What were the characteristics of the reconstruction era?
The Reconstruction era was an attempt by the radical republicans to punish the South for seceding and the Civil War. The whites set up segregated areas for blacks. The KKK was founded to keep the blacks out of any contact with whites. Blacks were killed for minor infractions, but no jury would convict a white for killing a black, all the juries were white.
During the Gilded Age, what was the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans?
The Republicans were a very industrialist and business focused party that was strongest in the North and Northeast. They supported tariffs, government aid to business, and spending on infrastructure in general, in comparison to Democrats. The Republican Congress of 1889-90 was called the “Billion Dollar Congress” for its profligate ways. As imperialism became an issue, Republicans were more jingoistic and favored projects like the Panama Canal and foreign colonization. They tended to assume the mantle of somber, respectable, middle class Americans, regardless of what happened when they were in power.The Democrats were more agricultural and working class. The winning electoral coalition for the Democrats, when they did well, involved a combination of Southern and Western farmers along with dominating the urban immigrant and working class vote. They saw most government spending as a boondoggle, along with tariffs. In some areas though, like federal loans to farmers or regulation of railroads, the Democrats were more likely to favor government action. In the South, they ran a one-party system and took 80% or more the vote in most states. Wherever they were, Democrats tended to campaign as the more populist, rougher-around-the-edges party.
What the heck happened in the Gilded Age? ?
In American history, the Gilded Age refers to major growth in population in the United States and extravagant displays of wealth and excess of America's upper-class during the post-Civil War and post-Reconstruction era, in the late 19th century (1877-1890).
How did the politics in the Gilded Age still reflect the aftermath of the Civil War and Reconstruction?
In many ways, Gilded Age politics were marked by corruption and greed. At the municipal level, the corruption was just as great—and the headlines were just as sensational. The political machines that dominated urban politics distributed city jobs to loyal supporters regardless of ability, and they awarded city contracts for construction and services to those offering the largest bribes. From Shmoop
What were the cons of the Gilded Age?
The gilded age was basically a period in time in American history roughly from the Reconstruction era to the Panic of 1893. During this time the country saw a huge increase in productivity and population growth. Wealthy entrepreneurs such as John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Carnegie made huge fortunes through their business endeavors. A popular quote from the time period is that "The roads are paved with gold [in America] The cons of the Gilded Age is that it is often considered a lie. On the outside, great wealth by industrialist are shown, but the common people did not participate in this new found wealth. Conditions were horrible, low wages, rediculas work day, and many other ways where the common man was taken advantage of. Many Europeans came to America in this time with the believe that they can "Live the American Dream" and be prosperous only to find that a huge percentage of wealth is owned by the top 10% of society. Also, corruption was a huge problem throughout the government system with politicians exploiting there inhabitance. These were called political machines that used every dirty low trick in the book to gain power, such as dead people voting, and buying votes. Read up on Taminy Hall. That should give you some good info
What were some of the problems of the Gilded Age that progressives tried to address?
During the Gilded Age, the large problem from which most other problems stemmed was the enormous disparity between the elite privileged class and the rest of society. The Gilded Age ended with the introduction of an income tax and labor laws that made the first steps toward an equalization between economic classes.The obvious problem of the era was poverty and the abysmal conditions in which the poor lived and worked. The greater problem was the general acceptance of the great gulf between the classes.With the exception of a small number of social critics and reformers, society turned a blind eye to the fact of inequality and an unfair economic and social system.Three of my favorite books vividly bring the Gilded Age to life along with its ugly underside. They are:A Night to Remember by Walter Lord which relates the Titanic disaster through the means of written records and interviews with survivors. Allen presents the 1912 sinking of the Titanic as a microcosm of the prevailing attitudes toward class, and the event that increased social awareness, and heralded the end of an era of class privilege.The Proud Tower-A Portrait of the wold Before the War 1890–1914 by Barbara Tuchman is a long but very readable history of society, culture, policy and politics of the period.The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, although a work of fiction, presents the author’s insider view of the insulated, extravagant way of life led by the Gilded People for whom anyone not of their own class, were outsiders of little or no significance. The central character, Lily Bart, falls from possessing the height of privilege into absolute financial/social ruin, and thus, out of existence.Another work that contributed largely to growing social awareness, was photojournalist Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives, published in 1890. His photographs exposed the squalid living conditions of the poor who inhabited New York City slums.Our present administration is making headway in bringing back a new Gilded Age. No more taxes on the wealthy, no regulatory agencies to oversee business, no worker protections, no laws against usury, no social services. It’ll be an America of the Nouveau Doré and the swarming poor; that’s what MAGA really means.