Name:_______________________________________ Class Period:____ Due Date: Tuesday January 26

Guided Reading & Analysis: The Politics of the Gilded Age, 1877-1900
Chapter 19- The Gilded Age pp 380-391
Reading Assignment: Ch. 19 AMSCO; If you do not have the AMSCO text, use chapter
23 of American Pageant and/or online resources such as the website, podcast, crash
course video, chapter outlines, Hippocampus, etc.

Purpose: This guide is not only a place to record notes as you read, but also to provide a
place and structure for reflections and analysis using your noggin (thinking skills) with new
knowledge gained from the reading. This guide, if THOUGHFULLY completed in its
entirety BOP (Beginning of Period) by the due date, can be used on the corresponding
quiz as well as earn up to 10 bonus points. In addition, completed guides provide the
student with the ability to correct a quiz for ½ points back! The benefits of such activities,
however, go far beyond quiz help and bonus points. ☺
Mastery of the course and AP exam await all who choose to process the information
as they read/receive. This is an optional assignment.
Deja vu So… young Jedi… what is your choice? Do? Or do not? There is no try.
Pictured: Gilded Age Presidents, Grant-Hayes-Garfield-Arthur-Cleveland-Harrison-Cleveland-McKinley,Public Domain.

Directions:
1. Pre-Read: Read the prompts/questions within this guide before you read the chapter.
2. Skim: Flip through the chapter and note titles and subtitles. Look at images and read captions. Get a feel for the content you are about to read.
3. Read/Analyze: Read the chapter. If you have your own copy of AMSCO, Highlight key events and people as you read. Remember, the goal is not
to “fish” for a specific answer(s) to reading guide questions, but to consider questions in order to critically understand what you read!
4. Write Write (do not type) your notes and analysis in the spaces provided. Complete it in INK!

Key Concepts FOR PERIOD 6:

Key Concept 6.1: Technological advances, large-scale production methods, and the opening of new markets encouraged the rise of
industrial capitalism in the United States.
Key Concept 6.2: The migrations that accompanied industrialization transformed both urban and rural areas of the United
States and caused dramatic social and cultural change.
Key Concept 6.3: The Gilded Age produced new cultural and intellectual movements, public reform efforts, and political
debates over economic and social policies.

Section 1 Background and Introduction, page 380

Read page 380 and additional information below. Highlight major cues, and answer the question that follows.

The Gilded Age, which spanned the final three decades of the nineteenth century, was one of the most dynamic, contentious, and volatile periods in
American history. America's industrial economy exploded, generating unprecedented opportunities for individuals to build great fortunes but also leaving many
farmers and workers struggling merely for survival. Overall national wealth increased more than fivefold, a staggering increase, but one that was accompanied by
what many saw as an equally staggering disparity between the rich and the poor. Industrial giants like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller revolutionized
business and ushered in the modern corporate economy, but also, ironically, sometimes destroyed free-market economic competition in the process. Record
numbers of citizens voted in national elections, but the politicians they voted for were often lackluster figures who turned a blind eye to the public interest. It was, as
Dickens might have said, the best of times and the worst of times. But even that Dickensian understanding of the Gilded Age isn't quite right. It's not enough to say
that the Gilded Age was a time of high highs and low lows; the highs and lows were actually often deeply intertwined parts of the exact same developments. In other
words, the highs often were the lows, and vice versa. In the Gilded Age, every dark cloud had its silver lining… and every silver lining had its dark cloud. For more
than a hundred years, critics have been ripping the business strategies that allowed big industrialists to build powerful monopolies—but those much-maligned
monopolies brought desperately needed order to America's immature economic system. Many have also long resented the immense fortunes of personal wealth that
a handful of big businessmen were able to acquire—but that wealth paid for a huge surge in philanthropy, building hundreds of libraries, schools, museums, and
other public facilities still enjoyed by the American people even today. Reformers decried the way urban politicians turned corruption into a way of life—but those
same crooked politicians also provided vital services to working-class and immigrant neighborhoods. The Gilded Age was a dynamic age of incredible economic
opportunity, just as it was a harsh era of incredible economic exploitation. Any version of this tale that includes only the exploitation but not the dynamism—or vice
versa—is missing half the story. (Smoop.com)

How did the Gilded Age differ from the era of Reconstruction?

