All Flashcards
Who was Roscoe Conkling?
Leader of the Stalwarts, controlled NY government job appointments.
Who was James G. Blaine?
Leader of the Halfbreeds, rival of Conkling, also sought patronage.
Who was Rutherford B. Hayes?
President who ended Reconstruction by withdrawing federal troops.
Who was James Garfield?
President assassinated by a disgruntled office seeker.
Who was Chester A. Arthur?
President who oversaw the Pendleton Act and civil service reform.
Who was Grover Cleveland?
President who implemented civil service and signed the Interstate Commerce Act.
Who was William Jennings Bryan?
Populist candidate famous for his 'Cross of Gold' speech.
Who was Jacob Coxey?
Led a protest march (Coxey's Army) demanding government jobs.
Who was Boss Tweed?
Infamous leader of Tammany Hall, known for corruption.
Who was Harrison?
President during the 'Billion-Dollar Congress'.
What is the spoils system?
The practice of rewarding political supporters with government jobs.
Define 'Waving the Bloody Shirt'.
A Republican tactic of invoking Civil War memories to gain support.
What is a political machine?
A political organization that controls votes and patronage in a city or district.
What is patronage?
The power to control appointments to office or the right to privileges.
Define 'laissez-faire' economics.
An economic system with minimal government intervention.
What is civil service?
A system of hiring and promoting government employees based on merit.
What is the gold standard?
A monetary system where a country's currency is directly convertible to gold.
Define 'trust' in the context of the Gilded Age.
A large business combination that seeks to monopolize a market.
What is a protective tariff?
A tax on imported goods designed to protect domestic industries.
Define 'initiative' and 'referendum'.
Initiative: voters propose laws; Referendum: voters approve laws.
When was the Pendleton Civil Service Act?
- It established a merit-based system for government jobs.
What was the Bland-Allison Act?
An 1878 act requiring the government to purchase and coin silver.
What was the Sherman Antitrust Act?
1890 act to limit monopolies, but initially ineffective.
What was the McKinley Tariff Act?
1890 act that raised tariff duties to unprecedented levels.
What was the Sherman Silver Purchase Act?
1890 act increasing silver purchases but failing to satisfy silver supporters.
What was the Panic of 1893?
A severe economic depression triggered by a stock market crash.
What was Coxey's Army?
A protest march in 1894 demanding government jobs for the unemployed.
What was the Dawes Act?
An 1887 act intended to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal lands.
What was the Interstate Commerce Act?
An 1887 act that created the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroads.
What was the Omaha Platform?
The 1892 platform of the Populist Party outlining their political and economic reforms.