09. Gilded Age (Doherty)

The Gilded Age (1870-1900)

Overview

  • The term "Gilded Age" refers to a period from 1865-1890 marked by economic growth, but also significant social problems and corruption.

Key Figures and Concepts

Boss Tweed

  • Leadership: Led Tammany Hall in NYC, supporting the Democratic Party.

  • Corruption: Made over $200 million through embezzlement and bribery.

  • Exposed: Political cartoons by Thomas Nast of the New York Times uncovered his schemes.

  • Consequences: Ultimately imprisoned for his actions.

Worker Unrest

  • Economic Context: Panic of 1873 led to a severe economic downturn, causing unemployment to reach 14%.

  • Strikes: The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 protested wage cuts, leading to federal troop intervention by President Hayes, thereby setting a precedent for future labor unrest such as the Haymarket Square, Homestead Steel, and Pullman strikes.

Immigration and Sentiment

Anti-Chinese Sentiment

  • Background: Chinese immigrants arrived during the Gold Rush, filling low-wage jobs and working on the Transcontinental Railroad.

  • Conflict: Irish immigrant group Kearneyites resented their labor competition.

  • Legislation: Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned Chinese immigration until 1943.

The Populist Movement

  • Origins: Emerged from the Farmers Alliance and Granger Movement focusing on Midwest agricultural concerns and urban labor unrest.

  • Policies Advocated: Supported inflationary policies, direct election of senators, government ownership of utilities, and shorter workdays.

  • Challenges: Racial tension and fragmentation led to the movement's decline as a third party in elections.

Pro-Silver Coalition and William Jennings Bryan

  • Support Base: Silver mine owners, farmers who needed currency inflation, and debtors.

  • Key Phrase: Bryan's cross of gold speech indicated the struggle against the gold standard, representing broader populist sentiments.

Historical Events

Homestead Strike

  • Labor unrest at Carnegie's steel plant highlighting industrial conflict and responses.

Campaigns for Free Silver

  • Political maneuvering advocated free silver, connecting farmers' hope for price increases with broader economic prosperity.

Political Landscape

Democrats vs. Republicans

  • Election of 1876: A contested election where Rutherford Hayes won despite losing the popular vote to Samuel Tilden, leading to significant political fallout.

  • Compromise of 1877: An unwritten deal that ended Reconstruction, allowing Hayes to assume the presidency in exchange for removing troops from the South, solidifying Democratic dominance and disenfranchising black voters.

Legal Cases and Racial Discrimination

  • Plessy v. Ferguson: Established the 'separate but equal' doctrine, legitimizing racial segregation.

  • Jim Crow Laws: Implemented to enforce racial discrimination through Black Codes, literacy tests, and poll taxes.

Economic Policies and Labor

Currency Debates and Tariffs

  • Industrialists pushed for high tariffs, while poor farmers urged for bimetallism to support their economic interests and protect against price fluctuations.

  • Sherman Silver Purchase Act aimed to increase silver purchases but led to gold depletion in the treasury, further exacerbating economic crises.

The Rise of Big Business

Key Industrial Figures

  • Cornelius Vanderbilt: Transformed the transportation industry through railroads.

  • Andrew Carnegie: Revolutionized steel production with vertical integration and cost-cutting practices.

  • John D. Rockefeller: Dominated the oil industry, creating efficiencies and monopolistic practices.

  • J.P. Morgan: Consolidated various industries, stabilizing finances through coordinated investments.

Cultural Impact and Innovations

Development of Retail

  • Montgomery Ward: Established mail-order catalogs that revolutionized retail for rural customers, allowing access to diverse products.

  • Increased Literacy: Supported through public education advancements—significant for urban industrial workers and immigrant populations.

Rise of New Immigrant Communities

  • Chinatown, Japantown, Little Italy: Neighborhoods representing cultural enclaves that provided social, culinary, and educational opportunities while encountering societal challenges.

Social Reforms and Women's Rights

Settlement Houses

  • Women like Jane Addams improved living conditions for immigrant populations through community support services.

Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)

  • Organizing social and political activism for women's suffrage and temperance, indicating the growing role of women in social reforms.

Conclusion

  • The Gilded Age set the stage for substantial economic growth marred by corruption, exploitation, and social strife, laying the foundation for future reform movements.