Objective 5.04

Describe the changing role of government in economic and

political affairs

5.04 Factual Content

• Pendleton Act• Civil service system• Sherman Antitrust Act• Political machines• Boss Tweed• Tammany Hall• Thomas Nast

• Graft• Crédit Mobilier scandal• Whiskey Ring scandal• Secret ballot (Australian)• Initiative• Referendum• Recall• Mugwumps• U.S. v. E.C. Knight, Co.

1895

Pendleton Act

Required workers to pass a Civil Service Exam as a condition of employment in the government, did away with the “Spoils System”

Political Machines

Traded Jobs for Votes, political organization in New York

Boss Tweed

Famous leader of the Tammany Hall Political Machine in New York

Tammany Hall

Name of the Political Machine in New York

Thomas Nast

Political Cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly that exposed the corruption of the Tweed Ring

Credit Moblier

Congress awards a contract to the Union Pacific Railroad to complete the Transcontinental Rail road, Union Pacific is owned by the Credit Moblier Company, members of Congress are given stock in the Credit Moblier Company to buy their votes

Graft

Political Corruption, using political office for financial gain

Whiskey Ring

Members of Congress siphon tax money off liquor tax and put it in their own pockets

Populism

Political movement of farmers and common folk, Omaha Platform, Direct Election of Senators, Income Tax, Regulation of the Railroads

Secret Ballot

Attempt to stop intimidation of voters, anonymous voting

Initiative

Petition by voters to force a referendum

Referendum

School Bond, Alcohol Vote, vote of the people, direct democracy

Recall

To remove an elected official from office

Mugwumps

Republicans who voted for Grover Cleveland for President