Why did Mark Twain call this era “gilded?”

Section 2 Guided Reading, pp 380-391
The Presidents of the Gilded Age are often called the “Forgettables.” This string of single term presidents begins with Hayes and ends with Cleveland (who served
two inconsecutive terms. McKinley is sometimes included in this era as is Grant, but… Grant is more significant to Reconstruction era and McKinley to Imperialism,
many historians assert. These presidents were more “administrators” than “leaders.”

1. Politics of the Gilded Age, pp 380-385

Key Concepts &
Main Ideas Notes Analysis

The “Gilded Age” Politics of the Gilded Age… Explain the key issue dividing Mugwumps,
witnessed new a. the term “Gilded Age” came from Mark Twain to describe the new wealth Halfbreeds, and Stalwarts.
cultural and gained in the last years of the 19th century
intellectual b. age of “forgettable” presidents and politicians who ignored problems
movements in caused by industrialization and urbanization
tandem with
political debates
over economic and
social policies. Causes of Stalemate… List three similarities between Antebellum Era
Democrats and Gilded Age Democrats:
Gilded Age politics 1 )industrialists controlled politics
were intimately tied 1)
to big business 2)belief in limited government
2)
and focused
nationally on Belief in Limited Government…
3)
economic issues — 1. jived with laissez-faire economics and social Darwinism
tariffs, currency, 2. courts narrowly interpreted government’s powers to regulate business
3. federal government’s only responsibilities:
corporate a. delivering the mails
List three similarities between Antebellum Era
expansion, and Republicans (you may include the Whigs in this
b. maintaining a national military
laissez-faire comparison) and Gilded Age Republicans:
c. conducting foreign policy
economic policy d. collecting tariffs and taxes
— that engendered 1)
4. exceptions:
numerous calls for a. subsidies and grants for railroads
2)
reform. b. use of military and police to stop strikes (Pullman Strike)
c. pension system for Civil War veterans
3)
i. reformers wanted to make the system permanent and expand it for all
Americans
ii. But other reformers believed the pension system was a symbol of graft,
* One scandal not How was the Antebellum Two Party System
outlined in your book corruption and party rule
different from the Gilded Age Two Party system?
(during the Grant years) 5. The most powerful political institutions were the two political parties and the
is the Indian Ring. federal courts
Belknap, Secretary of 6. government most powerful on the local level
War, was forced to 7. concerned with winning elections and controlling patronage
resign after taking bribes
from suppliers to Indian
reservations… was *Turn back to page 300 and re-read the section
Campaign Strategy…
impeached and removed on Greed and Corruption during the Grant years.
by Congress after he Then, define the following:
resigned (resigned to 1. elections were close, so both Republicans and Democrats avoided taking
avoid it but they did it strong positions, which might have alienated the voters
Fisk & Gould scandal:
anyway). 2. despite lack of discussion about the issues, turnout was 80 percent due to:
a. strong party identification and loyalty b. regional, religious, and ethnic ties

Credit Mobilier affair:

Republicans…
Whiskey Ring:
- waved the “bloody shirt”
- retained the votes of reformers and blacks,
- made up of men in business and middle-class, white, Protestants
- remained supportive of high protective tariffs for business
Tweed Ring:
- bulwark against slavery and treason for North
- favored restricting immigration
- supported temperance legislation
 Democrats…
- won all elections in the former states of the Confederacy
- northern votes came from political machines and immigrants
- made up of Catholics, Lutherans, and Jews who objected to temperance and
prohibition crusades
- believed in states’ rights and limited federal government
- symbol of white supremacy for South
- appealed to Catholic voters, immigrants, workers

Party Patronage…
1. politics was a game of gaining office, holding office and providing
government jobs to the party faithful
2. Stalwarts and Halfbreeds were political factions of the Republican party with
no real differences between them other than patronage
3. Mugwumps sat on the fence, wanted to elect an honest Democrat

