Deck 17: Gilded Age Politics, 1877-1900

Question 1

The Mugwumps were part of which political party?

A) Democratic Party
B) Populist Party
C) Republican Party
D) Socialist Party

Answer 1

Republican Party

Question 2

Which of the following is true of party politics in the Gilded Age?

A) Allegiance to national parties and their candidates were usually evenly divided.
B) The Republican party dominated Congress throughout the period.
C) Popular-vote landslides characterized the presidential elections of the period.
D) The party that controlled the presidency usually controlled Congress.

Answer 2

Allegiance to national parties and their candidates were usually evenly divided.

Question 3

What was a consequence of the discovery of new silver mines in the West in the late nineteenth century?

A) The price of silver increased to a level equal to the price of gold.
B) The United States Treasury increased its production of silver coins, causing severe inflation.
C) The price of silver on the open market dropped, making it more profitable for silver producers to sell silver to the government at the old sixteen-to-one ratio.
D) Silver producers refused to sell silver to the government, which in turn ceased minting silver coins.

Answer 3

The price of silver on the open market dropped, making it more profitable for silver producers to sell silver to the government at the old sixteen-to-one ratio.

Question 4

Which of the following was a major faction of the Democratic party?

A) African Americans from all regions of the nation
B) Staunch opponents of the spoils system
C) High-tariff proponents from the business community
D) Working-class men of immigrant stock who supported urban political machines

Question 5

In the late nineteenth century, politics, and especially election campaigns, ______________.

A) were seldom covered by the nation's newspapers
B) aroused very little public interest
C) often served as a form of recreation
D) seldom dealt with issues that voters deemed important

Question 6

The "Gilded Age" earned this popular nickname because________________.

A) the government was firmly committed to the gold standard during this time
B) the era was characterized by an obsession with riches
C) the average American's standard of living rapidly improved
D) people from rural areas were lured to the rapidly growing cities for jobs with higher wages

Question 7

Which of the following was true of American farmers in the late nineteenth century?

A) They enjoyed a great deal of economic power because they were primarily creditors.
B) They believed that overproduction was the cause of their economic decline.
C) They were not affected by the amount of money in circulation because they had very few fixed costs.
D) They concluded that an inadequate amount of money in circulation made their debts more burdensome.

Question 8

Which of the following is true of the Bland-Allison Act and the Sherman Silver Purchase Act?

A) By putting more money into circulation, they laid to rest demands for inflating the currency.
B) They expanded the money supply so much and caused so much inflation that even farmers began to protest.
C) They did not pump enough new money into circulation to satisfy debtors and left the impression that the government favored creditors.
D) They ran contrary to the political trend of the day in that both were straightforward, uncompromising pieces of legislation.

Question 9

The basic economic motivation of those who supported the coinage of silver was to

A) ease the burden of debtors.
B) increase foreign trade.
C) encourage reduced production of agricultural products.
D) encourage increased production of agricultural products.

Question 10

What is the law that established the Interstate Commerce Commission to investigate railroad rate-making?

A) Pendleton Civil Service Act
B) Interstate Commerce Act
C) The Pension Act
D) Sherman Silver Purchase Act

Question 11

Which of the following is true of the Pendleton Civil Service Act?

A) It covered all federal jobs.
B) It applied to incumbents as well as to new applicants.
C) It permitted future presidents to increase the number of jobs covered by the act.
D) It was signed by President James Garfield.

Question 12

A high protective tariff was usually favored by

A) Democrats.
B) Populists.
C) Republicans.
D) Socialists.

Question 13

The two political parties in the Gilded Age __________________.

A) differed greatly in leadership and organization
B) worked diligently to heal the sectional divisions left from the Civil War and Reconstruction
C) catered to the interests of ethnic minorities rather than to the middle-class majority
D) were both split from within by factional quarrels

Question 14

In Munn v. Illinois, the Supreme Court of the United States ____________________.

A) upheld the principle of state regulation of railroad rates
B) outlawed the practice of railroad regulation
C) declared state regulation of railroads to be unconstitutional
D) upheld ownership and management of the railroads by the federal government

Question 15

Which of the following statements accurately describes political campaigns and elections during the Gilded Age?

