The “Forgotten” Presidents

The “Forgotten” PresidentsMrs. Carter

Chinese Immigration•Arrived on the West coast- San Francisco

•Began arriving in 1840s&50s- WHY?

•Faced greater difficulties when immigrating during the 1870s- WHY?

Discrimination•Americans were concerned about their own unemployment

•Didn’t want jobs going to minorities

•Chinese (Asians, in general) were visibly different- easily targeted and discriminated against

Chinese Exclusion Act•Passed in 1882 by President Chester

Arthur•Prohibited Chinese immigration•Prohibited Chinese from becoming citizens

•Extended 10 more years in 1892 and became permanent in 1902

•Repealed in 1943

President Arthur1881-1884

Election of 1880•Republican ticket = Garfield and Arthur•Democratic ticket = Winfield Scott

Hancock

•Garfield wins•Shot and killed by a “fan” who expected

to receive a place in office •Replaced by Arthur

Reform in Politics•Pendleton Act of 1883- Civil Service

reform▫Created the Civil Service Commission to

make “appointments to federal jobs on the basis of competitive examinations” instead of patronage and the spoils systems.

▫Made it illegal to require campaign contributions from federal employees

▫Intention was to end the spoils system/patronage

Response•Shocked those expecting to be given a job•Party did not choose to re-elect him•Some believed reform was necessary after

Garfield’s death

Unintended Consequences:•Created a financial dependence between

politicians and big business.

Cleveland’s PresidencyPart I: 1885-1888

Election of 1884•Republicans- James G. Blaine•Democrats- Grover Cleveland

•Issues: Mudslinging▫Blaine- history of corruption, “Mulligan

letters”▫Mugwumps- Republicans who couldn’t

stomach the thought of Blaine as their candidate and decided to support the Democratic party

▫Cleveland- affair, illegitimate child

Cleveland won!•Questions over the ability of the

Democratic party to run the nation after the Civil War

•Laissez-faire policies•Major issue: tariff- wanted to lower the

tariff•US had an annual surplus- Cleveland

believed it was unnecessary and the tariff should be reduced

Why lower the tariff?1. Lower prices for consumers2. Less protection for monopolies3. End to the Treasury suplus

Result?•Republican party garnered support from

businesses to defeat Cleveland in the election of 1888▫Raised a $3 million campaign fund

•WHY?

•William Henry Harrison (Rep) became president

Harrison’s Presidency1889-1892

McKinley Tariff Act of 1890•Raised the tariff to the highest rate- 48%•Hurt farmers the most

▫Had to purchase expensive manufactured goods

▫Sold agr products to world markets▫New 3rd party- Farmer’s Alliance- gained

Congressional seats Followed by the Populist (People’s Party)

ClevelandPart 2: 1893-1896

Depression of 1893CAUSES EFFECTS•Speculation•Labor problems•Agricultural depression

•Free-silver issue•Poor credit abroad

•Collapse of American businesses

•Unemployment•Homelessness•Local charaties

The SILVER ISSUE•Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890)- was

part of the agreement that led to the passage of the McKinley Tariff. Dems voted for the tariff in return the Reps voted for silver.

•Act stated that the Treasury would purchase a set amount of silver each month at market rates AND the Treasury would issue notes redeemable in gold or silver.

•Government purchase will equal the output by silver mines.

•Increased supply of silver led to a decrease in value

•Mine owners tried to cut costs by cutting wages- led to labor disputes and violence

•Silver value decreased = people redeemed government notes for gold = depletion of gold in Treasury = repeal of Silver Purchase Act

How did this impact Cleveland?•Gold reserve in the Treasury was

dropping rapidly •Foreign governments were losing faith in

American money•Cleveland borrowed money from JP

Morgan (NY financier)•Americans concerned about the

connection between big business and the federal government

Wilson-Gorman Tariff •Planned to lower the tariff•Special interest protections were added to

the bill in Congress•Did not change the McKinley Tariff by

much•Also intended a 2% income tax- deemed

unconstitutional by the Supreme Court