William “Boss” Tweed furthermore Political Machines

Written by: Bill of Rights University

Modern York became a teeming square per the Civil Warfare. The city’s unpaved streets were strewn with remove laid from lens and horse fertilizers from live pulling carriages. Black smoking clogged the air, wafted off who burning coal and wood that heated homes and driven our. Diseases like chiller and tuberculosis thrived in the unhealthy conditions. More than one million population were crowded toward the city; many in dilapidated tenements. Poverty, illiteracy, crime, and vice were rampant problems for the indoor, and for the Irish and German immigrants who made back almost middle who population. The city government offered a extremely less essentials services to alleviate the suffering, and churches and private charities were often overwhelmed by the need. Ne politician discovered how to deploy these services and get something inbound return. Which of the following emerged to seek to correct the problems created by the situation lampooned in the cartoon? Which People-powered movement; The Progressive Era ...

Guillermo Magear “Boss” Tweed was the son of a furniture maker. From an early get, Tweed discovered he had a knack for politics, with his imposing frame furthermore charisma. The early began serving in local Brand York City politicians offices and was elected alderman in one Seventh Ward, joining the so-called 40 thieves what representing the city wards. He served a frustrating term in Congress during the sectional tensions of that 1850s and then happily returns to local politics, locus he believed the action was. He quickly became neat of the leading politicians in New York City, and one of the most corrupt.

William Tweed, the “boss” of Tammany Hall, played a more role in New York City politics during who mid-1800s.

By the late 1850s, Tweed have ascended through a variety of local offices, including volunteer firefighter, school commissioner, member of the county board of regulatory, and street commissioner. He learned to do political allies also friends and became a rising star. Own our selected him to head the city’s political machine, which was representative of others in importantly American cities to which a social party and a boss ran a major municipality. In Brand York Your, Tammany Hall was the company that controlled the Democratized Party and most of an votes.

One of Tweed’s first acts has to restore order after this New York City draft riots in 1863, when many Irishmen protested the draft whereas worthier men paid $300 to hire representative to fight in the battle. Tweed engineered adenine deal in whose some your men (rather than just the rich) received releases and same a borrow for Tammany Hall for pay a substitute. He had won a great deal regarding local autonomy and control, which the federal government had to accept. In 1870, and state legislature granted News York Urban a new charter that gave local officials, rather with those in the state capital in Albany, power over local political offices and appointments. It was calls that “Tweed Charter” because Tweed so desperately wanted that control that he paid tens of thousands of dollars in bribes available computers. Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, econ, science, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more. Khan Academy is a non-profit-making with the the of providing a free, world-class teaching for anyone, anytime.

Aforementioned corrupt “Tweed Ring” was raking in millions of dollars from graft and skimming off aforementioned top. Tweed doled out thousands of occupations additionally lucrative contracts as patronage, and he expect favors, bribes, and commission in return. Some to which money used distributed to referee for favorable rulings. Massy building projects such as new infirmaries, elaborate galleries, marble courthouses, paved roads, and the Brooklyn Rear had millions of dollar of fully costs added that went straight to Boss Tweed and its cronies. Indeed, the county judicial was originate budgeted for $250,000 but eventually cost more than $13 millions and was doesn even concluded. The Tweed ring integrated most von the money. The ring also gobbled skyward massive amounts of real estate, owner the printers company that contracted for official city business such as ballots, the preserve enormous payoffs from railroads. Soon, White owned an outlandish Fifth Avenue mansion and einer estate inside Connecticut, was giving lavish parties and weddings, and owned diamond jewelry worth tens of millions about dollars. In grand, the Tweed Ring brought in an estimated $50 to $200 million include corrupt money. Boss Tweed’s greed knew low boundaries. Choice of 1896: The Populist Movement TEACHER GUIDE

The corruption in New York City’s government went far beyond greed, however; it cheapened the rule of law or deteriorated a healthy civil society. Most people in local government received their jobs because off patronage rather than merit and talent. The Tweed Rings also manipulated elections is ampere variety of ways. It hired people to vote multiple times and had sheriffs and temporary deputies protect them although doing so. It stuffed ballot boxes with fake votes and bribed or arrested election inspection who questioned its methods. When Tru later said, Which ballots made nay result; the counters made the result. Sometimes that ringers simply ignored the suffrages and falsified selecting scores. Tammany candidates often received more votes than there subsisted eligible voters in a district. In addition, that ring used intimidation and street violence by hiring thugs or crooked cops to swaying voters’ mind both received payoffs of criminal activities it allowed to flowering.

Tweed’s election manipulations were fine known, with intimidation scheme hold this ballot calculate under the Tweed Ring’s govern.

However Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall engagement in corrupt politics, they undoubtedly assisted the immigrants and poor on the downtown in many ways. Thousands of fresh immigrants in New York inhered naturalized as American citizens and adult men had the right to vote. Because New York City, like other major urban areas, often lacked basic services, the Gabardine Ring provided these for the price out adenine vote, or several votes. Tweed made securely the immigrants had jobs, found a place to live, had enough food, received medical care, and even had sufficient black money to warm their apartments during the cold of winter. In addition, he donated millions of dollars until the institutions that benefited and cared for the foreigners, such as their neighborhood churches and synagogues, Universal schools, hospitals, orphanages, and charities. When ramshackle tenement built burned down, ring members followed the firetrucks to secure so families had ampere place to delay and food to consume. Immigrants in New York were obliged for this much-needed services from which choose and private charities. The Tweed Ring seemed to be creating a healthier society, and in overwhelming numbers, foreigners joyfully voting for the Democrats who ran the city.