A) Campaigns tended to be dull and unentertaining.
B) The electorate felt no loyalty to individual politicians.
C) An apathetic public saw political campaigns as a waste of time and money.
D) Interest in elections and voting was remarkably high.

Question 16

Which of the following was a consequence of the United States tariff and tax system during the Gilded Age?

A) It caused a reduction in the wages of industrial workers.
B) It lowered prices on manufactured goods by increasing worldwide competition among producers.
C) It led to a surplus in the federal treasury.
D) It began to threaten the survival of a large number of American industries.

Question 17

The political tactic known as "waving the bloody shirt" was actually the practice of _____________.

A) lauding the pioneer heritage
B) appealing for labor solidarity
C) exploiting Civil War animosities for political gain
D) advocating a militant foreign policy

Question 18

Congress's decision to provide generous pensions to former Union soldiers and their widows is an example of __________.

A) the benefits associated with revenues from new income-tax measures enacted in the 1880s and 1890s
B) the government assuming responsibility to provide a safety net for the disadvantaged in society
C) an interest group using emotions associated with the Civil War for the financial gain of its members
D) an attempt by the southern Democrats who sponsored the legislation to heal the wounds of the Civil War

Question 19

Which group tended to favor policies that would expand the amount of money in circulation?

A) Creditors
B) Farmers
C) Industrialists
D) Wage earners in the Northeast

Question 20

Railroad lines compensated for unprofitably low rates on competitive routes by _______________.

A) using fewer crew members on such routes and cutting back on the services provided
B) running very few trains on such routes
C) demanding special payments from the government for such routes
D) charging unusually high rates on noncompetitive routes

Question 21

In the 1883 Civil Rights cases, the Supreme Court ____________________.

A) upheld the constitutionality of the 1875 Civil Rights Act
B) strengthened the 1875 Civil Rights Act
C) modified the 1875 Civil Rights Act
D) struck down the 1875 Civil Rights Act

Question 22

In the last two decades of the nineteenth century, Midwestern farmers were confronted with ____________________.

A) a mounting worldwide surplus of agricultural products
B) their own inability to increase production
C) a growing unavailability of farm machinery
D) a highly inflated currency that worsened their indebtedness

Question 23

Which of the following late-nineteenth-century presidents exercised the most vigorous leadership?

A) Blaine
B) Cleveland
C) Garfield
D) Harrison

Question 24

The Supreme Court applied the separate-but-equal doctrine to schools in

A) the Civil Rights cases.
B) Lawton v. Maryland.
C) Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.
D) Cummins v. County Board of Education.

Question 25

In the 1870s, the southern states began to enact poll taxes with the intent of _________________.

A) raising revenue for public schools
B) providing public funds for state political campaigns
C) paying off Civil War debts
D) reducing the political power of enfranchised African Americans

Question 26

President Chester A. Arthur _______________________.

A) opposed all attempts to lower tariff rates on manufactured goods
B) resisted any and all regulation of the railroad industry
C) advocated service reform by signing the Pendleton Civil Service Act
D) greatly strengthened the United States Navy

Question 27

President Rutherford B. Hayes _____________________.

A) emphasized national harmony over sectional rivalry
B) worked for the passage of welfare legislation to aid the nation's poor and unemployed
C) signed laws that prevented southern blacks from being disenfranchised
D) signed an executive order granting full citizenship to American Indians

Question 28

This late-nineteenth-century presidential candidate out-polled his opponent in popular votes but lost the election.

A) Arthur
B) Cleveland
C) Garfield
D) Harrison

Question 29

Which candidate for president tempered his assault on high tariffs when running for reelection?

A) Cleveland
B) Debs
C) Harrison
D) Bryan

Question 30

The AWSA was led by ________________.

A) Elizabeth Cady Stanton
B) Lucy Stone
C) Susan B. Anthony
D) Frances Willard

Question 31

When the Granges first organized in the late 1860s and early 1870s, they _____________________.

A) extended loans to farmers
B) established political organizations at the local level for national candidates
C) established economic cooperatives
D) helped relieve the loneliness of farm life by sponsoring meetings and educational events

Question 32

Which of the following is true of the attempts between 1870 and 1910 to legalize women's suffrage on a state-by-state basis?

