Native Americans lived on land desired by settlers. Native American cultures were largely nomadic and centered on following the buffalo, which was a lifestyle and culture fundamentally opposite to that of the settlers.
• Manifest Destiny: The belief that Americans were destined by God to expand their civilization across the country and the world.
• Eminent Domain: This legal principle allows the government to take private property for public use provided they pay for it. This was utilized to facilitate the construction of railroads, where land was taken from individuals and given to railroad companies.

Forced Assimilation and the Indian Wars

• Assimilation: The process of adopting the culture of another, more dominant culture. The U.S. government sought to assimilate Native Americans into American life through various policies.
• Dawes Act and Native American Reform Policy: These measures were designed to break up tribal lands and force Western concepts of land ownership on Native Americans.
• Methods of Forced Assimilation:
  • Reservations: Native Americans were forced to live on specific tracts of land with defined boundaries, ending their ability to follow the buffalo.
  • Government Schools: Native American children were forced to attend American schools, where they were converted to Christianity.
  • Land Division: Under the Dawes Act, reservation land was divided into smaller plots. This restricted Native American culture and led to the government or white settlers acquiring the best remaining land.
• The Indian Wars: These were armed conflicts between settlers and Native Americans over territory and cultural differences.
  • Battle of Little Big Horn ($1876$): This was the largest victory for Native American forces, specifically the Sioux Tribe. It resulted in the total destruction of U.S. General Custer and his cavalry.
  • Battle of Wounded Knee ($1890$): This marked the final Indian battle and resulted in the complete destruction of the Sioux tribe. In retaliation for Little Big Horn, the U.S. military killed $90$ unarmed Sioux men and $200$ women and children.
• Native American Rights: Native Americans were granted citizenship in $1924$. Full voting rights were granted in $1965$ via the Voting Rights Act (VRA). Section $2$ of the VRA states: "No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure, shall be imposed or applied by any State or political subdivision to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color."

The Rise of Industrial America and Technological Advancement

• Industrialization marked the shift of the American economy from an agrarian (farming) basis to an industrial (factories) basis between $1865$ and $1900$.
• Causes of Industrialization:
  • Abundance of natural resources.
  • Abundance of labor resulting from immigration.
  • Abundance of investors and capital.
  • Development of new machines.
  • Laissez-faire capitalism.
• Transformation of Daily Life ($1860$s vs. $1900$s):
  • In the $1860$s, life lacked indoor electric lights, refrigeration, and indoor plumbing. Heating came from kerosene or wood, and cooking was done on wood stoves. Transportation relied on horse and buggy.
  • Mail delivery in $1860$ was slow: mail from the East Coast took $10$ days to reach the Midwest and $3$ weeks to reach the West Coast. A letter from Europe to the frontier could take several months.
  • By the $1900$s, the U.S. government had issued $500,000$ patents. Technological advances included electricity, refrigerated railroad cars, sewer systems, and sanitation.
  • Productivity increases made life more comfortable. Electricity powered lamps, fans, printing presses, appliances, and typewriters.
  • Travel time from New York to San Francisco was reduced to $10$ days by railroad.
  • Communication was revolutionized with $1.5\, \text{million}$ telephones in use and the Western Union Telegraph sending thousands of daily messages across the country.
• Thomas Alva Edison: Known as the "Wizard of Menlo Park" for his inventions.
• Alexander Graham Bell: Inventor associated with the development of the telephone.

Business Structures, Monopolies, and Industrial Regulation

• Laissez-Faire Capitalism: A philosophy where the government leaves business alone, involving no laws or regulations to control business practices. This allowed businesses to take advantage of farmers, workers, and consumers.
• Monopolies and Trusts: These structures created immense wealth for a few individuals, resulting in a small class of very rich people, a burgeoning middle class, and a large population of poor people. Monopolies held significant power while workers and consumers had virtually no rights.
• Regulation: The Sherman Antitrust Act was a federal law enacted because state laws were insufficient to stop trusts that operated across state lines. It prohibited trusts or monopolies that restrained trade or commerce, marking a shift from laissez-faire toward government regulation.

Competing Philosophies: Robber Barons vs. Captains of Industry

• "Robber Barons": A negative view of business leaders who built fortunes by "stealing" from the public. They were accused of draining natural resources, persuading officials to interpret laws in their favor, ruthlessly ruining competitors, and paying meager wages for dangerous work.
• "Captains of Industry": A positive view of business leaders who served the nation by building factories, increasing the supply of goods, raising productivity, and expanding markets. They created jobs that raised the standard of living and founded public institutions like museums, libraries, and universities.
• Gospel of Wealth: Andrew Carnegie’s belief that the wealthy had a responsibility to give money to help the poor and end wealth inequality. This philosophy helped justify the existence of monopolies.
• Social Darwinism: The application of "survival of the fittest" to society and business. It posited that the strongest people and businesses survive and make the most money. Proponents believed God willed their success and used the theory to justify harsh business practices and extreme wealth.

