3.5 – Politics and Reform This section takes a look at politics and issues happening in the United States at the same time as all of the other topics we’ve.

3.5 – Politics and Reform

• This section takes a look at politics and issues happening in the United States at the same time as all of the other topics we’ve studied (industrialization, urbanization, child labor, Social Gospel, Philanthropy...etc.)

Cleaning Up Politics

1. Spoils System- gov’t jobs went to supporters of winning party in election

2. Americans believed that spoils system prevented law makers from dealing with national issues

3. After Garfield’s assassination Congress passed the Pendleton Act – a civil service system with appointments of candidates based on examinations

Two Parties Neck and Neck

• 1870’s-1880’s few new policies were introduced

4. There was a split in government power between the two main parties

– Democrats controlled House – Republicans controlled Senate

5. Elections of 1876 & 1888 – a candidate lost the popular vote, but won the election

• Presidents had to deal with a divided Congress and a party run by party bosses at the local level

Election of 1884

6. Grover Cleveland (D) vs. James Blaine (R)

7. Voters focused on personal morals of the candidates

8. Cleveland told the truth about his illegitimate child and showed his honesty, which helped him keep votes

9. Cleveland won NY by less than 1,000 votes and won the election

Commerce, Trusts and Tariffs

10. Angry small businesses and farmers felt that the railroads were price gouging

• Gov’t and courts felt corporations were like individuals and shouldn’t be interfered with

11. Public pressure forced Congress to pass the Interstate Commerce Act – created ICC to regulate interstate commerce

• Many felt high tariffs could now be lowered. Pres. Cleveland proposed lowering them- passed the Dem. House, but not the Rep. Senate

Republicans Regain Power

12. Election of 1888 gave Rep. all 3 parts of gov’t.

13. Passed McKinley Tariff – lowered some taxes and raised rates on other goods

14. This lowered gov’t revenue and transformed the nation’s budget surplus into a deficit

15. Congress passed Sherman Anti-Trust act (public wanted it) but it was so vague that the courts said they couldn’t enforce it = no real reform

Populism: Unrest in Rural America

16. Farmers were having trouble – surplus crops, low prices, high taxes on imported goods…

17. They embraced populism- movement to increase farmers’ political power and to work for legislation in their interest

• Wide change in money supply and types of currency created deflation = prices down & money increased in value. This hit farmers hard

Populism: Unrest in Rural America

18.Some farmers tried to use co-ops to force prices up

19.States passed Granger Laws setting maximum rates and prohibiting railroads from charging more for short hauls than long hauls.

Farmers’ Alliance

• Lack of success in co-ops and Grange

20.Some members formed the People’s Party or the Populist Party and decided to nominate candidates for Congress and State legislatures

Rise in Populism

• People’s Party had some success in the election of 1890

21. Also were able to demand help w/ deflation – Sherman Silver Act = moderate help

• By 1891 party began working to endorse and run candidate for President

• By 1892 Southern farmers had also reached the point where they were willing to leave Democratic Party for the People’s Party

A Populist for President

22. Populist Platform: federal ownership of Railroads, graduated income tax, 8- hour work days, restrict immigration, denounce strike breaking

23. Graduated income tax- More you make-the more you pay

• Populist candidate did well, but Grover Cleveland won

24. Panic of 1893 – railroads and other companies declared bankruptcy, stock market crashed, banks closed.

25. 1894 – country was in depression w/ 18% unemployment (10% today in US)

Election of 189626.Dems blamed for economic crisis & Reps

promised a “full dinner pail”

Election of 1896

27.McKinley’s reputation for moderation on labor issues & tolerance toward ethnic groups helped improve party image w/ urban workers and immigrants

• McKinley won solidly• While in office, economy turned around &

Populist Party eventually died out

Classwork/Homework

• Read pages 279-281 on your own and complete questions 28-39.

• These questions will be due for a stamp tomorrow when you come to class.

Rise of Segregation: Resistance and Repression

28. African Americans were free, but poor.29. Many African Am. eventually left farming to

take jobs in Southern towns or go west to claim homesteads

30. Some farmers created Colored Farmers’ National Alliance. Dems feared this party would gain strength, so Dem leaders scared poor white farmers into staying

• Election officials also began using various methods to make it harder for Africa Am. to vote

Disenfranchising African Americans

31. Loopholes around the 15th amendment– Poll tax - $2– Property ownership– Literacy test – read and understand state const.

• Led to a huge drop in African Am. voters and poor whites

32. Grandfather Clause – if your grandfather voted – you can vote – aimed at poor whites

Legalizing Segregation

33. Segregation- separation of races– Jim Crow Laws – enforcing legal segregation

34. Civil Rights Act of 1875 prohibited keeping people out of public places based on race

35. SC overturned the Act in 1883. Said the 14th only required “states” to give equal protection- not private businesses like railroads, , hotels, theatres were free to practice segregation

Legalizing Segregation

• This opened the way for virtually all things to be separate

– Railroad cars, dining halls, water fountains

• Homer Plessy contended the law requiring him to ride in separate RR car

36.SC: Plessy vs. Ferguson ok to have separate but equal facilities

37.Usually far from equal – usually inferior

African American response

• Increased violence in South – lynchings

38. Ida B. Wells fought against lynchings– She felt lynchings were due to both greed

and racial prejudice

39.Booker T. Washington proposed to concentrate on achieving economic goals rather than legal or political ones.

Plessy v. FergusonActivity

• Read through and review the basic Arguments and decisions for Plessy.

• Read the information regarding Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• Read the argument responses and decide whether they are from the Court’s Plessy decision or Brown decision.

• Underline the words or phrases in each line that influenced your answer.

Plessy/Brown Arguments

1. Plessy

2. Brown

3. Plessy

4. Brown

5. Brown

6. Plessy

7. Plessy

8. Brown

9. Plessy

10.Brown

11.Plessy

12.Plessy

13.Plessy

14.Brown

• Do you think the Brown court would have said that people could be separate by race on a train?

• Yes?- Arguments?

• No?- Arguments?

Notebook Check 12/12

Notes:• 3.1 Intro/3.1 SG• Study ?’s p. 244-248• 3.2 Lecture- part 1• 3.2 Part 2• 3.3 SG• 3.4 SG• 3.5 SG

Journals:• CNN SN

– 11/19, – 12/1-12/3 (2 entries), 12/5

Activities:• Ch. 3 Wordsearch/Vocab• Child Labor Photo Analysis• Plessy v. Ferguson Act.

Video Guides:• Guilded Age• Gilded Age Follow up

Response