Chapter 19: Politics In The Age Of Enterprise, 1877-1896

Social Darwinism is the idea that applied the theories of evolution and natural selection to government and the marketplace. It believed that government should not support businesses and societies that couldn't thrive on their own, considering them "unfit." On the other hand, societies that were considered "fit" or wealthy should be protected because they were seen as improving the overall species.

Full name: Frances Willard

The correct answer is "Individualism" or "individualism." This ideology believes that through self-sacrifice, determination, and hard work, any person, regardless of their humble origins, can achieve greatness. It emphasizes the importance of individual effort and personal responsibility in achieving success, rather than relying on external factors or social structures.

The Supreme Court's ruling in the Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896 stated that segregation was not discriminatory as long as black individuals were provided with accommodations that were "separate but equal." This means that the Court believed that as long as facilities for black and white individuals were separate but of equal quality, it did not violate the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law. This ruling upheld the legality of racial segregation and set the stage for the "separate but equal" doctrine to be used to justify discriminatory practices for many years to come.

Some people did oppose the political machines. This opposition included much of the nation’s elite population, who disliked this political system that excluded them. They also disliked the system because of a clash of values between the “independence” that they, the political reformers, called for and the “self-serving careerism” that the political machines promoted.

These reformers, many of which were Republicans, became known as the Mugwumps. They weren’t effective in running government, but they shaped public opinion well through their control of newspapers and journals.

The Mugwumps didn’t reform society because they sought social justice, but rather because they believed that the best government governed the least. This philosophy fit in well with the conservative atmosphere of the time.

The statement is true because Democrats in the South were referred to as "Redeemers" because they sought to regain political control from the Republicans. They wanted to redeem the South from Republican domination and establish their own rule, known as "home rule." This term highlights the Democrats' goal of reclaiming power and implementing their own policies in the Southern states.

During the Age of Enterprise, party loyalty was considered a serious matter. This suggests that individuals were expected to align themselves with a specific political party and remain loyal to it. This loyalty was likely important for maintaining a unified front and ensuring the success of the party's agenda. It may have also been seen as a way to demonstrate one's commitment to certain values and principles. Overall, party loyalty was likely highly valued and expected during this time period.

During the Age of Enterprise, women advocated for suffrage, which means they fought for their right to vote. This statement is true because during this time period, which roughly spanned from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, women's suffrage movements gained momentum and women across various countries actively campaigned for their right to participate in the democratic process. These efforts eventually led to significant advancements in women's voting rights.

During the Age of Enterprise
1. A Civil Service Commission, that would fill federal positions by examination of the politicians, was established
2. Whites tried to disenfranchise the blacks by creating literacy tests

However, only the first was a result of the Pendleton Act.

In regards to banning powers viewed as monopolies, the state legislatures in fact often sided with the monopolies (therefore not banning them).

During the Age of Enterprise, the Supreme Court played a significant role in protecting private property rights and supporting corporations. This can be attributed to the court's interpretation of the Constitution and its emphasis on upholding contracts and property rights. The court's decisions during this era favored businesses and corporations, providing legal protection and stability to the growing capitalist economy. This support from the Supreme Court helped foster the expansion of the corporate sector and contributed to the overall development of the Age of Enterprise.

The five presidents during the Age of Enterprise were:
1. Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican, 1877-1881)
2. James A. Garfield (Republican, 1881)
3. Chester A. Arthur (Republican, 1881-1885)
4. Grover Cleveland (Democrat, 1885-1889)
5. Benjamin Harrison (Republican, 1889-1893)

Republicans were the most 'on board' with economic nationalism and laissez-faire politics.

The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment stated that the states couldn’t deprive “any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The Supreme Court and the state governments extended this right of the citizens to businesses. They used the due process clause to prevent the regulation of business by state legislatures.

During the Age of Enterprise, customs duties and excise taxes were implemented by the federal government. These taxes were levied on imported goods and certain domestic products, generating a surplus of revenue for the government. This surplus helped support various government initiatives and programs during that time. Therefore, the statement that customs duties and excise taxes created a federal surplus during the Age of Enterprise is true.

The statement is true because by the 1870s, both the Democrats and the Republicans had established formal and well-organized party structures. These structures included county, state, and national committees, as well as conventions. This development allowed the parties to effectively coordinate their activities and campaigns at various levels of government, leading to a more organized and cohesive political system.

Republicans favored tariffs because they protected American industry; Democrats attacked the tariffs because the party favored free trade.

States, who gained residual powers (powers not delegated to the federal government in the Constitution), were the primary authority when it came to social welfare and economic regulations.

Cleveland's defeat in the election of 1888 motivated Republicans to create the McKinley Tariff. This means that the Republicans, who were motivated by Cleveland's defeat, implemented the McKinley Tariff as a result. The defeat of Cleveland in the election likely caused the Republicans to take action and implement the tariff as a way to assert their policies and gain support.

The Populists compromising their identity as an independent movement by supporting free silver is a valid explanation for the given correct answer. Free silver was a highly controversial issue during that time, and by aligning themselves with it, the Populists showed that they were willing to compromise their principles for the sake of gaining wider support. This compromised their image as a truly independent movement that stood for their own unique set of values and goals.

The president didn't control budget matters, the Congress did.

Horatio Alger wrote popular rags-to-riches stories.

The president did not control budget matters, and as a result federal agencies paid more attention to Congress, who did control the budget. On matters of national policy, the Congress also played a greater role than the president, partly because the presidents viewed their powers in a more modest fashion than politicians of the Civil War era did.

In the South, the result of the political crisis was a one-party rule. In national politics, the result was a reenergized two-party system.

Republican candidate William McKinley won the election of 1896.

The Populists supported the protection of land from monopolies, the unlimited coinage of silver, the nationalization of railroads and communications, and a graduated income tax. However, they did not support a weak state. The Populists believed in a strong and active government that would intervene in the economy to protect the interests of farmers and workers. They advocated for government regulation and control of industries, which is contradictory to the idea of a weak state.

The Democrats and the Republicans were equally balanced. All of the presidential elections of the Age of Enterprise were won by a narrow margin, and Congress frequently switched between party majorities.

The structure of the parties seemed democratic, however; they were actually run by political machines that were made up of insiders willing to work for the party in exchange for public positions or connections. The political machines were also geared toward leadership by a single person. The leaders of the political machines both ignored public issues and were corrupt.

The “sound money” people – creditors, people on fixed incomes, established businessmen – didn’t want more money in circulation because it would inflate prices and reduce the real cost of borrowing.

People commonly voted according to sectional preferences. The North and Midwest was mainly Republican, the South was Democratic. Two other factors that determined party loyalty were religion and ethnicity. Democrats were usually immigrants and Catholics. Republicans were generally native born and Protestant.

However, the doctrine of “separate spheres” for women and men did provide a role for women in public life. Women held prayer meetings in front of saloons, appealing to the owners to close their businesses, because the saloons were damaging to family life. This uprising, called the “Women’s Crusade,” led to the formation of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).

Free silver advocates won two minor victories in Congress:
1. Bland-Allison Act of 1878: Required the U.S. Treasury to buy between $2 million - $4 million worth of silver each month.
2. Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890: An additional 4.5 million ounces of silver bullion was to be purchased monthly. This silver would serve as the basis for new U.S. Treasury notes.