Warm Up 2/10 What invention made steel cheaper to produce? When you control each aspect of the production that is called what? What is the term for discrimination against immigrants based on the idea that they will destroy American values. List at least three problems that come about with the growth of industrial cities. What led to the rise of the Populist Party?

Political Corruption Focus Question: How did money influence political systems at the city and state level during the Gilded Age?

Political Machine Simulation Take a minute to read over your Identity card for our simulation You should also read your directions as well. Don’t tell other people your identity or what your direction card says!!! ASK now if you don’t understand your part

Political Machine Simulation Go stand by your identity sign (ex: Factory Owners). You will be given around 15 minutes to move around the room to complete whatever tasks your identity card & directions sheet tell you to do. Remember to act IN CHARCTER and follow the directions on your card exactly (while not telling anyone what your card says)

Political Machine Simulation Time to Vote!!!

Political Machine Simulation Reflection Questions 1) How did you feel during the simulation? Either write it or draw it out. 2) Describe the relationship between immigrants and the politicians. What did they do? What did they not do? 3) Is this the way the American political system should work? Why/Why not? 4) Do you think American politics still work like this?

POLITICAL MACHINES During late 1800’s, many cities run by a Political machine. This was an organized group, headed by a city boss, that controlled activities of a political party in a city.

ROLE OF THE POLITICAL BOSS The “Boss” (typically the mayor) controlled jobs business licenses influenced the court system Precinct captains and ward bosses were often 1st or 2nd generation immigrants helped immigrants with naturalization Jobs housing in exchange for votes Boss Tweed ran NYC

Shady Dealin’ Fraud ~ Creating false names and voting multiple times for a candidate Graft ~ illegal use of political influence for personal gain Kickback ~ form of graft where a contractor charges the government too much for a project and then gives some of the extra money to the politician or political machine

GRAFT Many Bosses got rich through GRAFT-the illegal use of political influence for personal gain. To win elections, some filled the list of eligible voters w/names of dogs, children, & the dead.

KICKBACKS Workers on city construction projects would charge a higher price & then “kick back” part of the fee to the bosses. Bosses also taking bribes from businesses in return for allowing illegal or unsafe activities.

CIVIL SERVICE VS. PATRONAGE Patronage- Giving of government jobs to people of the same party who had helped a candidate get elected. Civil Service- Government jobs. Reformers called for a merit system. Civil service jobs would go to the most qualified, regardless of political views.

PENDLETON CIVIL SERVICE ACT OF 1883 Created a civil service commission to give government jobs based on merit, not politics….Helped to reform civil service.

CIVIL SERVICE REPLACES PATRONAGE Nationally, some politicians pushed for reform in the hiring system The system had been based on Patronage; giving jobs and favors to those who helped a candidate get elected Reformers pushed for an adoption of a merit system of hiring the most qualified for jobs The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 authorized a bipartisan commission to make appointments for federal jobs based on performance Applicants for federal jobs are required to take a Civil Service Exam

MUNICIPAL GRAFT AND SCANDAL Some political machines used fake names and voted multiple times to ensure victory (“Vote early and often”) – called Election fraud The fact that police forces were hired by the boss prevented close scrutiny

Boss Tweed’s “Tweed Ring” Known as Tammany Hall, his crew was a powerful Democratic political machine in New York When building the NY County Courthouse, the project cost the taxpayers $13 million, but it actually only cost $3 million to build; profits went to Tammany Hall

THE TWEED RING SCANDAL Between 1869-1871, Tweed led the Tweed Ring, a group of corrupt politicians, in defrauding the city Tweed was indicted on 120 counts of fraud and extortion Tweed was sentenced to 12 years in jail – released after one, arrested again, and escaped to Spain

Fraud systematically plundered New York City estimated at between $30 million and $200 million. (that would be worth between $365 million and $2.4 billion today)

Fraud The record for brassiness goes to Boss William Tweed, swindled New York out of a fortune Tammany Hall in the 1860s and 1870s. Tweed’s masterpiece of graft was a chunky three-story courthouse in Lower Manhattan originally budgeted at $250,000. City had spent more than $13 million The building was still not finished.

The Gilded Age Presidents All were Pro-Business! All supported employers over employees in the strikes of the Late 1800s

So, how did people find out about what Tweed and Tammany Hall were up to? Thomas Nast: political cartoonist who showed the corruption in government These cartoons showed the public exactly what the U.S. government was up to! Brought down the Tweed Ring in 1871