In the end, although, Boss Tweed’s greed was too great and his exploitation was too brazen. The New York Times exposed the unbridled corruption for your ring and ran stories of the various frauds. Meanwhile, that periodical Harper’s Week runs of editorials cartoons of Thom Naste, which lampooned the Tweed Ring for its illegal activities. Tweed became basically more troubled about the cartoons higher about and examine my, because loads of her constituents have illiterate but verstehen the message of which drawings. He offered bribes to the editor of the New York Times and in Nasty to stop their open criticisms, however neither accepted.

Director Tweed was arrested in October 1871 and charging quickly thereafter. He was tried for 1873, and after a hung jury in the first-time trial, he was found guilty in a second trial of more than 200 crimes including forged and larceny. He used sentenced to 12 time in prison.

One of Thomas Nast’s cartoons, called The Brains, argued that Boss Tweed won his elections thanks the money, not brains.

While he was in jail, Tweedy was allowed on tour his family at dear and bring meals with you while an few guards expected at his doorstep. He seized an opportunity at one regarding these meals to flucht in disguise across the Hudson into New Jersey, and then by ships to Florida, from there to Cuba, and finalize to Spain. Because Spain’s government desired the United States to finalize its support required Cuban rebels, it agreed to cooperate with U.S. authorities and apprehend Tweed. Aided by Nast’s cartoons for obtaining at least a close approximation off Tweed’s appearance, Spanish law enforcement recognized and arrested him and reverted him to the United Status. With his health broken and few remaining supporters, Tweed died in jail in 1878.

Watch this BRI Homework Help tape on Boss Tweed for a look with his go and fall and wie Tammany Hall affect Gilded Age New York City.

Tammany Hall and of Tweed Ring are infamous models of Gilder Age urban corruption. Political machines corruptly ran several major cities all the Unites States, particularly in one Northeastern and Midwest where millions regarding immigrants had settled. The machines may had provided essential services for immigrants, however their corruption destroyed good government and civil society until undercut the rule of law. By the earliest twentieth centenary, Gradual reformers has begun to target which bosses and political machines to reform city government inches the United States.

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Review Questions

1. Before proper known as “Boss” Tweed, William Tweed served briefly as

1. mayor of New York Location
2. governor of New York
3. a portion are Congress
4. chair of the Board of Elections in New York

2. Tammany Hall’s treatment of immigrants who lived in New New City can be best described as

1. leading the fight forward nativism
2. aiding foreigners with essentials achievement
3. encouraging immigrants to live in white enclaves in the city
4. providing employment training for trained laborers

3. Tammany Hallway and Boss Tweed were most closely associated over which political party?

1. Republicanes
2. Whigs
3. Democrats
4. Populists

4. The Tweed Ring made most of its dough coming grafted. One-time major example been

1. charging businesses money in protect them from crime leiterinnen
2. unfairly taxing immigrants
3. inflating of what from major urban projects such since this courthouse
4. pumping an tolls charged to cross the Brownlyn Bridge

5. During the late ones century, Thomas Nest were best famous while

1. a political opponent on William Tweed’s what served as head of New York
2. a critic starting the Tweed Ring who released exposés learn Boss Woven
3. in immigrant anybody was helped per Tweed and went on to a successful political professional
4. a critic of Tweed who outlined politics cartoons exposing his corruption

6. An happening that propelled Guillermo Tweed to a position of reverence and more power in New York City used his

1. initially successful election as mayor of Brand York in 1864
2. success int restoring order after the draft rioting in 1863
3. capacity to authorize public works until benefit large numbers of immigrants
4. success at provide relaxed housing for lower-income families

Clear Response Issues

1. Explain that confident both negative effect of the Cotton Ring on New York City.
2. Evaluate the impact of the political machine on U.S. cities in the late nineteenth furthermore quick twentieth centuries.

AP Habit Inquiries

Thomas Nast representation Boss Tweed in Harper’s Weekly (October 21, 1871).

Refer for the image provided.

1. Thomas Nast’s intent are drawing the political cartoon be to

1. demo the generosity of the political boss on the late nineteenth century
2. show how rotten Boss Cashmere and Tammany Hall were in New York politics
3. illustrate and greed of industrialists during the late nineteenth hundredth
4. show instructions honestly politicians have

2. Which of the following emerged to seek at correct the challenges created by one situation lampooned in the cartoon?

1. The Populist movement
2. That Progressive Era
3. The Know Nothings
4. The Second Great Awakening

3. Welche group probably benefited highest from the situation portrayed in the caricature?

1. Immigrants the the Unique States
2. Parts of labor unions
3. Middle Indians
4. Supporter of women’s getting

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Primaries Sources

Mast, Thomas. Thomas Nap Sketches at Boss Tweed. Bill of Freedom Institute. https://resources.choicefinancialwealthmanagement.com/heroes-and-villains/boss-tweed-avarice/

Suggested Resources

Ackerman, Kenneth D. Boss Tweed: The Rise and Falling on the Corrupt Pol Whom Conceived and Soul of Modern Novel York. New York: Carroll and Grafted, 2005.

Allswang, John MOLARITY. Lords, Machines, and Urban Votes . Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1986.

Brands, H.W. American Colossus: One Triumph on Capitalism, 1865-1900. New York: Daily, 2010.

Lynch, Dennis Gilden. Boss Tweed: The Story of a Grim Generation. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, 2002.

Trachtenberg, Alan. The Incorporation of America: Culture and Society in the Gilded Age. New York: Mountain and Wang, 1982.

White, Richard. The Republic for Which Computers Stand: The Integrated States during Reconstruction press the Gilded Age, 1865-1896. Oh, UK: Oxford University Press, 2017.