The Gilded Age

The term “Gilded Age” is applied to the years between 1865 and 1900 because the era was so wealthy. The word “gilded” refers to something coated in gold. During this time period, many things were going on in various topics, like politics and labor.

Politically, the government became laissez-faire. Between the Republicans and the Democrats, presidential elections were very close. The Republicans consistently carried the North in presidential elections, while the South was solidly Democratic. Democrats carried the responsibility for the bloody upheaval of the Civil War, while the Republicans were associated with Northern aggression and domination. With this, the Republicans and the Democrats did not have strong opposing beliefs during this era. The Republicans supported high tariffs and sound money, while the Democrats supported lower tariffs and expanded currency. Since both parties were so close in strength, it caused the elections to be fought harder.

These political disturbances caused corruption in the federal government. Many people who were elected to office, used their power to gain personal profit. There were a lot of scandals involving politicians exploiting