American economy expands on all fronts between 1860-1900 Farm Production Doubles. Manufacturing Grows Six-Fold. Real Wages Rise. Economy driven by new industries: railroad steel oil & coal. E. From self-employment to wage work

American economy expands on all fronts between 1860-1900

Farm Production Doubles.

Manufacturing Grows Six-Fold.

Real Wages Rise.

Economy driven by new industries:

railroad

steel

oil & coal.

E. From self-employment to wage work

Speculation Laissez-Faire Economics Labor Problems Business Consolidation & Control Unfair Business Practices Little or No Business Regulation

Speculation

Laissez-Faire Economics

Labor Problems

Business Consolidation & Control

Unfair Business Practices

Little or No Business Regulation

“ Get rich dishonestly if we can, honestly if we must.” ~ M. Twain & C. D. Warren, The Gilded Age A term for late-nineteenth-century America. Government was controlled by corrupt two-party system and by big business. A time of: Political Corruption and/or Inactivity Laissez-Faire Economics Social Darwinism Get-Rich-Quick Schemes Cycles of Economic Boom & Bust

“ Get rich dishonestly if we can, honestly if we must.” ~ M. Twain & C. D. Warren, The Gilded Age

A term for late-nineteenth-century America. Government was controlled by corrupt two-party system and by big business. A time of:

Political Corruption and/or Inactivity

Laissez-Faire Economics

Social Darwinism

Get-Rich-Quick Schemes

Cycles of Economic Boom & Bust

“ To the victor belongs the spoils.” Political “machines” that turned out the vote & won the elections distributed the “spoils”: government jobs & contracts. Strengths Machines Found Jobs for Party Supporters Machines Provided Some Social Welfare Services Participation in Elections was Very High Machines Built Urban Infrastructure Problems Corrupt Elections Embezzlement of Public Money by Machines Party workers Paid Kickbacks to Machines Corporations That Support Machine Get Special Treatment

“ To the victor belongs the spoils.”

Political “machines” that turned out the vote & won the elections distributed the “spoils”: government jobs & contracts. Strengths

Machines Found Jobs for Party Supporters

Machines Provided Some Social Welfare Services

Participation in Elections was Very High

Machines Built Urban Infrastructure

Problems

Corrupt Elections

Embezzlement of Public Money by Machines

Party workers Paid Kickbacks to Machines

Corporations That Support Machine Get Special Treatment

Citizens & some politicians begin to call for political & economic reform in the 1870s & 1880s. Reformers in Republican Party (“Goo-Goos” / “Mugwumps”) Reporters Who Exposed Corruption (“Muckrakers”) Third-Party Movements Farmers in Granger Movement Granger Laws Workers in Labor Movement Knights of Labor, Union Labor Party, Workingmen’s Party Major Reforms: Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883) Interstate Commerce Act (1887) Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)

Citizens & some politicians begin to call for political & economic reform in the 1870s & 1880s.

Reformers in Republican Party (“Goo-Goos” / “Mugwumps”)

Reporters Who Exposed Corruption (“Muckrakers”)

Third-Party Movements

Farmers in Granger Movement Granger Laws

Workers in Labor Movement Knights of Labor, Union Labor Party, Workingmen’s Party

Major Reforms:

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)