Politics, reform, and the rise of American imperialism

By the end you’ll be able to

• Explain the characteristics of Gilded Age party politics, including patronage, political machines, voter loyalty, and debates over tariffs, currency, and civil service reform.
• Evaluate the causes of agrarian and labor unrest and explain why farmers and workers pursued political reform in the late nineteenth century.
• Explain the goals, ideas, and significance of the Populist movement, including demands related to railroad regulation, currency expansion, and democratic reform.