Chapter 19

• Gilded Age


  First used by Mark Twain in 1873, this expression referred to the superficial glitter of the new wealth so prominently displayed in the last years of the 19th century.
• Patronage


  a system in which benefits, including jobs, money, or protection are granted in exchange for political support. (not a good system of government-
• Stalwarts


  A faction of the Republican party led by Conkling in the end of the 1800s. Supported the political machine and patronage. Conservatives who opposed civil service reform.
• Pendleton Act


  Passed in 1883, an Act that created the Civil Service Commission so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit rather than patronage
• Half-breeds


  A faction of the Republicn party who were accused of backing reform simply to create openings for their own supporters, led by James G. Blaine
• Mckinley Tariff


  This tariff raised duties on Hawaiian sugar and set off renewed efforts to secure the annexation of Hawaii to the United States.
• Solid South


  Term applied to the one-party (Democrat) system of the South following the Civil War. For 100 years after the Civil War, the South voted Democrat in every presidential election.
• Residual Power


  Powers not vested in the Constitution to the federal government, thus given to the states.
• Political Machines


  A group of politicians who controlled political parties in major cities. Each group had a boss who gave orders to the rank and doled out government jobs to loyal supporters. The most famous of these was Tammany Hall led by Boss Tweed.
• mugwumps


  Republicans who did not play the patronage game were ridiculed for "sitting on the fence." and not taking a side
• Women Christian Temperance Movement


  The first mass organization among women devoted to social reform. It attempted to appeal to both religious and secular women and was influential in the temperance movement.
• gerrymandered


  Democrats and Republicans manipulated congressional districts to favor one party.
• redeemers


  Largely former slave owners who were the bitterest opponents of the Republican program in the South. Staged a major counterrevolution to save the South by taking back southern state governments. Their foundation rested on the idea of racism and white supremacy and waged and aggressive assault on African Americans.
• Populist Party


  Founded in 1892, this party advocated a variety of reform issues, including free coinage of silver, graduated income tax, regulation of railroads, and direct election of U.S. senators (the Omaha Platform)
• free silver


  the name given to the idea that people wanted to expand the coinage of silver, because the perceived that this would help the poor and lower working class.
• William Jennings Bryan


  He is well known for his "Cross of Gold" speech, advocating for expanding the use of silver because Gold was a weight on the poor. He and ran for President 3 times and never won, thus he dies a "broken man".
• Crime of '73


  In this year Congress had discontinued the minting of silver dollars, an action later stigmatized by friends of silver as hurting the poor, but really it was what they wanted at the time. They changed their minds when the value of silver went down.
• Williams vs. Mississippi


  The Supreme Court said state laws requiring literacy tests and poll taxes were legal, because they applied to all voters
• Coxey's Army


  As the depression of 1893 got bad, thousands of unemployed workers marched on Washington demanding the government expand jobs by spending money on public works. Leaders were arrested and marchers left.
• Omaha Platform


  The platform of the National alliance. These ideas included (1) direct election of U.S. senators, (2) low tariff rates, (3) a graduated income tax, and (4) a new banking system regulated by the federal government. Many of these ideas were adopted by the Populist Party.