A) All states had granted women the right to vote in state elections by 1910.
B) None of these attempts were successful.
C) Attempts in the South and West were less successful than those in the Northeast.
D) Although these attempts met with limited success, they laid the groundwork for the future by training a corps of female leaders.

Question 33

Which of the following factors contributed to Harrison's victory in the 1888 presidential election?

A) Cleveland's stand in favor of the free coinage of silver
B) Harrison's opposition to the Pendleton Civil Service Act
C) Bribery and multiple voting in Indiana and New York
D) The charge that Cleveland had committed adultery

Question 34

Which of the following is true of Ida B. Wells?

A) She caused many to question the government's Indian policies by offering detailed accounts of the poverty, disease, and inhumane living conditions on Indian reservations.
B) As a union organizer in the North, she openly questioned the government's alliance with big business against organized labor.
C) She actively mobilized public support for the government's campaign against the Socialist Party.
D) Both in the United States and Europe, she published articles and gave speeches to gain support for her anti-discrimination, anti-lynching stance.

Question 35

In the 1870s, the Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment _____________.

A) made discrimination against African Americans unconstitutional and illegal
B) placed no restrictions on state governments
C) only protected citizens' rights against infringement by state governments, and did not apply to the actions of individuals or private businesses
D) restricted only the actions of state governments

Question 36

Senators opposed to passage of the Women's Suffrage Amendment argued that ________________.

A) it would disrupt the political balance of power between Democrats and Republicans
B) it would interfere with women's family responsibilities
C) women would become a dangerous political force
D) women had too little education to be allowed to vote

Question 37

____________ was the only American president to serve two nonconsecutive terms.

A) Benjamin Harrison.
B) James A. Garfield.
C) Grover Cleveland.
D) Chester A. Arthur.

Question 38

In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court asserted that ____________________.

A) states had the authority to impose a poll tax on voters
B) the Fifteenth Amendment prohibited the establishment of literacy as a prerequisite for voting
C) states could constitutionally enact legislation by which separate-but-equal facilities were required for whites and blacks
D) separate schools for blacks were by their very nature unequal and therefore unconstitutional

Question 39

What was the party that was known as the "People's party" and raised an agrarian-based, third party challenge to the Republicans and Democrats?

A) Populist Party
B) Democratic Party
C) Greenback Labor Party
D) Socialist Party

Question 40

Which of the following contributed to Grover Cleveland's narrow victory in the 1884 presidential election?

A) He promised to increase the pensions of Union army veterans.
B) A New York Protestant minister's attempt to slur the Democrats angered the state's Irish Catholics.
C) It was revealed during the campaign that major railroad companies had made hefty contributions to the Republican campaign.
D) Republican candidate James G. Blaine was unable to campaign during the last two weeks of the campaign because of a bout of influenza.

Question 41

Examine the controversy over monetary policy during the late nineteenth century. What stand was taken by the Republicans, by the Democrats, and by the Populists on this issue? Why? Identify the major pieces of legislation of the period related to this issue, and explain the consequences of each.

Question 42

Examine the office of the presidency from 1877 to 1900, and evaluate those who held the office during that period.

Question 43

William Jennings Bryan's principal campaign issue in the presidential election of 1896 was his _________________.

A) promise to increase existing tariffs
B) vehement opposition to immigration restriction
C) support of strict immigration restriction
D) commitment to the free coinage of silver

Question 44

Who became the leading spokesman for American socialism in the 1890s?

A) William Sylvis
B) Charles Guiteau
C) Henry Clay Frick
D) Eugene V. Debs

Question 45

Examine the issue of tariff rates during the late nineteenth century. What stand was taken by the Republicans, by the Democrats, and by the Populists on this issue? Why? Identify the major pieces of tariff legislation of the period, and explain the consequences of each.

Question 46

Jacob S. Coxey _________________.

A) called on the government and employers to recognize the legitimacy of labor unions
B) called for public works projects financed by low-interest loans from the federal government to local governments
C) advocated the government takeover of the railroads
D) advocated tough immigration restrictions

Question 47

What was a consequence of William McKinley's victory in the presidential election of 1896?

