Vocab
A term describing the late 1800s as a period that looked wealthy and impressive on the outside, but had corruption and inequality underneath.
What is the Gilded Age?
When a single company or group controls all (or nearly all) of an industry or service, eliminating competition.
What is monopoly?
Paying money or giving favors to influence politicians’ decisions.
The official name for the practice of rewarding supporters with government jobs. (“To the victor go the spoils.”
What is spoils system?
These taxes protected American industries from foreign competition.
What are tariffs?
This 1883 act required merit exams for government jobs.
What is the Pendleton Civil Service Act?
Illegal use of political power for personal gain.
Hint: It start with a "g."
What is graft?
A tax on imported goods. In the Gilded Age:
Republicans supported high ______
Democrats supported low _______
What is tariffs?
Big business and industrialists were extremely wealthy; some were called “______ barons.”
What is robber?
Civil service reform was intended to reduce __________.
What is corruption?
Giving government jobs to supporters or friends rather than qualified individuals.
Hint: Not the system, but the act/practice. It starts with a "p."
What is patronage?
Government financial support to businesses (like railroads); often connected to corruption scandals.
What is subsidy?
Railroads received government ________ to expand across the country.
Definition:
Government financial support to businesses (like railroads); often connected to corruption scandals.
What is subsidies?
Laws designed to restrict or ban certain activities on Sundays, usually for religious or moral reasons.
What are blue laws?
Stalwarts (Republicans): Supported the spoils system.
Half-Breeds (Republicans): Favored civil service reform.
M________s: Republicans who left the party over corruption to support Democrats (1884).
What are mugwumps?
A belief that the government should have a very small role in the economy (“let it be” in French).
What is laissez-faire?
These policies meant the government rarely regulated business.
What is laissez-faire?