Which of the following best describes key positions held by the Republican party in the Gilded Age?

a. free silver, high immigration, and low tariffs
b. gold standard, high tariffs, and limits on immigration
d. no government aid to railroads and no blue laws

D
so not sure about this

I don't think so. Check this article.

http://projects.vassar.edu/1896/gopplatform.html

Definitely not A or C, as the Republicans weren't into Free Silver. When you hear free silver in the gilded era, think William Jennings Bryan and so the Democrats. Its really more of a populist party issue though. And it was the only issue of the populists that the Progressives didn't pick up. There a great quote by Richard Hofstadter about it...

I'm not too sure about the choice between B and D, but I'm leaning more towards B, because I know there was some railroad projects hanging in the bargain for the presidency of 1876. Very corrupt election.

To determine the best answer, let's first understand the key positions held by the Republican Party during the Gilded Age.

The Gilded Age refers to the period in U.S. history from the 1870s to the 1890s, marked by rapid industrialization, economic growth, and wealth accumulation. During this time, the Republican Party was the dominant political party.

To find the answer, we need to evaluate the three given options:

a. Free silver, high immigration, and low tariffs: Free silver refers to the policy of allowing the unrestricted coinage of silver, which was a controversial issue during the Gilded Age. However, high immigration and low tariffs were not key positions held by the Republican Party during this period.

b. Gold standard, high tariffs, and limits on immigration: The gold standard, which refers to tying the value of money to a fixed amount of gold, was indeed a key position held by the Republican Party during the Gilded Age. High tariffs were also supported by the party as a way to protect domestic industries. As for limits on immigration, while there were discussions about immigration restrictions during this era, it was not a key position strongly associated with the Republican Party.

d. No government aid to railroads and no blue laws: While no government aid to railroads was a Republican stance during the Gilded Age, blue laws, which regulate or prohibit certain activities on Sundays for religious reasons, were not a key focus of the party.

Based on this analysis, the best answer would be:

b. Gold standard, high tariffs, and limits on immigration.

These were the primary positions held by the Republican Party during the Gilded Age.