1. The Gilded Age

2. Political Machine
Offers services to voters and businesses in exchange for political or financial support
Ex. Jobs, contracts, social services, community centers
City Boss: controlled city jobs, influenced courts, built parks, sewers, distributed money to schools, hospitals, etc.

3. How Political Machines Worked
Top: City Boss (Boss Tweed)-> controlled the machine Middle: Ward Boss-> all precincts in district wide voting Bottom: Party loyalists (precinct workers)-> gain voter’s support in precinct

4. City Bosses
Fraud
Making up names of voters
Graft: illegal use of political influence for personal gain
Kickbacks, bribes, illegal activities
Boss Tweed: William M Tweed, leader of New York City’s powerful Democratic political machine; Tammany Hall
Led large group of corrupt politicians
Large kickbacks on courthouse
Thomas Nast made public aware with political cartoons

5. Corruption at the National Level
Patronage: giving government jobs to people who helped get a candidate elected
Also known as the spoils system
Not everyone was qualified
Could be used for personal gain
Reform took place under presidents, Hayes, Garfield, and Arthur
Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883: created bipartisan committee to appoint federal employees