The Gilded Age

How did the Gilded Age get its name?

• The gold rush attracted many people West

• Poor people became rich quickly

• The time appeared golden on the surface but was corrupt underneath

• Gilded unions often fought with industrialists

Who was "Boss Tweed?"

• A powerful politician who ran a political machine in New York

• A corrupt president who was impeached from office

• A wealthy industrialist who helped shut down unions

• A working class man who created the largest labor union in the U.S.

Economic inequality led to what TWO social conflicts in the U.S.?

• Women's Rights Movement

• The Spanish American War

• Rich vs. Poor

• Unions vs. Business

What positive things did political machines provide to the working poor and immigrants?

• Housing reform, business reform

• housing, jobs, food, and medical care

• stricter business laws and better pay

• fraudulent votes, newspaper coverage of problems

What negative things did political machines do in the Gilded Age?

• provide housing, food, jobs to the working class

• Discourage business from expanding

• Prevent industry from growing

• influence elections, bribe police, patronage

What is patronage?

• The act of stealing money from gov't projects

• The practice of not allowing certain people to vote.

• The practice of appointing people based on political support, not merit

• The act of influencing elections unfairly

How did political bosses enrich themselves?

• They used their genius to invent new machines.

• They used corrupt contracts to get money kickbacks

• They were rewarded by the gov't for reforming urban problems

• They invested stocks into corporations.

What were Jim Crow laws?

• A series of laws that gave African Americans more freedom

• Laws created to enforce segregation

• A decision to grant equal access to public schools.

• Laws created to end segregation

What was the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson?

• Separate but equal was unlawful

• African Americans could not vote

• Separate but equal was lawful

• African Americans must have the right to vote

Select two methods used to deprive African Americans of the right to vote.

• Property Tax

• Poll Tax

• Standardized Testing

• Literacy Tests