The reform movements of the 19th century greatly benefited the people they were designed to help. The late nineteenth century America is called the Gilded Age. The Gilded Age refers to the shallow display and worship of wealth characteristic of that period. The term was based off of the novel by Mark Twain called the Gilded Age. Though being called this, many reform movements arose during the late 19th century that greatly helped the individuals they were intended to help. The five major reform movements were the Agricultural reform, Civil Service reform, Currency reform, Prison and Asylum reform and Women's suffrage.
The Agricultural reform was established as an effect of the agricultural distress that became widespread after 1870. During
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the 1870's, farmers in the West and South were troubled by falling prices, mounting dept and high interest rates. In order to fight this, the Southern Farmer's Alliance was created. The Southern Farmer's Alliance was the most powerful agricultural reform that originated in Texas in the late 1870's. The leaders of this reform provided their members with discounts on supplies and credit. They sought to advance the interests of small farmers in post-reconstruction South. The Southern Famer's Alliance wanted to be able to purchase supplies for a cheaper price and have higher wages. This alliance gained more than three million members and only whites were allowed as members. As a result of not accepting Black members, Black Farmers formed the Colored Farmer's Alliance in Texas in 1886.
The Colored Farmer's Alliance had fewer land owners, more tenants and more share croppers than the Southern Farmer's Alliance. They advocated for higher wages for cotton pickers. In 1891, this alliance attempted a region wide strike over higher farm wages. They wanted to keep vegetable prices low, improve business ventures and abolish the Louisiana lottery out of fear that it would lead farmers into …show more content…
debt. The second reform movement was the Civil Service reform, that intended to reduce reliance on patronage. The reformers called for tariff reduction and an end to Federal land grants to railroads. The Mugwumps devoted most of their efforts in campaigning for honest and efficient government through civil service reform. In 1883, Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Act, prohibiting Federal employees from soliciting or receiving political contributions from government workers. It also created the Civil Service commission to oversee their appointment on the basis of merit rather than politics. This act created new emphasis on merit and skill, which opened new opportunities to women. The Currency reform movement arose when trying to decide which form of currency was best for the United states.
Many favored the Currency reform to improve their conditions of raising crop prices and lowering debt. There were confusions on whether to utilize paper currency or silver coinage. Either would have to ensure economic opportunity and equal rights for all classes. The Populist Platform of 1892 demanded free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold. The Platform stated “Silver, which has been accepted as coin since the dawn of history, has been demonetized to add to the purchasing power of gold by decreasing the value of all forms of property as well as human labor, and the supply of currency is purposely abridged to fatten usurers, bankrupt enterprise, and enslave industry. A vast conspiracy against mankind has been organized on two continents, and it is rapidly taking possession of the world. If not met and overthrown at once it forebodes terrible social convulsions, the destruction of civilization, or the establishment of an absolute despotism.We demand a national currency, safe, sound, and flexible issued by the general government only, a full legal tender for all debts, public and private. . . . We demand free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1.” (The American
Journey). The Prison and Asylum reform was largely advocated for by Dorothea Dix. Dorothea Dix, a Massachusetts school teacher was outraged by the fact that the sick and insane were confined in cellars, closets and cages. “Reformers believed that too many choices in a highly mobile, materialistic, and competitive society drove some people insane.”( The American Journey). They campaigned for fair treatment of the mentally ill and individuals in Prison. Because of Dorothea Dix's and the efforts of many others, in the year 1841 the Eastern Lunatic Asylum was established. This Asylum became the first publicly supported Psychiatric hospital in America. The Prison reformers wanted to improve the Prison conditions and prevent torture and ill treatment in the future. They wanted to remove children from jails and into Juvenile Detention Centers. This became one of the most successful reform movements in the late nineteenth century. The last reform movement was the Woman Suffrage movement. Women's rights was inspired by the abolitionist movement. This was a time when women decided that they too needed equality and equal opportunity. The first convention for women's equality and rights was held in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the organizer at Seneca Falls drafted a preamble of the declaration of Independence. The preamble stated “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men and women are created equal”(Internet Modern History Sourcebook). The Declaration of Sentinents called for full female quality and right to vote. The National American Woman suffrage association was an organization formed in 1890, that campaigned for Women's right to vote. They argued that women needed the vote to protect them selves and make society more moral. By the end of the 19th century, several states granted women the right to vote. Overall, without these movements America would not become what it is today. The Agricultural reform made individual aware of the needs of farmers. The Civil Service reform created new emphasis on merit and skill, which opened new opportunities to women, through the Pendleton Civil Service Act. The currency reform, created the establishment of a currency that would in a way equalize all classes. The Prison and Asylum reform established the first publicly supported Asylum and moved children into Juvenile detention centers instead of jail cells. Lastly, women accomplished the right to vote in several states during the Woman Suffrage movement. All these movements accomplished what they intended to and so much more.
