Political Corruption
What is Gilded?
A fake gold layer that is used to cover up something rotten.
Who was elected president in 1880?
James Garfield
What is Big Business?
Large corporations that employed lots of workers.
What is a Political Machine?
An organized group that controls a city's political party.
What is the merit system?
A system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.
What is capitalism?
An economic system that allows private businesses, free markets, and competition to determine the price.
Who was deemed one of the worst political machines?
William "Boss" Tweed who ran his business in New York City.
What act did Chester pass?
The Pendelton act of 1883
What was the Laissez-faire?
The government has a hands-off approach to business and it let the businesses regulate themselves.
Where did William "Boss" Tweed run his business from?
Who was elected president after James Garfield?
Chester A. Arthur
What was the government like from 1870 to 1900?
The politics were corrupt, and the government let people get away with anything for just the right price.
Who exposed William "Boss" Tweed for corruption?
Cartoonist Thomas Nast
What did the Pendelton Act do?
The act required people to actually be qualified for a civil service job.
What were the working conditions like during the bug business period?
They had very harsh working conditions, sometimes leading to people's limbs and fingers getting cut off, to death.