Mr. Hood U.S. History

 Largest industrial disasters in the history of the Unites States.  146 garment workers were killed. (Women) ◦ Either from the fire or the fall as they jumped to their death.  Started when a lit cigarette or match was thrown into a waste basket. The fire quickly spread and the women could not escape because the doors were locked.  Led to legislation that led to better working conditions in “sweatshops”.

 American Politician who was in control of Tammany Hall, a Democratic Party political machine.  A political machine is an organization that works to get a “boss” elected and the lower workers are rewarded for their hard work.  Tammany Hall-The name given to the Democratic party political machine in New York City.

 “Boss” Tweed got elected by using dirty politics. He would use the resources funneled into Tammany Hall to buy the votes of immigrants, mostly Irish.  He stole money over the course of his career from New York City Taxpayers. He was eventually convicted for his crimes.

 Thomas Nast- an American cartoonist who is considered the father of American “political cartoons”. Helped create the downfall of “Boss” Tweed.  Drew cartoons that depicted the corruption in Tammany Hall, they scared Tweed so much that he attempted to bribe Nast. He did not accept.  When Tweed tried to flee from capture, he was identified in Spain using one of Nast’s cartoons of him.

 Spoils System-politicians awarded government jobs to loyal party workers, with little regard for their qualifications.  System started under Andrew Jackson.  The spoils system served as the glue that helped make political parties so powerful.

 The feeling that the government was too corrupt prompted civil service reform.  Civil Service-is a system that includes federal jobs in the executive branch for civilians, most government workers got their jobs due to their expertise and maintain them regardless of which political party won the election.

 Reform was slow to catch on and it stirred up controversy.  It was finally pushed through after Charles J. Guiteau shot and killed President Garfield because the Republican party did not reward him with a job.  The new President, Charles A. Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act into law.

 Established a Civil Service Commission, which wrote a civil service exam.  Individuals who wanted to work for the government had to take the exam, and getting a job depended on doing well on the exam.  It grew over time to spread to many federal jobs reducing the power of the spoils system.

 The main issues were tariff and monetary policy.  Monetary policy gave rise to independent political parties that disagreed with the gold standard.  Gold standard-the government uses gold as the basis of the nations currency.

 Tariff-tax on imported goods.  Deeply divided the Republicans and Democrats.  Republicans favored a high tariff saying it would allow American industry to grow.  Democrats favored a low tariff saying it hurt the ability to sell goods in foreign countries.

 During the Civil War the federal government issued paper currency called greenbacks.  There was so much it caused inflation.  Then the Coinage Act of 1873 allowed only gold to be coined into money. Those who wanted silver called it the “Crime of 1873”.

 The government allowed Silver Dollars to be made but all other coins were backed by gold.  This led to a debate over whether to use a gold or silver standard.  Bankers and those in international trade wanted a gold standard because of its value to other nations.  Farmers wanted silver, so that inflation would take place, increasing their income.