Presidential Politics…

Rutherford B. Hayes…
1. ended Reconstruction by withdrawing last federal troops from the South
2. temperance reformers
3. vetoed efforts to restrict Chinese immigration
4. wanted to create a civil service system, but no one supported it

REMEMBER…As you read the chapter, jot down your notes in the middle column. Consider your notes to be elaborations on the Objectives and Main
Ideas presented in the left column and in the subtitles of the text. INCLUDE IN YOUR NOTES ALL SIGNIFICANT VOCABULARY AND PEOPLE. After read
and take notes, thoughtfully, analyze what you read by answering the questions in the right column. Remember this step is essential to your processing
of information. Completing this guide thoughtfully will increase your retention as well as your comprehension!

Politics in the Gilded Age Continued…

Key Concepts and

Main Ideas Notes Analysis

James. Garfield… How did the role of government change

1. this “Halfbreed” president ran on the same ticket as “Stalwart” Chester A. Arthur during Garfield, Arthur, and Cleveland’s
in order to win the popular vote against the Democrats terms in office?
2. Garfield went against party patronage, gave Stalwarts government jobs, which
bred resentment
3. killed because of shot in the back and poor subsequent medical care

Chester A. Arthur…
1. supported bill reforming the civil service (Pendleton Act)
The “Gilded Age” 2. approved development of modern American navy
 witnessed new cultural 3. questioned high protective tariff
and intellectual Explain how the issue of spoils or
movements in tandem patronage in the Gilded Age is similar to
with political debates politics in the Jackson Era.
over economic and social Pendleton Act (p.384)…
policies.

Gilded Age politics were

intimately tied to big
business and focused Congressional Leaders…
nationally on economic
issues — tariffs, Congressional lawmakers had long but undistinguished careers, some potential,
currency, but ruined by connection with corruption
corporate expansion,
and laissez-faire Which was more significant to Gilded
economic policy — that Age political corruption, patronage or
engendered numerous the power of big business? Consider
calls for reform. your reading on both industrialization
and politics. Defend your answer with
specific evidence.
The Election of 1884…
i. Cleveland was Democratic nominee
ii. attacked for his illegitimate child and Catholicism
iii. supported by Mugwumps (neutral Republicans) and Catholics
iv. Republican Blaine lost because he seemed to tolerate Protestant minister calling
the Democrats the party of “rum, Romanism, and rebellion”

Cleveland’s First Term…

i. believed in frugal and limited government ii. signed into law the Interstate
Commerce Act and the Dawes Act

Interstate Commerce Act…

1. ICA banned discrimination in rates between long and short hauls,
declared that all interstate rail rates must be “reasonable and just”

Dawes Act…
Dawes Act gave land to individual natives; purpose was to assimilate

Issues: Civil Service, Currency, and Tariffs…

i. fought against political machines, reformed the civil service system
ii. vetoed private pension bills falsely claiming to have been injured during the Civil
War
iii. rejected tariffs because he believed the surplus tempted Congress to pass
reckless and extravagant legislation

Civil Service Reform…

(during Arthur’s presidency… put notes on this topic under Arthur above)
i. outraged after the assassination of President Garfield in 1881
ii. Congress wanted to remove certain government jobs from party patronage
iii. Pendleton Act of 1881 created a system based on competitive examination,
prohibiting civil servants from making political contributions (signed into law by
Chester A. Arthur)
1. initially only applied to 10%, but grew to apply to almost all jobs
iv. now, politicians rely on the rich rather than their party to fund their campaigns

Politics in the Gilded Age Continued…

 Key Concepts and
Main Ideas Notes

Money Question…
The “Gilded Age” i. expand money supply or not?
witnessed new cultural ii. tension between the “haves” and the “have-nots
and intellectual
movements in tandem
with political debates Debtors, farmers, and start-ups wanted…
over economic and - borrow money at lower interest rates
social policies. - pay off loans more easily with inflated dollars
- blamed the gold standard for restricting money supply and causing Panic of 1873
Gilded Age politics were
intimately tied to big
business and focused
nationally on economic
issues — tariffs, Bankers, creditors, investors, and established businesses wanted…
currency, - wanted sound (hard) money
corporate expansion, - as economy and population grew, gold-backed dollars would gain in value
and laissez-faire
economic policy — that
engendered numerous
calls for reform.

