By What role did the government play in the Gilded Age?
During the Gilded Age, the federal government took significant action to transform the West’s social and economic landscape. The government responded by confining Native Americans to reservations and treating any who refused as enemies of the state.
Who was in control of the government during the Gilded Age?
City governments were dominated by political machines. Members of a small network gained power and used the public treasury to stay in power — and grow fabulously rich in the process. Not until the dawn of the 20th century would serious attempts be made to correct the abuses of Gilded Age government.
In what way was Gilded Age politics different from American politics today?
In what way was Gilded Age politics different from American politics today? During the Gilded Age, most political activity was focused on the state and local levels, with the federal government an insignificant force in the daily lives of most citizens.
What led to an increase in political corruption in the post Civil War era?
Farmers were unable to cope with the challenges of low prices for their crops and exorbitant costs for everyday goods. All around the country, Americans in need of solutions turned further away from the federal government for help, leading to the rise of fractured and corrupt political groups.
What were the major issues of the Gilded Age?
This period during the late nineteenth century is often called the Gilded Age, implying that under the glittery, or gilded, surface of prosperity lurked troubling issues, including poverty, unemployment, and corruption.
What were some negative consequences of the Gilded Age?
Most cities were unprepared for rapid population growth. Housing was limited, and tenements and slums sprung up nationwide. Heating, lighting, sanitation and medical care were poor or nonexistent, and millions died from preventable disease. Many immigrants were unskilled and willing to work long hours for little pay.
What caused the power of patronage to decline?
To prevent further political violence and to assuage public outrage, Congress passed the Pendleton Act in 1883, which set up the Civil Service Commission. Federal politicians’ influence over bureaucratic appointments waned, and patronage declined as a national political issue.
Why did farmers become involved in politics quizlet?
How and why did farmers become politicized? Despite the farmers traditional reluctance to organize, many reacted to their difficulties by joining the Granger movement, which promoted farmer-owned cooperatives and, subsequently, Famers Alliances, grassroots social organization that also promoted political action.
What was a long term consequence of the sharecropping system?
What was one long-term consequence of the sharecropping system? Agricultural workers organized labor unions. Many former slaves became trapped in a cycle of debt. Landowners sold property to pay wages to former slaves.