American History - Gilded Age Presidents

Presidents of the Gilded Age

• Rutherford B. Hayes served as the first president of the Gilded Age from 1877 to 1881, known for initiating Civil Service Reform and firing unqualified workers without resorting to the spoils system.

• James Garfield, the second president during this era, held office in 1881 until his assassination, which was linked to the spoils system. His presidency saw the division of Republicans into three factions: Stalwarts, Halfbreeds, and Independents.

• Chester Arthur, who succeeded Garfield as the third president from 1881 to 1885, advocated for spoils system reform by urging Congress to support it. He is credited with the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 and the establishment of the Civil Service Commission.

• Grover Cleveland was the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms (1885-1889 and 1893-1897), making him the fourth and sixth president of the Gilded Age. He was notable for being the first Democrat president since 1856, advocating for government railroad regulation and favoring a tight monetary system, supported by business interests.

• Benjamin Harrison served as the fifth president from 1889 to 1893, focusing his campaign on increasing tariffs. He enacted the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 and provided pensions to Civil War soldiers, though his policies contributed to an economic depression.

• William McKinley, the seventh president from 1897 to 1901, faced challenges such as his assassination in Buffalo, NY. He ran against Populist candidate William Jennings Bryan and received support from urban workers and the middle class, promoting a strong gold standard and overseeing tariff legislation.

• Teddy Roosevelt, the eighth and final president of the Gilded Age from 1901 to 1909, was known for his foreign policy motto: "Speak softly and carry a big stick." He involved the U.S. in Latin American affairs, introduced the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, supported open trade with China, and negotiated a peace treaty between Japan and Russia during the Russo-Japanese War.

Order of Presidents

• The presidents of the Gilded Age include Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, Cleveland again, McKinley, and Roosevelt, outlining the significant leadership during this transformative period in American history.