Greenback Party…
i. paper money unbacked by specie called greenbacks
ii. had been issued as emergency measures for financing Civil War
iii. Northern farmers liked it b/c associated it with prosperity; creditors/investors saw it as a violation of natural law

Demands for Silver Money…

Specie Resumption Act (1875)- withdrew greenbacks from circulation
party became popular in the 70s, but died out with the Panic of 1873

Tariff issue…
i. during Civil War, Republican government enacted high tariffs to protect US industry and also fund the Union government
ii. Democrats objected because the taxes raised the price of consumer goods
iii. other nations retaliated by placing taxes of their own on US farm products, so America lost a share of the overseas market
iv. it seemed that industry was growing rich at the expense of rural America

Going Deeper… The Gold Standard

Highlight cues as you read and review!
During the nineteenth century, U.S. currency was backed by both gold and silver—in other words, a dollar in silver, nickel, or copper coins or in
paper money was guaranteed by the government to be convertible into a dollar's worth of either metal. As a result of this "bimetallic standard," the
valuation of U.S. currency fluctuated wildly. Because the value of the two metals on the open market was constantly changing, speculators were able
to turn a profit by selling their coins for more than their face value when the value of the metal exceeded its denomination. When the government
flooded the market with silver coins, the price of silver dropped, citizens traded in their silver coins for gold, and federal gold reserves were
exhausted. At the same time, prices of wholesale and retail goods saw a steady decline from the end of the Civil War through the 1890s, sending
farmers and other providers of goods, whose fixed debts did not decline, into crisis. This chronic monetary instability was a large factor in the 1896
election of President William McKinley, who ran on a platform that included a change to a gold standard. In 1900 McKinley signed the Gold
Standard Act, making gold reserves the basis of the monetary system. The gold standard remained in effect until 1933, when the economic
pressures of the Great Depression—including gold-hoarding by a panicked citizenry—led the United States to abandon it, and legislation was
passed that allowed the Federal Reserve to expand the supply of paper money irrespective of gold reserves. We went completely off the Gold
Standard during Nixon’s administration. Today our paper money is “fiat” money… back by nothing tangible.
Bimetalism is…

Gold Standard is…

Textbook or Internet Search Break…

Review the economic policies below by explaining each one’s purpose and impact on the American economy.

Legal Tender Act 1862 National Banking Act 1863

Purpose: Purpose:
authorizing the use of paper notes to pay The National Bank Act of 1863 was designed to
the government's bills. create a national banking system, float federal
war loans, and establish a national currency.

Impact on economy: Impact on economy:

The government was able to pay its bills they were to circulate a stable, uniform national
and, by increasing the money in currency secured by federal bonds deposited by
circulation, the wheels of Northern each bank with the comptroller of the currency
commerce were greased.

Coinage Act 1873 Specie Payment Resumption Act 1874

Purpose: Purpose:
created the United States dollar as the Following a Democratic congressional victory in the
country's standard unit of money. elections of 1874, a lame-duck Republican congress
passed The Resumption Act of January 14, 1875. It
Impact on economy: required the Secretary of the Treasury to redeem
a general revision of the laws relating to the Mint greenbacks in specie on demand on or after 1
of the United States. The legislation, in addition January 1879.
to ending the production of the silver dollar,
abolished three low-denomination coins.
Impact on economy:
It hurt people by lowering prices on silver Purpose:
Bland Allison Act 1878 Gold Standard Act 1900
Purpose:an act of United States Congress requiring the U.S. Purpose:
Treasury to buy a certain amount of silver and put it into circulation established gold as the sole basis for redeeming
as silver dollars. paper currency.

Impact on economy:
The law, passed 28 February 1878 over President
Rutherford B. Hayes's veto, required government
purchases, at market prices, of $2 million to $4 million
Impact on economy:
The Gold Standard Act of 1900 was passed
to prevent the country from printing too
much money and running out of gold.

