U.S. History I
Topic 10.3
“Corruption Plagues the Nation”
2.5, 9.1, 9.3, 9.4
Balance of Power Creates Stalemate
•U.S. Grant- Surrounded by Scandals
•1877-1897: Presidents win by narrow margins andpresidents are weak or corrupt.
–Benjamin Harrison: Second President to losePopular vote but win Electoral College
–Chester Arthur: Took over after James Garfieldwas assassinated: Disliked by OWN RepublicanParty
–*Grover Cleveland: Known for his Integrity:1884 Won: 1888 Lost to Harrison (ElectoralCollege) 1892: Won again (Only one countedTWICE)
•Corruption Plagues National Politics
•Joseph Keppler: Political Cartoonist: “The Bosses of theSenate” Next Slide
•Patronage: government jobs go to the supportersof the winning party in an election. “SpoilsSystem”
–The Pendleton Act: Allowed the president to decidewhich federal jobs would be filled according to therules of the Civil Service Commission: All had to takeexam to qualify for job.
•Under Pres. Arthur, 14,000 jobs were placed underthis program
•Economic PolicyChallenges Continue
–Tariff: Tax on Imports
–Republicans: WantedHigh Tariffs
–Democrats: WantedLow Tariffs
•Silver or Gold
•Fiat MoneyGreenbacks retiredafter Civil War
•Goldbugs: Wanted allcoins made of gold
•Silverites: Wanted allcoins made of silver
Political Cartoons Alert thePublic
•Political Machines- Corrupt party powerstructures that dominated cities
•Thomas Nast: Artist who went on acampaign to expose corrupt “PoliticalMachines”
•William “Boss” Tweed: Was exposed byNast through the use of political cartoons