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Political Machine well organized political organization that controls election results by awarding jobs and other favors in exchange for votes Tammany Hall a political organization within the Democratic Party in New York city (late 1800's and early 1900's) seeking political control by corruption and bossism "Honest" Graft made by Washington Plunkitt of Tammany Hall who bought up land and sold it off for a large profit margin. Thomas Nast Political cartoonist who's work exposed the abuses of the Tweed ring, criticized the South's attempts to impede Reconstruction, and lampooned labor unions. Created the animal symbols of the Democratic and republican parties. Jay Gould and James Fink Financers who tried to monopolize the gold market and drive up prices considerably, was only foiled when Grant released 4 million dollars worth of gold to sell. The Gilded Age Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner's 1873 novel, the title of which became the popular name for the period from the end of the Civil war to the turn of the century. It was a depiction of widespread political corruption and personal greed. The idea was that the top layer was gilded with gold but underneath everything was bad and corrupted. Patronage (politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support James Garfield Was elected in 1880 as the 20th president, Republican, assassinated by Charles Julius Guiteau after a few months in office due to lack of patronage Chester Arthur 21st president, Republican, taking office after assassination of Garfield, revitalized the US Navy and ironically lead the charge of civil service reform Charles Guiteau assassinated President James to make civil service reform a reality. He shot Garfield because he believed that the Republican Party had not fulfilled its promise to give him a government job. Pendelton Civil Service Act established the United States Civil Service Commission, which placed most federal government employees on the merit system and marked the end of the so-called spoils system. The act provided for some government jobs to be filled on the basis of competitive exams Cooperative A cost cutting method created by the National Grange, sold products directly to big city markets and bought farming equipment in bulk Interstate Commerce Act Established the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) - monitors the business operation of carriers transporting goods and people between states - created to regulate railroad prices Populist Party Founded 1891 - called for free coinage of silver and paper money, national income tax, direct election of senators, regulation of railroads, and other government reforms to help farmers Election of 1896 Presidential Race involving the Republican nominee William McKinley and Democractic nominee William Bryan. McKinley won the presidential seat. Big issues in this election included silver standard and tariffs. Progress and Poverty Written by Henry George, critical of entreprenuers, after studying poverty in America, determined that rich didn't pay fair share of taxes and proposed "Single Tax" on incremental value of land Progressivism The movement in the late 1800s to increase democracy in America by curbing the power of the corporation. It fought to end corruption in government and business, and worked to bring equal rights of women and other groups that had been left behind during the industrial revolution. Muckrakers Journalists who attempted to find corruption or wrongdoing in industries and expose it to the public National Child Labor Committee organization created by Florence Kelley to end child labor by investigating and gathering evidence of kids working in harsh conditions Triangle Shirtwaist Fire a fire in New York's Triangle Shirtwaist Company in 1911 killed 146 people, mostly women. They died because the doors were locked and the windows were too high for them to get to the ground. Dramatized the poor working conditions and let to federal regulations to protect workers. 18th Amendment amendment that Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages, passed in 1919 Americanization Process of assimilating immigrants into American culture by teaching English, American history, and citizenship Millionaire's Club a derogatory word used to describe the senate in the 1890's, many of the senate members gained positions through business greed. Fought for big business, and not people. Seventeenth Amendment 1913 constitutional amendment allowing American voters to directly elect US senators Underwood Tariff Act act that substantially reduced import fees and enacted a graduated income tax under the aprroval of the 16th Amendment Clayton Antitrust Act Corrected the problems of the Sherman Antitrust Act; outlawed certain practices that restricted competition; unions on strike could no longer be considered violating the antitrust acts Panic of 1893 Sharp economic downturn that began when the railroad industry faltered during the early 1890s followed by the collapse of many related industries Leon Czolgosz Self proclaimed anarchist, this assassin was the son of working-class Polish immigrants who was extremely disaffected by the growing social and economic divide within the United States. He shot President McKinley