2. Back to the Book…. The Growth of Discontent, 1888-1896, pp 385-388

Key Concepts
and Main Notes Analysis
Ideas
Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of
The “Gilded The Growth of Discontent, 1888-1896… William Henry Harrison (war hero; Battle of
the Populist party and the depression in 1893 broke the atmosphere of complacency. Tippecanoe and president briefly in 1841). He
Age” witnessed defeated Cleveland, the sitting president,
new cultural although Cleveland had more popular votes.
and intellectual The main issue was the tariff. Harrison favored
movements in protective tariffs and Cleveland wanted them
Harrison and the Billion Dollar Congress… reduced, because he saw them as unfair taxes
tandem with on consumers. Identify a comparative context
political for this election.
debates over
economic and
social policies.
 The Election of 1888…
1. Democrats wanted Cleveland and lower tariff
2. Republicans wanted Benjamin Harrison and high tariff
3. Republicans played on corporate fear to rally industrialists and workers 4. Harrison won

The Growth of Discontent Continued…

Key Concepts
and Main Notes Analysis
Ideas

The “Gilded Billion Dollar Congress.. Which action by the Billion Dollar
Age” witnessed Republicans had control over both houses of Congress and the presidency, very Congress was the most impactful?
new cultural productive Explain and defend your answer with
and intellectual specific evidence.
movements in 1. The McKinley Tariff of 1890…
tandem with raised the tax on foreign products to a peacetime high of over 48 percent
a. public didn’t like it, so got rid of Republicans in next election
political b. monthly pension increase to Civil War veterans, widows and children
debates over
economic and
social policies.
Note on McKinley Tariff:
The Democrats had pledged to lower tariffs, and protested the McKinley Tariff… but by the time the Wilson-
Gorman Tariff of 1894 made it through Congress, it was so loaded with special-interest protection that it
hardly made a difference in the McKinley Tariff rates. Cleveland allowed the bill, but the Supreme Court,
much to the dismay of the Populists, struck down the income tax provision of the tariff.

2.

3. Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890…

outlawed “combinations in restraint of trade”
a. response to the people’s complaint that state legislation was ineffective
b. ironically, mostly used to fight unions

Note on the Sherman Antitrust Act:

Despite being a step toward challenging trusts and protecting the free market, this act was largely
unsuccessful, because politicians were unwilling to truly challenge big business and the new law was used
more to thwart efforts of organized labor than to break up the power of the monopolies – trusts.

4. Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890…

Explain how the Populists illustrate the

impact of industrialization and
urbanization. Defend your answer with
specific evidence.
Note on the Silver Purchase Act:
Although this was a victory for farmers and other debtors, it was unsuccessful because the increased supply
of silver reduced its value which resulted in the inability of miners to make a profit and leading thousands to
exchange silver notes for gold notes which led to lack of gold supply.

5.

Return of the Democrats…

1. Midwest votes replaced Republicans with Democrats because they didn’t like the tariff
 2. immigrants (Catholics) reacted to the prohibition of alcohol and Sunday closing laws--
didn’t like the legislation of public morality

Rise of the Populists…

i. Republicans also began to lose b/c of agrarian discontent ii. Farmers’ alliances elected
government officials like Oliver H. Kelley iii. put down- Wabash ruled the Granger Laws in
Illinois to be unconstitutional and infringing upon Congress’s right to control interstate
commerce iv. sometimes anti-Semitic, but not reflective of entire party v. ideas only
became reality around 1915 vi. reaction against the unresponsive, stagnant government
vii. National Grange Movement (1868) 1. originally organized by Oliver H. Kelley as a social
and educational organization for farmers; they were lonely! :c #teer 2. strong in the Old
Northwest (now called the Midwest) 3. established cooperatives- businesses owned and
run by the farmers to save the costs charged by middlemen a. bought supplies in bulk to
save money b. only Montgomery Ward and Company was successful, mail-order business
4. lobbied their states to pass laws regulating the railroad and elevator rates 5. made it
illegal for railroads to fix prices and to give rebates to privileged customers 6. attempted
to teach new scientific agricultural techniques to keep farming “in step with the music of
the age” 7. declined by the late 1870s because of political inexperience of Grange leaders
and the agricultural prosperity of the 1870s 8. replaced by farmers’ alliances, which had
similar problems and goals

