The Presidents Of The Gilded Age

Question 1

PRESIDENT HAYES
What year was he in power?
- Issued an executive order stopping __________ therefore undermining the _________
- Appointed _______ to create a ______ system - again, trying to revers the _____ system
- Starts to reform the ________ to make it less ______
- Sacked _________ for making _________
- Challenged Senator _________, who favoured the spoils system
- What did he do economically/socially?
HOWEVER….

Answer 1

PRESIDENT HAYES - 1877-1881
- Issued an executive order stopping federal office holders having to make campaign contributions, therefore undermining the SPOILS SYSTEM
- Appointed CARL SCHARZ to create a MERIT system - again, trying to revers the spoils system
- Starts to reform the civil service to make it less corrupt
- Sacked CHESTER ARTHUR for making campaign contributions
- Challenged Senator ROSCOE CONKLING who favoured the spoils system
- He backed the businesses during a railroad strike
HOWEVER…
He passed no reforms

Question 2

CHESTER ARTHUR 
What year was he in power?
- What act did Arthur push? What did it do?
- What laws did he veto?
- By how much did he lower tariffs?

Answer 2

CHESTER ARTHUR 1881-1885
(Not the same Arthur that Hayes had fired)
- He pushed the PENDLETON ACT - which was a merit system for the civil services, and a massive step against corruption - 1883
- Vetoed laws against Chinese immigrants
- Lowered tariffs by 1%

Question 3

JAMES GARFIELD

• What year?
• What executive action did he take?
• What did he reform politically?

Answer 3

JAMES GARFIELD 1881
(Was shot after 4 months)
- EXECUTIVE ACTION - successfully defeats Roscoe Conkling
- He reformed the post office, ending corrupt Star Routes - (made up routes that people were paid to deliver to)

Question 4

GROVER CLEVELAND 
When?
- What laws did he veto?
- He also vetoed what bill?
- Seen as an \_\_\_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_\_\_ politician, who was even able to gain the support of the Mugwumps, which was......

Answer 4

GROVER CLEVELAND - 1885-1889

• Vetoed laws to improve civil war pensions
• He also vetoed the TEXAS SEED BILL - congress wanted to send money to help them
• Seen as an honest, moral politician, who was even able to gain the support of the Mugwumps, which was…..

Question 5

Collectively, what did the 4 presidents achieve?

Answer 5

All 4 presidents made a stand against corruption, Hayes’ action being the most significant - however, the spoils system remains an issue

• Politically, a lot of change was made
• Economically, most adopted a Laissez afire attitude, with the exceptions of Chester Arthur lowering tariffs
• Socially, there was little change. Arthur attempted it, and Cleveland had a negative effect