3A Standard - Political Impacts

The student understands the political, economic, and social changes in the United States from 1877 to 1898. The student is expected to: analyze political issues such as Indian policies, the growth of political machines, and civil service reform.

The Dawes Act of 1887 abolished Native American tribes.
Each family was given 160 acres of reservation land as its own private property, which was expected to replace tribal land ownership and each Native American would become a farmer.
With this policy, Indians lost at least 150 million acres of land.
In these land reservations, Indians often suffered from malnutrition, poverty, and untreated health problems.
Reservation schools provided inferior education.
Indian tribes were hunters, not farmers.
The land given to Native American Indians were often infertile, the government also never provided farm equipment or assistance in learning how to farm.
There were various reasons for the government’s Indian policies.
Reformers urged that Native Americans undergo Americanization.
The Dawes Act (1887) sought to hasten their Americanization.
The government had a growing need for land.

Spoils system- government jobs were used to reward people who made contributions to politicians or who helped in their campaigns.
City governments were often run by corrupt political machines for example: Tammany Hall
The leaders of the political machines were known as political bosses for example: Boss Tweed
Political bosses exchanged favors for votes.
Rapid influx of immigrants made it difficult to find jobs; political bosses often provided jobs and other services to immigrants in exchange for their votes.*
The power of the political boss depended upon his ability to dominate voting and to control the agencies of municipal government.
Political machines had the support of other local business leaders.

Pendleton Act of 1883 which created the Civil Service Commission.
Civil Service Exam was administered to make sure government employees were hired BASED ON MERIT (qualification).
As the government grew larger, there was a need for a more qualified group of permanent civil servants.

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