Omaha Platform…
1. farmers’ alliance supported Ocala Demands was a precursor to the Omaha platform,
winning some government positions 2. wanted to do something about the concentration
of economic power in the hands of trusts and bankers 3. supported by Alliance members
and some Knights of Labor people 4. politically wanted: a. direct popular election of US
senators (instead of indirect) b. state laws by voters themselves through initiatives and
referendums 5. economically wanted: a. unlimited coinage of silver to trigger inflation
(free silver) b. graduated income tax c. government ownership of railroads, telegraph and
telephone d. loans and federal warehouses for farmers to enable them to stabilize prices
for their crops e. elimination of nationally owned banks (“money trust”) f. 8 hour work day
g. restriction of immigration 6. revolutionary: a. attacked laissez-faire capitalism b. wanted
progress and growth to continue, but more defined by needs of individuals and
communities; not challenging industrialization or capitalism as a whole c. attempted to
form political alliance between poor white and poor blacks, though anti-Semitic,
intellectual and urban d. Munn v Illinois- Supreme Court upheld the right of a state to
regulate the businesses of a public nature, like railroads ix. Populist Constituency 1.
appealed to geographically isolated farmers whose operations were only minimally
mechanized, dependent on one crop, and not consolidated 2. failed to attract labor
because their interests conflicted. a. exception: attracted miners on Rockies b/c they
endorsed the “free silver” agenda 3. only accepted blacks if white supremacy was
maintained 4. leaders were members of the middle class: professional people, editors, and
lawyers, longtime politicians and agitators 5. women were full fledged members “Raise
less corn and more hell.”- Mary E. Lease 6. temperance- women were against drinking, felt
it was necessary for rural stability 7. Southern leaders aroused resentment against the
Bourbons

The Growth of Discontent Continued…

Key Concepts
and Main Notes Analysis
Ideas
 The Election of 1892… Compare the Wilson-Gorman Tariff of 1894 to the McKinley Tariff
i. Populist ticket (James B. Weaver) lost in the South and failed to of 1890. What is significant about this comparison in terms of
attract urban workers in the North ii. southern Democrats afraid of politics?
Populists uniting poor black and white folk, so they tried to
disenfranchise African Americans iii. Cleveland won b/c of the
unpopularity of the McKinley Tariff, which he got rid of
Deja vu

The “Gilded
Age” witnessed
new cultural
and intellectual Were William H. Harvey’s views more consistent with Jacksonian
movements in Depression Politics… Democrats or Lincoln Republicans. Explain your answer.
tandem with
political Panic of 1893…
debates over 1. stock market crashed because of over speculation 2. overbuilt-
economic and dozens of railroads went into bankruptcy b/c they expanded
social policies. beyond market demand, became unable to pay back loans 3.
farmers had low purchasing power b/c low prices in agriculture 4.
20% unemployed 5. Cleveland championed the gold standard and
kept a hands-off policy
Gilded Age Presidents did not assess the government in the same
way populists and progressives did. How does this event,
“Coxey’s Army,” illustrate a turning point in American politics?

Gold Reserve and Tariff…

Demands for silver money (decline of gold reserve) (bimetallism)
1. Crime of 1873- stopped the coining of silver since, at the time,
silver had a commercial value higher than the “mint ratio” of 16 to
1 2. discovery of silver revived demands for use of silver by silver
miners and farmers who wanted currency inflation (“free silver”)
a. silver was a “people’s money” in contrast to gold, the money of
oppression and exploitation

Jobless on the March…

1. Coxey’s Army a. march to Washington in 1894 by thousands of
unemployed b. led by Jacob Coxey Populist c. demanded that
federal government create jobs and greenbacks d. government
did not respond v. Coin’s Financial School 1. written by William H.
Harvey 2. taught that troubles were caused by conspiracy of rich
bankers 3. prosperity would only return if silver were coined
unlimitedly

