The Gilded Age To the 1920's

Africans Americans Oppose Injustice

Africans Americans simply didn't accept being second class citizens. Booker T. Washington argued that blacks should find their own success without relying on the repeal of segregation laws. W.E.B. DuBois argued that blacks should demand full and immediate equality.

Chinese/Mexican Immigrants Face Discrimination

Chinese immigrants faced racial prejudice in the west. Local Governments and federal laws discouraged the hiring of Chinese people and discouraged Chinese immigration. 4 out of 5 Mexicans who came to be American citizens after Mexican-American war lost their land through courts favoring white settlers and different understanding of land ownership.

Women Make Gains and Suffer Setbacks

In 1869, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed the National Women Suffrage Association that would push for women's right to vote. There weren't immediate results, but it was an encouraging sign that more women than ever were attending college. Women were also showing their influence in national political movements such as the temperance movement.

Economic Issues Confront the Nation

During the Civil War, the government issued paper money known as the greenbacks, but they caused some inflation, so the gov. returned to valuable minerals. The government can't decide on how they should run their currency: 1) Base the currency in gold 2) Base the currency in silver 3) Return to the greenback system

Farmer's Challenges in the 1800s

1) The prices of cotton, corn, and wheat had dropped dramatically in the late 1800s 2) The costs of running a farm were increasing as the cost of machinery, feed, and seed went up 3) Railroads charged high prices to move crops to the markets 4) Banks set high interest rates on loans made to farmers

Farmers Seek Change

The Grange movement was organized in 1867 by Oliver H. Kelley. This organization, also known as the Grange, had the goal of educating farmers on farming techniques and calling for government regulation of railroads and crop transportation industries. The Grange had some success at persuading lawmakers in the mid-1800s. Several states enacted laws limiting rail transport prices. The federal government created the Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee interstate transportation. While the Grange declined in power by the late 1800s, other farmer organizations took up the cause

Populist Party

The spread of farmer organizations eventually led to the formation of the Populist Party in 1892. The Populists built an organization nationwide and forced the two major parties to consider their issues. The party made issues out of ● Political corruption ● An inadequate money supply ● An unresponsive government To fight low prices, Populists wanted the coinage of silver. To fight high transportation costs, they pushed for government ownership of the railroads. In the elections of 1892 and 1894, the Populist Party had some limited success in getting voters to support their cause. Populists won some governors’ seats and some representation in Congress

Results of the Progressive Movement

Problems- women's lack of voting rights, political corruption, poor living condition in cities, dominance of big cities Drawing attention to problems- Muckrakers, activists pushing for reform Reforms- government control of utilities, new political reforms (direct primary, initiative, referendum, seventeenth amendment), workplace safety rules