Progressive Movement (pgs )

Fighting Corruption  Political Machines – Powerful organizations linked to political parties – controlled local government in many cities  Political Boss – A representative that controlled jobs and services within a city

Gained Political Votes for their Parties by: 1. Offering turkey dinners 2. Providing jobs for immigrants 3. Helping needy families

Corrupt politicians made money by: 1. Accepted bribes 2. Accepted campaign contributions 3. Took kickbacks – an arrangement in which contractors padded the amount of their bill for city work and paid or “kicked back” a percentage of that amount to the bosses

Who was Boss Tweed??  Most corrupt city boss  Headed New York City’s Democratic political machine

Spoils System  Also called patronage  2 Presidents who wanted to change the spoils system: 1. Rutherford B. Hayes 2. James Garfield  Civil Service Commission – Set up competitive examinations for federal jobs

The Progressive Era (1898 – 1914)  A time when forward thinking people made positive changes in America with the government’s help  They wanted to do what was best for the Public Interest  Progressives has two inspirations: 1. Religion – teaches you to do the right thing 2. Science – every problem has a solution

REFORM  Reform means to change  Journalists  These journalists were called muckrakers  They were called this because they exposed injustice and corruption by writing stories that brought problems to the attention of the public. They “raked” the “muck.”