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Difficulty: MediumGilded Age Politics and the Populist Movement

"This civil service law is the biggest fraud of the age. It is the curse of the nation. There can’t be no real patriotism while it lasts. How can you expect a man to work for his country and his party when he finds that if he gets a job, he has to go through a civil service examination...?"

— George Washington Plunkitt, Tammany Hall leader, recorded in 1905

Which of the following historical developments during the late nineteenth century most directly challenged the political system defended by Plunkitt in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The rise of the Populist Party advocating for the nationalization of railroads
  2. B
    The implementation of the Dawes Severalty Act to divide Native American tribal lands
  3. The passage of legislation establishing a merit-based civil service systemAnswer
  4. D
    The federal government's adherence to strict laissez-faire economic policies

Answer

The passage of legislation establishing a merit-based civil service system
The passage of legislation establishing a merit-based civil service system (most notably the Pendleton Act of 1883) directly challenged the spoils system and patronage networks defended by political bosses like Plunkitt. By requiring competitive examinations for government jobs, civil service reform reduced the ability of political machines to reward loyal party workers with patronage positions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus to identify the author's point of view and the context of the quote.
The author, a Tammany Hall boss, defends the spoils system and political patronage while attacking the requirement of competitive civil service examinations.
Understanding the source's opposition to civil service examinations is necessary to identify what reform challenged political machines.
2
Evaluate the historical developments that directly targeted the patronage system described.
The civil service reform movement, culminating in the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883, introduced examinations to replace patronage with merit-based appointments.
This matches the specific reform Plunkitt is criticizing ('civil service law' and 'examinations').
3
Compare the correct development with the alternative options to eliminate incorrect distractors.
Other choices address agrarian reform (Populists), Western land policy (Dawes Act), or general economic regulation (laissez-faire) rather than the spoils system.
Ensures the selected answer is the most direct challenge to the political system defended in the text.

Key Concept

Gilded Age political machines and civil service reform
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Gilded Age Politics and the Populist Movement

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