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Urbanization, the Political machine & Reform

This class activity examines the urban problems faced during the turn of the century and explores whether these problems still exist today. It also discusses the role of urban reformers, the political machine, and the need for civil service reform.

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Urbanization, the Political machine & Reform

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  1. Urbanization, the Political machine & Reform Chapter 7: Section 2 (pp. 262-271)

  2. Class activity • With your partner identify urban problems at the turn of the century. • Then examine whether or not the same problems exist today.

  3. Why Urbanization? • Rural Migration • Technology replaced farmers • Unskilled Jobs • Immigration • Ethic Neighborhoods

  4. Urban Problems

  5. Urban Reformers • The Americanization Movement • Assimilation • Social Gospel Movement • Salvation by service to the poor • Settlement Houses • Jane Adams • Hull House

  6. Hull House

  7. The Political Machine • Services exchanged for votes • Read pp. 268-269 • Class activity: Create a T-graph. List the pros and cons of a political machine Pros Cons

  8. Role of the Political Boss • Controlled access to municipal jobs, business licenses, etc. • Used influence or power to direct money to whatever projects they wanted. • Motivated to win votes • Provided lots of services to immigrants

  9. Immigrants & the Machine • The machine helped with naturalization • Gave many jobs and other services • Wanted loyalty and votes in return.

  10. Municipal Graft & Fraud • Corruption • Fraud • Stuffing ballot box • Graft (using influence for personal gain) • Kickbacks (illegal payments) • Accepted bribes for illegal activities • Until 1890 police forces were hired by the political machine.

  11. Tammany Hall & the Tweed Ring • Major graft • Courthouse project cost $3 million but taxpayers ended up spending $13 million which went into the pockets of the Tweed Ring.

  12. Cartoonist Thomas Nast • Tweed was convicted and tried twice. • While serving time he escaped to Spain. • He was captured when officials recognized him from one a Thomas Nast cartoon.

  13. Patronage & Civil Service Reform • Patronage – giving of gov jobs to people who helped a candidate get elected • AKA Spoils System – not always qualified • Reformers began to press for elimination of patronage & adoption of a merit system based on a civil service exam • Those that resisted reforms were known as Stalwarts

  14. Reform Under Hayes Pres Hayes could not convince Congress to pass reform so he used other means (1) He appointed independents to cabinet positions and (2) he set up commission to investigate the notoriously corrupt NYC Customhouse where jobs were controlled by the Repub party. Corruption was exposed and firings were made Firings enraged the Repub political boss, Roscoe Conkling & his stalwart supporters

  15. Assassination of Garfield • Hayes did not run for reelection • James A. Garfield was elected president and angered Stalwarts by giving reformers most of the patronage jobs • Charles Guiteau assassinated Garfield which influenced the new president, Charles Arthur, to press for civil service reform and the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883.

  16. Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883 • Appts to civil service jobs would now be based on a candidate’s performance on a civil service test • By 1901 more than 40% of federal jobs were classified as civil service positions • Mixed results: public admin became more honest & efficient but politicians could no longer pressure employees for campaign contributions • Politicians had to turn to other sources which was BIG BUSINESS

  17. Harrison, Cleveland & High Tariffs • Big business wanted high tariffs to protect domestic industry from foreign competition • Democrats opposed high tariffs bc they increased prices • Grover Cleveland tried to lower tariffs but Congress refused to support him • Benjamin Harrison replaced Cleveland & won passage of the McKinley Tariff Act 1890 (highest tariff ever) • Cleveland won reelection in 1892

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