Politics, Immigration, and Urban Life in the Gilded Age (1877 – 1900)

Politics, Immigration, and Urban Life in the Gilded Age

(1877 – 1900)

Laissez-faire Policies

Gilded Age – coined by Mark Twain

“Hands off” policy toward business

Subsidization of business

Crooked politicians The Spoils System

Reforming the Spoils System

1829- Andrew Jackson

Dem. & Rep. both were guilty

Pres. Hayes begun reform-no second term

Stalwarts and Half-Breeds (R) Factions

Arthur Ends the Spoils System James A. Garfield

(R) won in 1880 July 2, 1881-Killed

by Charles Guiteau Lived for 3 months (VP) Chester A.

Arthur is President Pendleton Civil

Service Act (1883)

Railroads, Tariffs, and Trusts

1884 & 1892 – Grover Cleveland (D) def. Blaine (R) - (R) Independents called “Mugwumps”

ICA -(ICC) in 1887 Sherman A-T Act

(1890) - Harrison (R) Lower Tariffs -

Cleveland (D) 1892

Immigrants from Europe 1865-1920 - 30 M

immigrants came Freedom, Land,

Opportunity, Jobs! Ellis Island, NYC

(1892) 1865-1890 “Old

Immigrants” 1890-1920 “New

Immigrants”

Immigration from Asia

Angel Island (S.F.) From China and

Japan Railroad Workers

and later Mining, Farming, Factories

Discrimination was most extreme for Asians

Urban Living Conditions

Farm machinery and immigration fueled growth of cities

Poorly ran tenement apartments

Jacob Riis - How the Other Half Lives (1890)

The Rise of Political Machines Organizations to keep

their political parties in power

Spoils System, Patronage, Graft

Ran by “bosses” & appealed to immigrants

Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, NYC

Cartoonist Thomas NastTammany Hall

Let Us Prey (1871) – Thomas Nast

Ideas for Reform Immigration – Nativists opposed it Prohibition – Women’s Christian

Temperance Movement (1874) Vice – Immoral or Corrupt Behavior – NY

Society for the Repression of Vice (1873) – Anthony (Comstock Laws)

Social Gospel Movement – Charities Settlement Houses – Jane Addams

(1889) founded Hull House in Chicago