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James A. Garfield Republican 20 th President of the United States March 4, 1881 to September 19, 1881. www. jamesgarfield .org/ . Occupational & Educational Background. Vice President: Chester A. Arthur (1881) Secretary of State: James G. Blaine (1881)

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  1. James A. GarfieldRepublican20th President of the United StatesMarch 4, 1881 to September 19, 1881 www.jamesgarfield.org/ 

  2. Occupational & Educational Background • Vice President: Chester A. Arthur (1881) • Secretary of State: James G. Blaine (1881) • Secretary of the Treasury: William Windom (1881) • Secretary of War :Robert Todd Lincoln (1881) • Attorney General: I. Wayne McVeagh (1881) • Postmaster General :Thomas L. James (1881) • Secretary of the Navy: William H. Hunt (1881) • Secretary of the Interior: Samuel J. Kirkwood (1881) http://www.potus.com/jagarfield.html

  3. Occupational & Educational Background • Major General for the Union Army during the Civil War (1861-1863) • fought in two major battles, Shiloh and Chickamauga • Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 19th district (1863- 1881) • Chairman of the United States House Committee on Appropriations (1871-1875) www.jamesgarfield.org/ 

  4. Garfield involved in Battle of Shiloh, 1862 (Before Presidency) • Major battle American Civil War, fought in southwestern Tennessee. • Union Army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved deep into Tennessee and was encamped at Pittsburg Landing on the west bank of the river. • Confederate forces under Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and P. G. T. Beauregard launched a surprise attack on Grant. • The Confederates were substantially successful on the first day, but were ultimately defeated on the second day. • The Confederates were forced to retreat from the bloodiest battle in United States history up to that time, ending their attempt to block the Union advance into northern Mississippi • Garfield was not a general at this time, but fought on the Union side of this battle http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/shiloh.htm

  5. The Crédit Mobilier Scandal, 1872(Before Presidency) • The CréditMobilier Scandal of 1872 involved the Union Pacific Railroad and the CréditMobilier of America construction company in the building of the First Transcontinental Railroad. • Distribution of CréditMobilier shares of stock by Congressman Oakes Ames along with cash bribes to congressmen took place during the Andrew Johnson presidency in 1868. • Discovery of the congressmen who received cash bribes or shares in CréditMobilier occurred during the Ulysses S. Grant administration in 1872. • During the investigation, it was found that the company had given shares to more than thirty representatives of both parties including then Representative Garfield. The American Pageant, pg. 504; http://www.univie.ac.at/Anglistik/easyrider/data/graphics/t.c.durant.jpg&imgrefurl

  6. Presidential Election of 1880 • Presidential Election Results: • James A. Garfield (Republican) • Popular votes:4,453,295 • Electoral votes: 214 • Winfield S. Hancock (Democrat) • Popular votes: 4,414,082 • Electoral Votes:155 • Garfield was elected because the nation was on the Republican band wagon after the Civil War, following the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes. Garfield won only 2,000 more popular votes, making this election the smallest popular vote victory in American history to date. www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?year=1880&f. http://www.potus.com/jagarfield.html

  7. Assassination of Garfield, September 19, 1881 • Perpetrator: Charles J. Guiteau • Guiteau wrote a speech advocating for Garflield during the 1880 election, and believed that the President had won because of his efforts. He believed that he should be rewarded by being named a diplomat to Paris, so he stalked the President until Secretary of State James G. Blaine asked him to leave. When the President did not fire Blaine as Guiteau requested, he then purchased a revolver and assassinated the President. • Assassinated after only 200 days in office, second shortest term to William Henry Harrison (32 days) Information from the entire slide found on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Garfield_assassination

  8. Death by Bullet or Malpractice? http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/547303/a_case_of_medical_malpractice_james.html • 80 days after being shot, Garfield died of a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm, caused by blood poisoning and bronchial pneumonia. • Many believe that Garfield would have been able to survive the gunshot, however the doctors that performed his surgery did not use sanitary methods to extricate the bullet, resulting in a medical malpractice • This was around the time where proper sanitation in the form of hand-washing and the use of antiseptics was just being discovered, so the doctors did not believe it was necessary yet

  9. After Garfield’s Presidency…Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, 1883 • Federal law under the Chester A. Arthur administration that stipulated that government jobs should be awarded on the basis of merit. • Provided selection of government employees competitive exams, rather than ties to politicians or political affiliation (civil service exams). • Made it illegal to fire or demote government employees for political reasons. • To enforce the merit system and the judicial system, the law also created the United States Civil Service Commission. • Although the Act was not passed under the Garfield administration, he strongly advocated for civil service reform www.britannica.com/EBchecked/.../Pendleton-Civil-Service-Act

  10. Quotes to Praise Garfield • “He was trying to do two things: dare to be a radical and not a fool, which is a matter of no small difficulty.” • Vice President Chester A. Arthur • “Garfield’s presidency had the potential to be filled with social and domestic change, as he advocated what America needed.” • Sarah Lebovitz

  11. Quotes to Criticize Garfield • “[Garfield] is anything but a reformer, as he opposes just about everything to preserve the integrity of America as we know it.” • D.B. Woods, opponent in 1862 Congress elections • “Garfield was in fact a radical of a Republican; though he lied to make the public believe in him.” • Jean Edward Smith, historian

  12. Garfield’s Overall Significance • Even though he was assassinated 200 days into his term, Garfield advocated African American rights after the Civil War, which means he had the potential to change America • Garfield was part of the Credit Mobilier scandal and received shares of the company, which shows a negative side of the politician • Garfield was a member of the House of Representatives for 17 years • Garfield’s administration inspired the passing of civil service reform legislation • Garfield was a proud Union Army General who strongly opposed Confederate secession • Garfield advocated civil rights for African Americans, a bi-metal monetary system, agriculture technology, an educated electorate, and civil service reform

  13. The End Sarah Lebovitz Period 1 April 4, 2011

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