1. The Gilded Age Ch 7-3

2. Political Machine- an organized group that controlled a political party in a city. Political boss- sometimes the mayor of the city. Controlled access to city jobs, influenced the courts and other agencies. Dome political bosses used their power to build parks, sewer systems, school, hospitals, orphanages and so on. What was the motivation behind all of this? VOTES

3. “Kicking Back” Graft- the illegal use of political influence for personal gain. Example- Political machines would ask construction projects to bill the city more for construction projects and would later asked them to “kick back” a portion of the earnings. Political Machines granted favors to businesses, accepted bribes to allow illegal activities. The reason they got away with this was because the police force was hired and fired by political bosses.

4. Patronage- rewarded one’s supporters by giving government jobs to those that had helped a candidate get elected. Civil Service- “government administration jobs”- Reformers wanted to eliminate patronage and asked that jobs should go to the most qualified. President James A. Garfield was assassinated by Charles Guiteau due to the civil service reform. He denied the lawyer a job. The Pendleton Civil Service Act- Made appointments to federal jobs through a merit system based on candidates’ performance on an exam.