Apush Chapter 19 Test Questions – Flashcards

The amount of money circulating in the economy. Disagreements over how to manage this led to the rise of Populism in the late nineteenth century, as impoverished debtors (mostly farmers) called for expansion of it through the coinage of silver.

Use of two metals, gold and silver, for currency as America did with the Bland-Allison Act and the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. Bimetallism ended in 1900 with the enactment of the Gold Standard Act.

The late 19 century call by silver barons and poor U.S. farmers for the widespread coinage of silver and for silver to be used as a base upon which to expand the paper money supply. • The coinage of silver created an inflationary monetary system that benefited debtors so business and social conservatives generally opposed free silver.

1868 Proposal to redeem American Civil War bonds in paper money instead of gold. • The plan was part of the debate between hard-money advocates and soft-money or Greenback movement supporters after the Civil War. • It was especially popular in the Midwest. Endorsed by the Democratic Party in 1868, it died with the election of Grant.

A monetary system in which the circulating currency is exchangeable for a specific amount of gold. • Advocates for the gold standard believed that gold alone should be used for coinage and that the total value of paper banknotes should never exceed the govt.'s supply of gold. • The triumph of the gold standard advocated by Wm. McKinley in the 1896 presidential election was a big victory for supporters of this policy.

Mugwumps, late 1800s A late-nineteenth-century branch of reform-minded Republicans from Massachusetts and New York who deplored the spoils system of rewarding party loyalists with govt. jobs and advocated civil service reform. • During the Republican convention of 1884, James Blaine was the leading contender for the presidential nomination, although his reputation was tarnished by charges of graft in a railroad deal and he had been denied the nomination in 1876 and 1880 because of the allegations. • When he was nominated on the first ballot despite these allegations, the Mugwumps left the Convention and promised to vote for the Democratic nominee. During the campaign, the Mugwumps kept Blaine's alleged misconduct in the public eye, and he lost the crucial state of New York and with it the election. • The name Mugwump came from the Algonquin word for "chief," but critics used the term derisively, punning that the Mugwumps straddled the fence on issues of party loyalty, "with their mug on one side and their wump on the other."

Ulysses S. Grant, 1868-1876 U.S. president from 1873-1877. Military hero of the Civil War, he led a corrupt administration, consisting of friends and relatives. Although Grant was personally a very honest and moral man, his administration was considered the most corrupt the U.S. had up to that time. Grant was ill-equipped to handle the problems of the era - his political skills were minimal.

Supreme Court: Legal Tender cases, 1870-1871 A series of cases that challenged whether the paper "greenbacks" issued during the Civil War constituted legal tender, i.e., whether they were valid currency. The Supreme Court declared that greenbacks were not legal tender and their issuance had been unconstitutional.

"Crime of 1873" Referred to the coinage law of 1873 which eliminated silver money from circulation. At the time not much attention was given to the law because it simply seemed to recognize that silver had more commercial value for jewelry that the current 16 to 1 ratio for coinage (16 oz. of silver equaled 1 oz. of gold). But in the late 1870s the market value of silver fell well below the 16 to 1 ratio which meant it would once again be viable for currency if this law had not 16 been passed. As a result many Americans believed a conspiracy of bankers had been behind this law they called the "Crime of 1873."

Chautauqua Movement, 1874 One of the first adult education programs. Started as a summer training program for Sunday School teachers, it developed into a traveling lecture series and adult summer school which crisscrossed the country providing religious and secular education through lectures and classes.

Munn v. Illinois, 1877 / Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad Company v. Illinois, 1886 The Supreme Court upheld legislation that had been urged by the grangers to regulate railroad and grain elevator rates, declaring that businesses affecting the public interest must be controlled for the sake of the common welfare. The decision was a significant one for states attempting to regulate railroad rates within their own state. Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad Company v. Illinois, 1886 Legal decision which stated that individual states could control trade in their states, but could not regulate railroads coming through them. • The decision nullified an earlier victory for states in Munn vs. Illinois which had allowed for regulation. • This put an effective end to the effort of states to regulate interstate railroad traffic. Congress had exclusive jurisdiction over interstate commerce and the decision made it clear railroad regulation would have to come from the federal government.

