Politics In The Gilded Age Essay - 762 Words

Politics in the Gilded Age Discuss Politics in the Gilded Age. Include major political events and issues, and the roles of the â€Å"bloody shirt,† corruption, patronage, and reform movements. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The term Gilded Age was named for a Mark Twain book. It meant covered with gold, and was applied to this period as a whole. This was a period of corruption in sordid politics. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Republicans and Democrats didn’t really have strong opposing beliefs during this period. The Republicans supported high tariffs and sound money. The Democrats supported lower tariffs and expanded currency. Both rural and urban classes supported each party. They worked with spoils and local issues. Both†¦show more content†¦He had little knowledge of politics, and depended on his fellow politicians. These men, in turn, involved in scandals to embezzle money from the government. One was the Great Mobilier scandal; it dealt with the Union Pacific Railroad. The Construction Company hired themselves at inflated prices to build railroad lines, and distributed shares of stock to congressmen. A scandal during Grant’s second term, was the Whisky Ring. This scandal was uncovered in St. Louis, and consisted of selling whiskey without the excise tax. In return it defrauded the government out of millions of dollars. Belknap was selling goods and trading with the Indians for lower prices. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;During Grant’s administration the monetary issues were inflation, cheap money, and greenbacks. The debtors, especially farmers, wanted cheap money. However, Grant vetoed the bill to print more money, and supported withdrawing greenbacks from circulation. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hayes won the disputed election. Four states submitted irregular returns. It was disputed if the Republican president of the Senate or the Democratic Speaker of the House should count them. It was decided that an electoral commission made up of fifteen men. There were eight Republicans and seven Democrats, so the Republicans won. The Democrats would only accept this with conditions, one of which was to remove troops from the south. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; The next president was a political â€Å"unknown†.Show MoreRelatedPolitical Corruption Has A Lasting Impression On New York City1319 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Gilded Age would have to be identifying how these officials were able to come into power and gain support. In the book, Party Games: Getting, Keeping, and Using Power in Gilded Age Politics, the author Mark Summers has examined just that. The tactics and approaches to government and interaction with New York City citizens were something that was very unique as well as new to American society. The corrupt officials introduced these methods into the political sphere and transformed politics intoRead More The Gilded Age Essay1094 Words   |  5 PagesThe Gilded Age Mark Twain collaborated with Charles Dudley Warner on The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. Published in 1973, as Twain’s earliest work of extended fiction, The Gilded Age gives a name to the period of opulence and corruption at the end of the 19th century. Portraying the superficial luxury of Washington and high society, the authors describe â€Å"The general laxity of the time, and the absence of a sense of duty toward any part of the community but the individual himself† (Twain 203)Read MoreGilded Age DBQ901 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ â€Å"The politics of the Gilded Age failed to deal with the critical social and economic issues of the times.† Assess the validity of this statement. Use both the documents and your knowledge of the United States from 1865 to 1900. Whether or not the politics of the Gilded Age failed in dealing with social and economic issues has long been debated by historians. Peeling away streaks of gold plastered on the deficiencies of the time, the cause of such problems can be unveiled. In finding a blame forRead MoreGilded Age Essay872 Words   |  4 Pagestroubles, we shouldnt test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.† When Mark Twain and Charles Dudley coined the phrase ‘gilded age’ to describe what they saw in the late 19th century I’m sure they would agree wholeheartedly with Mr. O’Rourke. What does it mean ‘gilded age’? Gilded means to coat with a thin layer of gold, which I’m sure almost always is covering an inferior product. When one thinks of America one of the first thoughts that pop intoRead MoreThe House of Mirth and the Gilded Age971 Words   |  4 Pagesupper-crust society during the Gilded Age. Ha ving been raised in this fashionable society, Wharton knew both its intricacies and cruelties firsthand. The triumphant rise and tragic fall of protagonist Lily Bart demonstrate both the sunshine and shadow of the Gilded Age. The House of Mirth not only exposes the reality of how the other half live, but also satirizes and condemns their elitist existence. Historians refer to the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s as Americas Gilded Age. This was essentiallyRead More Social Changes in America Brought About by the Gilded Age Essay1710 Words   |  7 PagesThe Gilded Age was characterized by rapid industrialization, reconstruction, ruthless pursuit of profit, government, corruption, and vulgarity (Cashman 1). After the Civil War, America was beginning to regroup as a nation. There were many other changes developing in the country. Industrialization was taking over the formerly agricultural country. The nation’s government was also in great conflict (Foner 20). Many changes occurred during the Gilded Age. These changes affected farmers, labor, businessRead MoreThe Gilded Age Of America1621 Words   |  7 Pageshelp build and maintain a better America. The Gilded Age, during the late 1800’s, was a time in America where we experienced explosive economic growth, serious social problems, new innovative technology, and the rise of corporations and corruption in politics. We have learned from some of these th ings that we went through in the Gilded Age and fixed them, but we are still facing some of the problems we faced back then, today. During the Gilded Age, America experienced many economic and technologicalRead MoreThe Gilded Age : An Era Of Extreme Corruption1169 Words   |  5 PagesWar, America enters the Gilded Age from 1877 till about the 1890’s. Then the next era would be the Progressive Era beginning from where the Gilded Age left off till around 1920. Though these eras are accepted in the historical community, some historians argue that it is useless to label these two as separate eras in American history. One historian is Rebecca Edwards in her article Politics, Social Movement, and the Periodization of U.S. History. She argues that the Gilded Age and the Progressive shouldRead MoreThe Gilded Age : The Gilded Age1340 Words   |  6 PagesMark Twain, an American writer, named the late 19th century, the ‘Gilded Age.’ This time frame is ‘gilded’ because the time was glittering with gold on the surface, but corrupt and rotten underneath. This was a time period full of gree d and guile, filled with robber barons, speculators, and Buccaneers. Not only that, but there were many sneaky business schemes to get more income, improper politics, and many impolite displays. Although, it’s better to think of this time as modern America’s formativeRead MoreThe Gilded Age : A Powerhouse Rose From The Ashes Of The Civil War871 Words   |  4 PagesProgressives in the Gilded Age The Gilded Age: A powerhouse rose from the ashes of the Civil War. From the Civil War until about 1896, the Gilded Age was born. The United States was going through an era of governmental, fiscal and societal restructuring. Gilded Age got its name because Mark Twain seen as a period where everything seemed to be well on the surface but beneath was a scheme of political dishonesty and self-indulgence. Around this time, the affluent upper class was created due to the