5. Turning Point in American Politics: 1896, pp388-390

Key Concepts and Main Ideas
Notes

The “Gilded Age” witnessed Turning Point in American Politics: 1896…

new cultural and intellectual
movements in tandem with
political debates over
economic and social
policies.
i. repeal of Silver Purchase Act and Cleveland’s handling of the depression discredited the conservative Democrats
The Election of 1896…
Bryan, Democrats, and Populists…
a. Democrats championed the leading issue of the Populist platform, forcing the Populists to merge with them b.
Democrats split between prosilver and progold c. Democratic national convention dominated by prosilver forces d.
William Jennings Bryan delivered “Cross of Gold” speech i. condemned the gold standard ii. speech gave him immense
political power “You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind
 upon a cross of gold.” e. Progold, conservative faction of “gold bug” Democrats formed the National Democratic party or
voted Republican

McKinley, Hanna, and Republicans…

a. nominated McKinley
b. high tariff and gold standard

Turning Point in American Politics: 1896 Continued…

Key Concepts and Main Ideas

Notes

The “Gilded Age” witnessed McKinley’s Presidency…

new cultural and intellectual
movements in tandem with
political debates over
economic and social
policies.
1. took office just as economy revived 2. gold discoveries in Alaska provided the inflation that silverites wanted 3.
agrarian and labor dissent was exhausted 4. passed the Dingley Tariff and made gold the official standard using the Gold
Standard Act of 1900 a. Europe had switched to the gold standard b. Industrialists wanted US to switch as well to join the
global economy 5. made the US a world power as a leader during the war with Spain in 1898

Significance of the Election of 1896… Populist Demise… Urban Dominance… Beginning of Modern Politics…
EXPLAIN THOROUGHLY…
a. marked the end of the stalemate and stagnation of the Gilded Age politics b. began era of Republican dominance of
the presidency c. Republican party transitioned from party of “free soil, free labor, and free men” to party of business,
industry and strong national government d. though the Populist party disappeared b/c racism was stronger than reform
agenda, their agenda was adopted (graduated income tax and popular election of senators) e. urban issues dominated
over rural issues f. McKinley was the first modern president, making the US a major player in international affairs g. Mark
Hana, McKinley’s adviser, created a model for organizing and financing a successful campaign focused on winning
favorable publicity h. Bryan was the first president to appear in all parts of the country, while McKinley had a “front-
porch” campaign

6. Historical Perspectives: Who Were The Populists? Page 391

To what extent was the Populist movement a practical, liberal
response to the political and economic problems of the Gilded Age?
Evidence for Populists as Realistic:
Populist party disappeared b/c racism was stronger than reform
agenda, their agenda was adopted (graduated income tax and
popular election of senators)
To what extent was the Populist movement a romantic, idealistic
response to the changes in American culture and economy during the
Gilded Age?
Evidence for Populists as Idealistic:
Progressives only agreed with Socialists about workers’ compensation
and minimum wage 2. otherwise, they only wanted mild reforms, not
radical causes 3. but, some socialist ideas were eventually accepted like
public ownership of utilities, 8-hour workday and pensions for
employees
“There is indeed much that is good and usable in our Populist past… Populism was the first modern political movement of practical importance in the
United States to insist that the federal government has some responsibility for the common weal. … Populists… bypassed and humiliated by the advance
of industrialism… were rebelling against the domination of the country by industrial and financial capitalists… They sought to restore the conditions
prevailing before the development of industrialism and the commercialization of agriculture.”
Richard Hofstadter, The Age of Reform from Bryan to F.D.R., 1955

“…Populism was indeed a response to the times, but it was also something more. It was an attempt to transcend those times and, in the act of
transcending the existing social context, to pose an alternative conception for the development of America… Thus, Populists contended, government
must be a responsive tool, one which can actively intervene in the economy to regulate matters affecting the public interest, and when necessary own
outright monopolies of this character, and can just as actively aid the underprivileged and work for a more equitable distribution of wealth.”
Norman Pollack, The Populist Mind, 1967

The essential difference between these two viewpoints is:

Reading Guide written by Rebecca Richardson, Allen High School

Sources include but are not limited to: 2015 edition of AMSCO’s United States History Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination ,
2012 and 2015 Revised College Board Advanced Placement United States History Framework, and other sources as cited in document and collected/adapted over 20 years of teaching and collaborating..