Labor Unrest, Unions, and Industrial Strikes

• Workers faced long hours, low pay, and dangerous conditions without rights; women and children were frequently employed in factories.
• Labor Unions: Formed to gain rights, specifically targeting better hours, pay, and working conditions. Often used strikes and violence as tools.
  • Knights of Labor: Led by Terence Powderly. They were inclusive of skilled/unskilled workers, Black/white workers, and men/women. This diversity eventually made the union too fragmented to be effective.
  • American Federation of Labor (AFL): Created by Samuel Gompers. Only allowed skilled workers, which made it a more effective union.
• Major Strikes and Violence:
  • Haymarket Affair: Violence broke out during a meeting regarding an $8$-hour workday, resulting in the deaths of $8$ police officers. Workers did not receive better hours.
  • Homestead Strike: Workers at a steel mill struck over pay cuts. Violence erupted, the union lost, and wages were ultimately cut.
  • Pullman Strike: Workers struck over conditions; the company used the court system to break the strike, causing unions to lose more power.
• Results of Strikes: Unions generally lost power due to the associated violence. The government consistently supported big businesses and monopolies over workers. Fundamental worker rights were not gained until the Progressive Era began in $1901$.

Immigration and Urban Growth

• Immigration Factors:
  • Push Factors: Issues that make someone want to leave an area, such as poverty, overcrowding, and religious persecution in Europe.
  • Pull Factors: Reasons someone is drawn to an area, including jobs, freedom, and opportunity.
• Immigrants typically moved into ethnic neighborhoods upon arrival.
• Nativism: A preference for native-born persons over immigrants or foreign-born individuals.
• Urbanization: The rapid growth of cities as people moved from other nations and rural farms. Cities during this era were often dirty, unsanitary, and unregulated, lacking public services like police, trash removal, clean water, or sewer systems.

Political Machines and Corruption

• Political Machine: An organization run by a political "boss" with the goal of securing votes for a specific party or politician.
• Operation of the Machine:
  1. The boss provides immigrants with basic needs like food, housing, or jobs.
  2. In exchange, immigrants vote as the boss directs.
  3. Once the politician is elected, the boss receives money and favors from the politician.
• This system was considered highly unethical and resulted in widespread bribery and fraud, as the boss manipulated immigrants for personal enrichment rather than governance.
• Boss Tweed: The corrupt leader of Tammany Hall, the New York City political machine. He was eventually exposed by political cartoonist Thomas Nast and sent to jail.

Reforms in the Cities

• Settlement Houses: Established with the goal of helping the urban poor.
• Social Gospel Movement: A movement stating that helping those in need is a Christian responsibility.
• Temperance Movement: Led by groups like the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). They believed that banning alcohol would solve issues of poverty and abuse.

National Politics and the Civil Service

• Patronage (Spoils System): The practice of a politician hiring financial supporters, friends, or family for civil service jobs regardless of their qualifications. This led to a government run by unqualified individuals.
• Assassination of President Garfield: Garfield wanted to end the spoils system; he was assassinated because of this stance.
• Chester A. Arthur: Garfield’s Vice President who took office and enacted the Pendleton Civil Service Act. This act mandated that government employees must pass screenings, interviews, and tests before being hired, ensuring qualified personnel in government roles.
• Tariffs: Consumers and farmers generally wanted low tariffs, while American business owners desired high tariffs to protect their interests.

The Grange Movement and the Rise of Populism

• Farmers felt the government did not support them, particularly as railroads overcharged for transporting goods.
• Grange Movement: Originally intended to educate farmers.
  • Granger Laws: Created to protect farmers from unfair railroad pricing.
  • Interstate Commerce Act: Aimed to regulate railroads and stop overcharging. This was the first law moving the government away from laissez-faire toward active regulation.
• Farmers Alliance: A more politically active successor to the Grange that included both Black and white farmers. They were frustrated by falling crop prices and railroad practices, leading to the creation of the Populist Party (or People’s Party).

The Populist Platform and Economic Reform

• The Populist Party was mainly composed of farmers and middle-to-low income earners.
• Economic Platform:
  • Gold Standard: A system where the money supply is based on the amount of gold held by the U.S. This led to low inflation and high money value, which benefited the rich but made money scarce for others.
  • Bimetallism (Free Silver): The Populists wanted money to be backed by both gold and silver. This would increase the money in circulation, make farm goods more expensive (helping farmers repay debts), and cause inflation.
  • Labor and Tax Reform: The Populists advocated for an $8$-hour workday and a graduated income tax (where higher earners pay a higher percentage).
• Political Platform (Omaha Platform):
  • Goal: Make the government more responsive to the people.
  • Demands: Direct election of U.S. Senators, initiatives, referendums, and recalls.
  • Recall: Citizens can remove a politician from office.
  • Initiative: A proposed law originating from citizens via petition.
  • Referendum: A public vote on an initiative.
• William Jennings Bryan: The leader of the Populist party who ran for President three times but never won. He is famous for his "Cross of Gold" speech.

Questions & Discussion

• Why did William Jennings Bryan never win the presidency?
• Why were the Populists ultimately not successful as a political party?
• What two groups eventually adopted the ideas and platforms of the Populists?