A) The long political standoff between the Democrats and the Republicans ended.
B) The government provided special relief programs for farmers.
C) The federal government no longer served the interests of big business.
D) The era of passive presidents and congressional dominance was over.

Question 48

One of the major causes of the depression of 1893 was________.

A) Too much money in circulation.
B) Overexpansion by American railroads and industries.
C) Excessive wage increases.
D) Lack of automation in American industry.

Question 49

Explain the demands for regulation of the railroad industry in the late nineteenth century. What groups favored such regulation? Why? What groups opposed such regulation? Why? Identify the actions taken at the state level and at the federal level to deal with this issue, and explain the consequences of those actions. In dealing with actions at the federal level, be sure to deal with rulings by the Supreme Court related to the issue of regulation and with the consequences of those rulings.

Question 50

McKinley reinforced his support of business by signing which act?

A) Interstate Commerce Act
B) Gold Standard Act
C) The Pension Act
D) Pendleton Civil Service Act

Question 51

During the presidential campaign of 1896, _________________.

A) William McKinley crisscrossed the nation, constantly speaking about the issues
B) William Jennings Bryan was so sure of victory that he did little campaigning
C) William Jennings Bryan lost votes when revelations about his private life caused people to question his moral judgment
D) William McKinley made speeches on moderation and prosperity in which he offered something to everyone

Question 52

Examine the status of southern African Americans during the late nineteenth century, and explain why the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, which were intended to protect former slaves, actually offered African Americans little protection.

Question 53

Discuss the characteristics of American politics and of the two major political parties during the Gilded Age.

Question 54

Under the subtreasury plan, the Farmers' Alliances proposed that the federal government _____________.

A) coin all the silver mined in the West
B) make loans to farmers against their stored crops
C) finance purchases of farmland and equipment
D) regulate the supply and availability of credit

Question 55

The Populist party resolved its dilemma in the presidential election of 1896 by _________________.

A) nominating William Jennings Bryan for president but naming a Populist candidate for vice president
B) grudgingly accepting the Democratic party's nominees for president and vice president
C) advising its members to boycott the election
D) continuing to support a Populist presidential candidate

Question 56

President Cleveland's action to save the nation's gold reserves in 1895 was widely criticized because it ________________.

A) took the nation off the gold standard
B) substantially increased the tax burden on low-income families
C) allowed a banking syndicate led by J.P. Morgan to make a large profit
D) increased the cost of living for the average working-class family

Question 57

Between which two years did the nation suffer a staggering economic depression?

A) 1883 and 1886
B) 1893 and 1897
C) 1892 and 1895
D) 1871 and 1877

Question 58

Which of the following is true of the depression of the 1890s?

A) It did not affect the banking industry in the United States.
B) It was not felt nationally but was confined to the South and West.
C) Its magnitude resulted in large part from the interdependence of various sectors of the American economy.
D) Most American farmers were able to escape the depression's effects.

Question 59

Which of the following is true of the $100 million gold reserve that the federal government kept on hand?

A) It gave investors at home and abroad confidence in the nation's economic stability.
B) It was the lowest amount required to meet the government's obligations.
C) It was the result of farmers' demands that they be paid for all purchases by the government in gold.
D) It fluctuated so much in price that by 1893 people had lost faith in it.

Question 60

What was the main focus of the Populist Party in the 1880s and 1890s?

A) The free and unlimited coinage of silver
B) Higher tariffs on farm products
C) A national sales tax
D) Women's suffrage

Question 61

Discuss the uses of and reactions to police power, violent protest, and vigilante justice during the Gilded Age..

Question 62

Examine the rise and fall of the Populist party, making sure that you identify characteristics of the American political system that pose special problems for third parties.

Question 63

Compare and contrast the mission and methods of Jacob Coxey, William Jennings Bryan, and Eugene V. Debs.

Question 64

Trace the women's suffrage movement in the years following the Civil War. How successful was the movement by 1900?

Question 65

Analyze the 1896 presidential campaign and election, and explain the political and economic impact of the election's outcome on the nation.

Question 66

Discuss the grievances of farmers during the late nineteenth century. Explain the means by which they sought redress of their grievances and examine the effectiveness of their efforts.