Bland-Allison Act, 1878 Authorized coinage of a limited number of silver dollars and "silver certificate" paper money. First of several government subsidies to silver producers in depression periods. Required government to buy between $2 and $4 million worth of silver. Created a partial dual coinage system referred to as "limping bimetallism." Repealed in 1900.

Stalwarts and Half-Breeds, 1880s By the of Rutherford Hayes' presidencies two groups were competing for control of the Republican party. • Roscoe Conkling's (New York) Stalwarts, supporters of traditional machine politics, and U.S. Senator James G. Blaine's (Maine) Half-Breeds, who favored reform. In reality, little separated the two groups. Both were primarily interested in a bigger piece of the patronage pie. • In 1880 the Stalwarts wanted to nominate former President Grant for a third term, while the Half-Breeds supported Blaine. The two factions were so evenly matched that neither candidate could gain the necessary majority. As a compromise, the party agreed on Senator James A. Garfield of Ohio, a Half-Breed. To gain the support of Conkling and his Stalwarts, the convention chose Chester Arthur, a Stalwart, as the vice-presidential candidate. • Garfield tried to defy the Stalwarts on appointments and was soon in a public dispute with Conkling and other Stalwarts. His assassination ended the quarrel. The Stalwarts were astounded when Arthur, an ally of Conkling, followed his own course and even promoted reform. • The political struggle between the two groups was typical of the period because it was over who would get the bigger share of political patronage.

James Garfield, 1880-1881 Republican president who supported civil service reform and was then shot by a deranged office seeker. Chester A. Arthur then became president. Arthur also supported civil service reform. (see Stalwarts / Half-Breeds)

Chester Arthur, 1881-1884 Stalwart political henchmen who was Garfield's vice- president. Arthur becomes president after Garfield dies from an assassin's bullet. Arthur tries to follow his own course and even supports some reform. It is under his presidency that the Pendleton Act that starts the civil service method of filling offices is passed in 1883.

Pendleton Civil Service Act, 1883 The first federal regulatory commission. Office holders would be assessed on a merit basis to be sure they were fit for duty. Brought about by indignation over Garfield's assassination by a deranged office seeker. The act applied to few offices in the beginning, but steadily expands in the 1900s to include more offices. • This was the foundation of the current civil service system used to fill most federal jobs.

Interstate Commerce Act, 1887 Passed under public pressure to regulate railroads. The act established a five-member Interstate Commerce Commission to carry out this duty. The law was largely ineffective because it had to rely on the courts to enforce its rulings and pro-business courts interpreted it in a very limited sense.

Sherman Antitrust Act, 1890 A federal law that committed the American government to opposing monopolies. The law prohibited contracts, combinations and conspiracies in restraint of trade. The act was ineffective due to intentionally vague language by Congress who passed it to placate the public rather then really restrain corporate power.

Sherman Silver Purchase Act, 1890 Directed the Treasury to buy even larger amounts of silver than specified in the Bland-Allison Act and at inflated prices. The introduction of large quantities of overvalued silver into the economy led to a run on the federal gold reserves, leading to the Panic of 1893. Repealed in 1893.

McKinley Tariff, 1890 Highest protective tariff up to that point in America history. Backlash against the tariff brought Republicans a stunning defeat in the 1890 congressional election.

Depression of 1893 Worse depression in the nation's history. • Causes included weak agriculture prices, loss of American markets abroad due to an earlier European depression, and a too rapid expansion of industry. • Over 20% of the workforce was unemployed and full prosperity doesn't return until 1901.

In Re Debs, 1894 Eugene Debs organized the Pullman strike. A federal court found him guilty of restraint of trade, stopping US mail, and disobeying a government injunction to stop the strike. The strike is broke up by federal troops and a disillusioned Debs decided the only way to make effective reforms for labor was to get involved in politics. He was a founder of the Social Democratic Party and ran president as a Socialist candidate five times between 1900-1920.

Wilson - Gorman Tariff, 1894 Meant to be a reduction of the McKinley Tariff, it created a graduated income tax, which was ruled unconstitutional.

Coxey's army, 1894 Group of unemployed workers led by Jacob Coxey who marched from Ohio to Washington to draw attention to the plight of workers and to ask for government relief. Government arrested the leaders and broke up the march in Washington.

