HST 210 Chapter Notes - Chapter 21: Sherman Silver Purchase Act, Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, Winfield Scott Hancock
22 Apr 2016
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Gilded age: 35 years between the end of the civil war and the end of the 19c. Most important factor in gilded age politics was localism. Federal government in the 19c was an insignificant force in american life. Most americans were far more engaged in local politics. Local political scene was often controlled by rings - powerful insiders. Each ring had a boss who ran the town using his machine . National political parties during the gilded age were much more dominant forces than today. Party loyalty was intense, often spanning family generations. Republicans and democrats were closely divided, creating a sense of a stalemate in the system. Both avoided important topics because neither gained dominant power. Nonetheless, politics were important to civilians: voter turnout in the gilded age was 70-80% Republicans and democrats were fiercely competing, mostly by slandering the other party and reminding the public of their own past achievements.
