1. The Emergence of the Political Machine
Unit 1

2. The Political Machine
Cities were in trouble due to rapid growth, inefficient government, and Social Darwinism.
Opened door for a new power structure – the political machine.
Offered services to voters and businesses in exchange for political or financial support.

3. Political Machine Pyramid
City Boss
-controlled municipal jobs(police, fire, sanitation)
-controlled business licenses and inspections
-influenced courts, gave money to schools, hospitals, etc.
Ward Boss
-secured votes in precincts
-provided jobs, contracts, and local appointments
-did favors and provided services for votes
Local precinct workers
-gained voters’ support within city block or neighborhood
-reported to Ward Boss

4. Immigrants and The Political Machine
Bosses could speak to immigrants in their own language and understood their challenges.
Helped them get naturalized, find homes, and find jobs.
In return, immigrants provided votes.

5. SCANDALS
Election fraud – padded lists of eligible voters with names of dogs, children, and dead people.
In a Philadelphia election, a precinct with 100 registered voters turned in 252 votes.
Kickbacks – workers on construction projects were encouraged to turn in bills higher than actual costs.

6. Election Fraud

7. SCANDALS, cont.
Political machines also made money through favors to businesses and bribes to allow illegal activities (gambling) to flourish.
Police force rarely interfered because machine controlled the hiring and firing.

8. Tweed Ring Scandal
Tammany Hall, a group of corrupt politicians in NYC, led by William Marcy Tweed, pocketed $200 million in kickbacks and payoffs.
New York County Courthouse cost $3 million to build but billed taxpayers $11 million.
Tweed Ring was broken in 1871 and Tweed was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

9. Thomas Nast, a political cartoonist, denounces Tammany as a ferocious tiger killing democracy; the tiger image caught on.

10. Under Tammany Control