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POLITICAL MACHINES AND THE GILDED AGE
The external glitter of wealth conceals a corrupt political core that reflects the growing gap between the very few rich and the very many poor.
America in the 1870’s-1890’s
-- Mark Twain
POLITICAL MACHINES
• Group that controlled the activities of a political party in a city
• Offer support services to voters/businesses in exchange for political/financial support
IMMIGRANTS AND POLITICAL MACHINES
• Received sympathy & understanding
• Many bosses could relate to immigrant problems
• Immigrants would support machines in return
POWER CORRUPTS• In order to win elections
some bosses turned to fraud
• Added fake names to voting lists
• Received kickbacks from government contracts
• Favors for businesses in return for gifts (graft)
• Accept bribes to allow illegal activities to continue
TAMMANY HALL• William “Boss”
Tweed Chairman of Tammany Hall• Helped unite
Democrats
• Boss Tweed was head of Tammany from 1863-1871
BOSS TWEED• Tweed convinced the city
legislature to give City government more control
• Tweed sought rapid expansion of infrastructure (extending streets & sewers)
• Tammany Hall gained much power and became caught up in one of the biggest political scandals of the nation’s history
THE TWEED RING
• Corrupt politicians led by Tweed that used power to “line their pockets”
• Pocketed $200 million through graft and kickbacks
THOMAS NAST• Thomas Nast drew
political cartoons for Harper’s Weekly
• Began a campaign to expose the Tweed Ring
• Tweed sentenced to 12 years
• Led to political reform movement
NAST CARTOONS
SPOILS SYSTEM
• “To the victor go the spoils”• Most federal jobs given out by the
President• Interfered with the function of
government• A merit system was called for to
give federal jobs to qualified people
ULYSSES S. GRANT1869-1877
• One of the worst examples of scandal
• Congressmen received bribes/kickbacks
• Cabinet cheated Indians on reservations
• “Whiskey Ring” distillers bribed treasury official not to pay taxes
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES1877-1880
• Won disputed election• “His Fraudulence”• Began civil service
reform• Named independents
to his cabinet• Investigated
government corruption (fired 1,000)
JAMES A. GARFIELD1881
• Ties to reformers, but VP was Chester Arthur
• Garfield gave most jobs to reformers
• Garfield assassinated by someone that did not get a job
CHESTER A. ARTHUR1881-1885
• Turned reformer after he became President
• Signed the Pendleton Act (1883)
• Created commission to make appointments of federal jobs
• Today 90% are merit jobs
PENDLETON ACT
• Increased number of merit jobs• Politicians could no longer uses
spoils system to gain power (decrease of contributions)
• Tie between government and big business became stronger
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