After the Civil War, business and corporations have expanded significantly throughout the United States. During this time period, known as the Gilded Age, many aspects of the United States were influenced by these large corporations. The Gilded Age was given that name after Mark Twain referenced it in one of his works. In the post Civil War period, big businesses governed by corrupt acts and held power of both the political system and the economy.
From the expanding of railroads country wide, to limiting laws on the goods farmers sold and transportation of the goods,to starvation of the economy, agriculture began to take its own shape from 1865 through to 1900 in the United States.
... This then led to another party being formed, the populist party. This party had the belief that cities depended on farms, yet farms did not depend on cities. William Jennings Brian supported this idea in his speech, quoted in document J. In which elaborates on the opposition to gold standards and supports the silver standards that would better benefit farmers. The changes in American agriculture were shaped by three key factors, economic change, government policy and technology, in the period of 1865-1900.
In the late nineteenth century known as the Gilded Age (or the Reconstruction period) and the early twentieth century known as the Progressive era, the nation went through great economic growth and social change. Beginning in the 1870s, there was rapid growth in innovations and big businesses. This could be because there was population growth and when there is population growth, there is a high demand for products and other necessities in order to strive in society. Many immigrants from Europe, mostly from the eastern and southern Europe, and Asia moved to American cities. Additionally, farmers from rural America desired to increase economic growth and since corporations ruled and political problems occurred, they decided to move into the cities.
The increase in crop yield caused a change in the economy, which the party set out to straighten out in 1892. On their party platform they demanded that the government take control of the railroad. The railroad was charging extremely high prices to transport grain. They asked the government to use the railroads for the benefit of the people. They also wished to set the economy straight and asked for an unlimited coinage of gold and silver at a ratio of sixteen to one and a graduat...
The period from 1877 to 1901 in American history was known as the Gilded Age, it was titled so because during this time things on the surface seemed peaceful and good but underneath lay corruption in the society. This era was marked by the end of Reconstruction of the South, as well as the presidencies of Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, and McKinley. Significant events of this time were the 1878 Bland Allison Act in which the federal government bought silver and turned it into cheap money. The 1881 Chinese Exclusion Act which banned all Chinese immigrants coming into America because they were hurting employment opportunities for American laborers. The 1883 Pendleton Act that ended Jackson’s spoils system in the government and made the Merit System based on intelligence and ability. The 1887 Interstate Commerce Act which regulated the railroads. The Sherman Antitrust Act which outlawed any combination in restraint of trade. And last, the Gold Standard Act of 1900 that made the American monetary unit based on gold.
The exact period of time in which the Gilded Age occurred is ever-debatable, but most historians can at least agree that it started within the 20 years after the Civil War ended and lasted until the early 1920s. (West) The Gilded Age itself was characterized by the beginnings of corporations and corrupt political machines. Policies such as the General Incorporation Laws allowed business to grow larger more easily, and with less red tape involved. New technology allowed faster and more efficient production, but this explosive growth of industry called for not only more resources, but new business practices and leaders as well. (Moritz 10-12)
The Gilded age and the Progressive Era are time periods that played an important role in the development of the American society. The Gilded Age is a period of American history between 1870 and 1900. This term was coined by Mark Twain in the late 1800s. By this, he meant that this period was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath ("Learn About the Gilded Age"). The Gilded Age is well known for its political scandals and extravagant displays of wealth. At the same time, this was an era of major achievements in the industry and economy, which significantly changed life of American people. The Gilded Age was followed by the Progressive Era which lasted from the 1890s to the 1920s. Progressive Era is well known for its economical, political, social reforms and technological inventions. In my opinion, The Gilded Age had a more significant impact upon the United States than the Progressive Era because it gave rise to new industries, created transportation and communication networks which provided the infrastructure for further development of technology in the Progressive Era.
