Gilded Age Dbq

Gilded Age - The Gilded Age lasted from the 1870s to the early 1900s and was an era of rapid economic growth, especially in the North and West. As American wages were much higher than those in Europe, especially for skilled workers, the period saw an arrival of millions of European immigrants. However, the Gilded Age was also an era of wretched poverty and discrimination as millions of immigrants, many from impoverished European nations, flooded into the United States, and the high concentration of wealth became more clear and antagonistic. The Gilded Age also saw the emergence of Political Machines in major cities that were characterized by their corruption, bribery, and greed, as well as the continued effort of women activists for better
Half Breeds, in contrast, were the members of the Republican party in favor of reform. Mugwumps were political activists that eventually left the Republican party to join the Democrats due to their support of Grover Cleveland.
Significance: These opposing views led to more conflict between the political parties. They contributed to the push for reform in 1883 as the Patronage system grew further unpopular, and provided different viewpoints on the spoils system. The Half Breeds really advocated for reform and different laws, eventually leading to the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883.

Pendleton Civil Service Act - The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act was a United States Federal Law imposed in 1883. This Act established that positions and jobs in the federal government must be awarded based on merit, not by personal or political affiliation or favoritism.
Significance: The Pendleton Civil Service Act essentially abolished the spoils system that the US had in place and instead began a government system based on merit, not pardons. This paved the way for more political competition in the US and more work for those in
McKinley was from Ohio. He imposed a tariff bill that would impose tariffs on imports. McKinley, a Republican, was a big protectionist, essentially meaning that he wanted to preserve United States production value versus foreign resources. The tariff raised the average duty on imports to the United States.
Significance: This tariff raised average duty on imports to the US by nearly 50 percent. McKinley’s method was to increase the prices of imports and make it so many could not afford them, therefore strengthening internal US production. This act also protected domestic companies and industries from foreign companies and industries, reducing the amount of external sources necessary for well being in the