1. Unit 2: GILDED AGE & PROGRESSIVE ERA
Political Machines to Reform

2. The Gilded Age was an era of political corruption in national, state, and urban governments

3. Political Machine:
Informal groups led by a “Boss” that controlled formal processes of government through bribery and force. “Friends” were rewarded with contracts or jobs in the government known as Patronage.
This was an organization of political and community leaders that manipulated democracy for personal gain. Leaders of an ethnic community would use their influence to raid public funds and offer rewards such as jobs, housing and neighborhood improvements to loyal community members and immigrants in exchange for Votes
Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall of New York City, were infamous for their political strength and corruption. They were reputed to have stolen millions in public funds.

4. Many city governments were run by political machines
Because machine politicians controlled access to city jobs, business licenses, and building projects, they tended to be corrupt
Many politicians used fraud to win elections, used their influence for personal gain (graft), or took bribes
The most notorious urban politician was Boss Tweed of New York’s Tammany Hall political machine
“Tweed Courthouse”—NY County Courthouse was supposed to cost $250,000 but cost $13 million
The “Tweed Ring” defrauded New York City of millions of dollars until it was exposed by reporter Thomas Nast

5. Many government positions,such as tax collectors or post office officials, were appointed as rewards for loyalty to a political party (called patronage)
Congress passed the Pendleton Act in 1883 that created merit-based exams for most civil service jobs in the federal government

7. Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883
The Pendleton Civil Service Act established an independent three-member Civil Service Commission that would fill government jobs on the basis of an entrance exam and not favoritism- Anti-Corruption measure in order to end Patronage

8. Recall, Referendum, Initiative
Recall = Voters hold the power to remove a public official from office before the next election
Referendum = A process by which voters approve bills offered by the legislature
Initiative = A process by which special interest groups, through voter participation, can propose bills to their legislature for a vote.

9. INITIATE A LAW
In your groups, think of a new law that would benefit Austin, Texas. Think about problems, class differences, racial issues and personal complaints that you may have. You will write a law to propose to the class. It must be school appropriate and cannot be related to drugs, alcohol or inappropriate activity.
NAME OF THE LAW
WHO/WHAT WILL THIS LAW HELP?
DEFENSE FOR YOUR LAW.
HOW WILL THIS LAW BE EXECUTED?