The Gilded Age was the last three decades of the nineteenth century, when America’s industrial economy exploded generating opportunities for individuals but also left many workers struggling for survival. With the many immigrants, skilled and unskilled, coming to America the labor system is becoming flooded with new employees. During this period, the immigrants, including the Italians, were unskilled and the skilled workers were usually American-born. There was also a divide in the workers and the robber barons. Robber barons were American capitalist who acquired great fortunes in the last nineteenth century, usually ruthlessly. There was much turmoil throughout the business and labor community. Two major organizations, the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor, helped represent the workers in this time of chaos. The Knights of Labor, founded in 1869, were representing both skilled and unskilled workers. They were quite popular with a large boost in membership becoming the biggest union in 1885. They sought for equal pay and equal work. All were welcomed to the Knights of Labor; there was no discrimination on race, gender, or sex. They called for an eight-hour day in order to reduce fatigue and for safety issues. The Knights of Labor Declaration of Principles states their purpose is to “make industrial and moral worth, not wealth” (Reading 9, p. 1). This means the moral worth is to what they could contribute to society rather than monetary gains. They were working towards this improvement of the common mans life to advance in civilization and create new ideas for society. They also called upon the employer to treat the employee with respect and fairness so they can contribute to not only their company but to Amer...
The life of an immigrant in the United States during the Gilded Age was a rough life. During this time period the U.S. went through a dramatic change in dealing with changing infrastructure and masses of people coming over from different countries for a chance at a better life. This time period was characterized by small wage jobs, poor working conditions and the struggle to survive. The Jungle embodies the themes of the Gilded Age with first hand experiences of an immigrant's hardships of life.
industrialization. It is hard to factor all of those periods into once period such as the 1800’s as a whole.
Society is constantly being changed as individuals want equality throughout their groups to others. Even though this has always been occurring in our country, Americans think back to the Progressive Era due to the periods enduring struggle to change the ways we viewed different groups of citizens. Furthermore, the Progressive Era reshaped America and still sets an impact today by fighting for individual freedom and equality and correcting the mistakes made during the Gilded Age.
The Gilded Age contained rapid social and political transformations in the U.S. With large companies helping foster the growing economy which was at its prime, there was a veneer of crippling poverty along with the implosive number of immigrants. Reform back in the Progressive Era was hard but gradual. The Progressive Era is the age in America's history in which there were social and political reforms to bandage the wounds of the Gilded Age. The prominent division between the middle/upper class and the lower class were shaped through Victorian morality and wealth gap. To fix this issue, many took
After the Civil War, the landscape of America began to change. Industry began developing, people began moving to cities, and farmers began having a much more difficult time making a living. While farming had always been a demanding profession, from the 1860s onward the problems increased. From buying seeds, to transporting crops, to getting a fair price on the market, this paper will review the troubles that came with farming and the why it was so difficult to resolve them.
During the late nineteenth century, the United States’ large farmer population was growing increasingly discontent with the state and political affairs. Deflation, debts, mortgage foreclosure of farms, high tariffs, and unfair railroad rates contributed to the farmers’ desire for political reform. As a result of all of the agricultural depression, many farm groups, mostly the Populist Party, arose to fight what farmers saw as the reason for the decline of agriculture. While some of the farmers’ problems did result from overproduction, it was decreased production of silver, discriminatory railroad rates, monopolies, the big boys of business, and the limited political power of farmers which caused most of their problems. Therefore the farmers