E.C. Knight Company, 1895 The Supreme Court ruled that since the Knight Company's monopoly over the production of sugar had no direct effect on commerce, the company couldn't be controlled by the government. It also ruled that mining and manufacturing weren't affected by interstate commerce laws and were beyond the regulatory power of Congress. This ruling further weakened the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Dingley Tariff, 1897 The highest protective tariff in U.S. history with an average duty of 57%. It replaced the Wilson - Gorman Tariff, and was replaced by the Payne - Aldrich Tariff in 1909. It was pushed through by big Northern industries and businesses.

Currency or Gold Standard Act, 1900 The apex of Republican monetary conservatism. It made gold the standard for all of the nation's currency. The Treasury was required to maintain a minimum of $150 million in gold reserves and the price of gold was set at $20.67 per ounce.

Granger Movement, 1860s The Granger Movement and the later Farmer's Alliances were the building blocks of the Populist Movement. National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry. A group of agrarian organizations that worked to increase the political and economic power of farmers.

Granger Party, 1870s 1873 Depression politicized the Granger Movement and the Granger political party was created. • They opposed corrupt business practices and monopolies, and supported relief for debtors. • The Granger Party had 800,000 members and gained control of most of the state legislatures throughout the Midwest. • They passed laws to regulate railroads in early 1870s which Court strikes down.

Farmer's Alliance, mid 1870s Along with the Granger Movement the Farmer's Alliances was the building blocks of the Populist Movement. • Both the Southern and Northwestern Alliances focused on cooperation between farmers. • They all agreed to sell crops at the same high prices to eliminate competition and form cooperatives, banks, and processing plants. Just as is the case with the Grange they are not successful.

Greenbacks - Labor Party, 1878 The party was primarily composed of prairie farmers who went into debt during the Panic of 1873. • The Party fought for increased monetary circulation through issuance of paper currency (greenbacks) and bimetallism (using both gold and silver as legal tender) supported inflationary programs in the belief that they would benefit debtors. • It also sought benefits for labor such as shorter working hours and a national labor bureau. • Several labor groups also supported the party.

Sub treasury system, 1890 A proposed plan under which the federal govt. would provide localized banking functions for farmers, allowing them credit and marketing opportunities that were not controlled by private firms. This banking reform was promoted by the Populist Party in the late nineteenth century.

Ocala Demands, 1890 Southern and Northwestern Alliances merge and issue these demands. The leaders of what later became the Populist Party held a national convention in Ocala, Florida and adopted a platform advocating reforms that included • Free and unlimited coinage of silver • A graduated income tax • Govt. ownership of the telephone, telegraph, and railroad industries • Establishment of sub treasuries • An end to absentee ownership of land.

People's (or Populist) Party / Populism, 1890s The late-nineteenth-century political movement of farmers, most notably in the West and South, that identified laissez-faire capitalism (in which the govt. had limited involvement) and big business as responsible for the worsening economic circumstances in rural America. • In 1892, the People's (or Populist) Party captured a million votes and carried four western states, representing the first agrarian protest to truly challenge the entrenched two-party system. In their Omaha platform, they called for free coinage of silver and paper money: a national income tax; a direct election of senators; regulation of railroads; and other govt. reforms to help farmers. • In 1896 the Populists gambled on endorsing the Democratic Party presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan since he endorsed the important issue of free silver. By doing so the Populists sacrificed their independent party identity which they never effectively regained even though Bryan lost the election. • Many of the Populist ideas were later adopted by the Progressive Party. • Although ultimately unsuccessful, the Populists were the most successive third party and reform movement up to that point in American history.

Tom Watson, 1890s A leader of the Populist Party in the South. Watson epitomized the 'southern demagogue" and urged poor whites to seize political power from the planter aristocracy. He was one of the founding members of the Georgia Populist Party and labored to unite farmers across class and racial lines. He also supported the right of African American men to vote. Watson's failed efforts disillusioned him, blaming the minorities in the South for Populism's failures; he became a die-hard racist as well as being anti-Catholic and anti-Semitic

"Pitchfork" Ben Tillman A senator from South Carolina, he compared Cleveland's betrayal of the Democratic party to Judas' betrayal of Jesus.