at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York on September 6, 1901. Square Deal Economic policy by Roosevelt that favored fair relationships between companies and workers, also Roosevelt's campaign slogan Trustbusting plan made by a string of presidents to break up huge trusts, the Hepburn Act and the Elkins Act both busted trusts. The Jungle written by Upton Sinclair, exposed the horrific working conditions and unsanitary manufacturing practices in the meat packing industry. It prompted a huge federal probe and the passage of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906 Upton Sinclair muckraker who shocked the nation when he published The Jungle, a novel that revealed gruesome details about the meat packing industry in Chicago. The book was fiction but based on the things Sinclair had seen. Conservation Roosevelt's attempt to conserve the natural resources of the U.S. as well as the national environment. Gifford Pinchot head of the U.S. Forest Service under Roosevelt, who believed that it was possible to make use of natural resources while conserving them Sixteenth Amendment (WW) , The constitutional amendment adopted in 1913 that explicitly permitted Congress to levy an income tax. Bull Moose Party nickname for the new Progressive Party, which was formed to support Roosevelt in the election of 1912 Nineteenth Amendment the constitutional amendment adopted in 1920 that guarantees women the right to vote. Ballringer-Pinchot Controversy Ballrigher opened public land in Alaska, Pinchot openly critiqued the move, and Pinchot gets fired because of his comments. NAACP National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1909 to abolish segregation and discrimination, to oppose racism and to gain civil rights for African Americans, got Supreme Court to declare grandfather clause unconstitutional Ulysses S. Grant U.S. president 1873-1877. Military hero of the Civil War, he led a corrupt administration, consisting of friends and relatives. Although Grant was personally a very honest and moral man, his administration was considered the most corrupt the U.S. had had at that time. Gold Scandal Black Friday, (1869) Jim Fist & Jay Gould tried to corner & control gold market. Made it scarce so price went up. Treasury started to release gold so plan failed. Credit Mobilier Scandal This scandal occurred in the 1870s when a railroad construction company's stockholders used funds that were supposed to be used to build the Union Pacific Railroad for railroad construction for their own personal use. To avoid being convicted, stockholders even used stock to bribe congressional members and the vice president. Whiskey Tax Scandal Government Employees accepted bribes from whiskey distillers and distributors to lower the tax on whiskey Compromise of 1877 Unwritten deal that settled the 1876 presidential election contest between Rutherford Hayes (Rep) and Samuel Tilden (Dem.) Hayes was awarded the presidency in exchange for the permanent removal of federal troops from the South. Teddy Roosevelt Was the ex-governor of New York, McKinley's Assistant secretary of War during first term, was part of the Rough Riders during the Spanish-AMerican War, First Presidents to leave the country while in office, and wins the Nobel Peace Prize Panama Canal Ship canal cut across the isthmus of Panama by United States Army engineers; it opened in 1915. It greatly shortened the sea voyage between the east and west coasts of North America. The United States turned the canal over to Panama on Jan 1, 2000 Russo-Japanese War Russia and Japan were fighting over Korea, Manchuria, etc. Began in 1904, but neither side could gain a clear advantage and win. Both sent reps to Portsmouth, NH where Teddy Roosevelt mediated Treaty of New Hampshire in 1905. Teddy Roosevelt won the nobel peace prize for his efforts, the 1st pres. to do so. William Howard Taft 27th president of the U.S.; he angered progressives by moving cautiously toward reforms and by supporting the Payne-Aldrich Tariff; he lost Roosevelt's support and was defeated for a second term. Payne-Aldrich Tariff Signed by Taft in March of 1909 in contrast to campaign promises. Was supposed to lower tariff rates but Senator Nelson N. Aldrich of Rhode Island put revisions that raised tariffs. This split the Repulican party into progressives (lower tariff) and conservatives (high tariff). Woodrow Wilson 28th president of the United States, known for World War I leadership, created Federal Reserve, Federal Trade Commission, Clayton Antitrust Act, progressive income tax, lower tariffs, women's suffrage (reluctantly), Treaty of Versailles, sought 14 points post-war plan, League of Nations (but failed to win U.S. ratification), won Nobel Peace Prize Federal Reserve Act This act created a central banking system, consisting of twelve regional banks governed by the Federal reserve Board. It was an attempt to provide the United States with a sound yet flexible currency. The Board it created still plays a vital role in the American economy today. Federal Trade Commision A government agency established in 1914 to prevent unfair business practices and help maintain a competitive economy Prohibition the period from 1920 to 1933 when the sale of alcoholic beverages was prohibited in the United States by a constitutional amendment