Gilded Age, Humble Lives
 
 
 
 
 

I. Notes return to power of Democrats after Civil War, Constitutional Convention of 1867, presided over by Richard D. Carmichael who was arrested while on the Bench during the war; notes the convention's efforts, without Republicans, to undo 1864 Constitution, political role Swann plays, Oden Bowie's efforts to get a railroad to Pope's Creek; Bowie, as governor, succeeds in 1869 in getting Pa RR line to Washington over Garrett and B & O
 

II. Constitution of 1864
 

abolished election districts

reestablished office of atty general

reformed public works

dropped word 'Jews' from reference to tests for office holders, who still had to declare a belief in Christianity
 

Article 8 provided for a uniform, centralized system, tax-supported public schools
 

Libertus Von Bokkelen, first superintendent (salaried), p. 307

1865: Towson Normal (Towson State)
 

III. Plight of Blacks
 

a) Black struggle for some equality, esp. Baltimore City
 

notes Isaac Meyers and the Chesapeake Marine Railway and dry dock Co., black caulkers,
 

"In 1871 Negroes could only ride on the outside platforms of Baltimore omnibuses, unless accompanied by a white person (in bad weather black women and white children were known to arrange a temporary liaison). That year, after a lawsuit and much agitation, the city did away with segregated transport." [p. 310, n5. gives no source for this statement]
 

IV. Business after the war
 

Baltimore falls to 6th in pop in 1860
 
 
 

Baltimore's population grows at the expense of the State (unlike other cities) p. 313
 

1870-1900, ca. 450,000 to 900,000 [present size?], 126,000 newcomers, 7 out of 10 native born whites from Maryland (all but ca. 10% native born).
 

Baltimore's Canning industry important (p. 315), Thomas Kensett's firm; cloathing manufacture;

Baltimore capital helpful in rebuilding the South
 

V. pp. 318-328 re: Eastern Shore (rediscovery, fishing, oysters, quaintness, oyster wars, etc. [needs perspective]
 

VI. p. 328- Western Shore:
 

looks at vegetable, fruit, grain agriculture, concomitant industries of canning, milling; notes importance of C & O canal, that Whoa does not mean stop [what does it mean? p. 334]
 

prosperity, mining in Western Maryland, Georges' Creek, p. 336
 
 
 

notes five strikes (p. 339)
 

"In 1877 the national economy hit its lowest point,..." p. 341
 

C&O on strike; Firemen then engineers of B &O strike (June, July 1877)
 

6th Maryland fires on rioters: (July 20?) p. 343 "Late in the evening a crowd of about fifteen thousand amassed around Camden Station, where King [B&O], Governor [John Lee] Carroll, Mayor Ferdinand C. Latrobe, General Herbert [former Confederate, now head of Maryland troops], and police officials maintained their watch. ... Governor Carroll at about 10 p.m. garnted King's wish and wired President Hayes to send U. S. troops to Baltimore ....City Police began arresting the chief rioters -- who turned out not to be strikers so much as practiced streetfighters. ...."
 

[Eugene Debs in Baltimore? p. 344]
 

not clear the results; in 1884, K of L influential in the establishment o f a state Bureau of Industrial Statistics; (p. 344), but Union fails when needed. wages drop, prices do not. p. 345
 

VII. Plight of the poor, wage earners, immigrants (esp jews);
 

p. 351 "as neighborhood changes eroded theurban tax base, Baltimore City and County haggled over the developed belt that had wrapped itself around the city beyon its 1817 borders ..."
 

1864 constitution (at behest of Baltimore County) permitted annexation only with permission of outlying area (p. 351).
 

1888 annexation; looks at development outside the boundaries : Canton, Highlandtown; notes planning, improvements untried in the city. [interesting way to look at suburban growth] p. 353
 

notes building societies, begun by Redemptorist fathers
 

VIII. Pasttimes:
 

hunting, fishing,

cockfights, picnics;
 

Fraternal Societies: Maryland Red Men, claim descent from Sons of Liberty in Annapolis (p. 355); Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias,

Negro: Mutual Brotherhood (note: all were supposedly apolitical, unlike KnowNothings)
 

Makes important point: in the wigwam "A wage earner might scale heights his job never permitted. He might even outrank his foreman." p. 356
 

recreation and transportation grow symbiotically in Baltimore (p.357).
 

Racing and Baseball for the masses
 
 
 

Vineyard estate, in 1840s site of jousting, now was the Unione Base Ball Park (25th and Greenmount) p. 358.
 

New National League (beer and whiskey league)
 

Vonderhorst : vel ve dont vin many games but ve sell lots of beer.
 

1883 $30,000 profit, renamed club the baltimore orioles.
 

Baltimore Chop and other ploys to win: p. 362: notes that Baltimore revolutionized the game, winning three pennants in the old National League