Mary Ellen Lease Lease was a writer, lecturer, and political activist. Most of her work was in support of temperance, but after she and her husband failed at farming ventures, she got involved in the Populist Party. • She advised Kansas farmers to "raise less corn and more hell." • Lease argued "Wall street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street. The great common people of this country are slaves, and monopoly is the master." • Lease was renowned for her oratorical skills. She was more an agitator than a politician and by 1896 was alienated from the Populist Party and spent her time on personal interests

"Sockless" Jerry Simpson After losing his cattle herd, farmer Jerry Simpson turned to politics and ran on the Populist Congressional ticket in Kansas. • Simpson ridiculed his wealthy Republican opponent J.R. Hallowell as a man who wore "silk hosiery" and Halloway retorted silk socks were better than having none at all. • Simpson told Republicans, "You can't put this movement down by sneers or by ridicule, for its foundation was laid as far back as the foundation of the world. It is a struggle between the robbers and the robbed." • With the help of populist campaigner Mary Ellen Lease, Simpson won a new nickname, "Sockless Jerry," and won the race. • Simpson served three Congressional terms and was a forceful advocate for populist causes.

Ignatius Donnelly, 1890s Politician, author, editor, and one of the founders of the People's Party (Populist Party). Donnelly got into politics in the 1850s as a Republican. In 1874 he broke with the Republicans and got in the 1880s got active in the Minnesota Farmers' Alliance. He worked for land grants to railroads, helped create a national bureau of education, and made the first speech in Congress urging the forestation of public lands.

Williams Jennings Bryan Three-time candidate for president for the Democratic Party, nominated because of support from the Populist Party. He never won, but was the most important Populist in American history. He later served as Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State (1913-1915).

"Cross of Gold" Speech, 1896 Given by Bryan on June 18, 1896 at the national convention of the Democratic Party. • The speech criticized the gold standard and supported the coinage of silver. • The last words of his speech became famous - "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."

Election of 1876: Hayes vs. Tilden Rutherford B. Hayes - liberal Republican, Civil War general, he received only 165 electoral votes. Samuel J. Tilden - Democrat, received 264,000 more popular votes that Hayes, and 184 of the 185 electoral votes needed to win. 20 electoral votes were disputed, and an electoral commission decided that Hayes was the winner (see the Compromise of 1877) - fraud was suspected.

Compromise of 1877 Compromise struck during the contested Election of 1877, in which Democrats accepted the election of Republican Rutherford Hayes in return for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and the ending of Reconstruction. This was the "formal" end to Reconstruction - Northern efforts to remake the South had actually ended far earlier.

Election of 1880: Garfield vs. Hancock Republican candidate James Garfield is a compromise candidate that Stalwarts and Half-Breeds can agree on. Hancock was a minor Civil War general. Garfield wins a clear electoral victory, but his popular vote was not that clear.

Election of 1884: Blaine vs. Cleveland Democrat - Grover Cleveland - 219 electoral, 4,911,017 popular. Republican - James Blaine - 182 electoral, 4,848,334 popular. Cleveland was the first Democrat to be president since Buchanan. This election was typical of the time period because personalities rather then issues dominated the election. Cleveland benefited from the split in the Republican Party (Republican dissenters Mugwumps supported Blaine).

Election of 1888: Cleveland vs. Harrison Grover Cleveland (Democrat) vs. Benjamin Harrison (Republican). Election revolved around the issue of protective tariffs. Harrison won the electoral vote, although Cleveland won the popular vote.

Election of 1892: Harrison vs. Cleveland Harrison (Republican) supports tariff protection and the sky high McKinley Tariff and Cleveland (Democrat) opposes it. The Populist party also ran its first presidential candidate - James Weaver. Cleveland wins and Democrats carry both house of Congress for first time since 1878.

Election of 1896: Bryan vs. McKinley Pivotal election. Democrats nominate William Jennings Bryan and Populists also endorse Bryan. • Republicans nominate William McKinley and support industry and high tariffs. • The Democrats support farmers and low tariffs. The main issues were the coinage of silver and protective tariffs. • In a bid to defeat Bryan the financial community spends a fortune on the election. McKinley wins 271 electoral votes to Bryans' 176 votes. • This election establishes the Republican Party as the majority party for over thirty years.