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End of Southern Reconstuction
In 1876, Reconstruction in the South officially ended after Rutherford B. Hayes signed the Compromise of 1876 which acknowledged Democratic dominance in the South. -
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Free Silver Movement
The Free Silver movement called for the infinite production of silver coins. As the movement progressed from the mid-1870s to the late 1890s, it made some headway and had several big pushes towards this policy. However, the movement lost traction upon the critical 1896 election when Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan, who was part of the Free Silver movement, lost to William McKinley who adopted the Gold Standard, putting a screeching halt to the movement. -
President Garfield assassination
On July 2, 1881, President James Garfield was shot and killed by Charles Guiteau. Guiteau killed Garfield because he was bitter that he did not get a governmental position that he applied for even though he was of the same political party as Garfield. (At the time, many governmental jobs were given based on party affiliation). -
Pendelton Civil Service Act
Formed shortly after President Garfield's assassination, the Pendelton Civil Service Act set the requirement that government positions should be given based on one earning it and being fit for the job as opposed to dependence on political party connections. -
Haymarket Riot
Probably one of the more consequential labor riots, the Haymarket riot erupted after someone in the crowd ignited a bomb and threw it towards the nearby police. That day, eight people died, and afterward eight more were convicted and sentence to death or long-term prison. The riot divided the nation even more than before as some began to increasingly go against the labor movement while others saw these men as martyrs who died for the labor cause, and that it shouldn't have been in vain. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
Made monopolies and their respective policies illegal, forcing businesses of larger scale to break up into smaller pieces and corporations. This was the first of many other bills to come that would hinder businesses from becoming to big and allowing the government to step into places it hadn't before. -
Sherman Silver Purchase Act Repealed
The Sherman Silver Purchase Act forced the national Treasury to purchase all of its silver and gold by using governmental Notes as a means of payment; however with the Panic of 1893, President Grover Cleveland had no choice but to repeal the bill so that the government's gold reserves would not be extinguished. -
Income tax not allowed
In 1895, the Supreme Court determined that there was to be no income tax to be enforced on the American public. Even though the push for income tax did not result in immediate results, this was not the end of this argument which will be seen later. -
Spanish-American War
With tensions already high, Americans became furious with the Spanish as the sinking of the USS Maine became known across the country. The U.S. then intervened in Cuba and the Spanish-American War quickly began. It was a quick U.S. victory, lasting approximately three and a half months. As a result, America received Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines from Spain for a mere $20 million once the Treaty of Paris was signed.