Political Bosses

Political Bosses of the Progressive Era

Today we will be examining the perception of one of New York's most famous political bosses, William "Boss" Tweed.

Learning Objective:

Students will recall information learned about the Progressive Era, analyze and corroborate different documents to create an original topic sentence explaining the effects of political corruption in the context of the Progressive Era.

Standard 3 Societies are shaped by the identities, beliefs, and practices of individuals and groups.

The historical question:

What effects did political bosses (like Boss Tweed) have during the Progressive Era on major US cities?

Let's recall some vocabulary of the Progressive Era

Multiple Choice

What is the Progressive Era?

• The time period of industrial growth.

• The time period when social activists tried to expose problems and fix them.

• The time period when the American military reached its peak of the 19th century.

• The time period when insurance (auto, home, and boat) became legally required.

Multiple Choice

In the Progressive Era, What does "Muckraking" refer to?

• It was a new agricultural technique to improve cotton production

• It was a state by state law allowing the burning of leaves every fall.

• It refers to a type of journalism that focused on exposing or "raking up" problems in society.

• It was the term used to describe when Republican President Joseph Muckrak appointed 6 new members to the supreme court, the largest during one presidential term.

Poll

In your opinion, which of the following is the worst type of political corruption?

• Bribery

• Rigged elections

• Not helping the people who elected you

• Money laundering (embezzlement)

HIstorical Context

During the late 19th century (1860’s -1920’s) the booming population of immigrants, mostly with very little money, began creating life on the streets of New York.  The city was not handling the upswing in population well.  Diseases like cholera and tuberculosis thrived in the unhealthy environment. Over one million people crowded into the city, and many lived in filthy tenements. Poverty, illiteracy, and crime, were major problems for immigrants that comprised almost half the population. The city government offered very few basic services to help the suffering. 

Who's going to fix these problems...

In 1870, the state legislature granted New York City (local officials, rather than those in the state capital), power over local political offices. Individuals known as Political Bosses rose to power creating a better life for many new immigrants; however, progressivists and muckraking journalists began to expose the real costs of this “better life”.

...could you say, Political bosses were helping some, by hurting others?

...was he helping some by hurting others?

Political Boss William "Boss" Tweed

An American politician most notable for being the "boss" of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th-century New York City and State. At the height of his influence, Tweed was, a director of the Tenth National Bank, a director of the New-York Printing Company, the proprietor of the Metropolitan Hotel, a significant stockholder in iron mines and gas companies, and the president of the Guardian Savings Bank. In short, he really helped put New York on the map!!!

Now lets examine some documents, to consider our Historical question:

What effects did political bosses (like Boss Tweed) have during the Progressive Era on major US cities?

Document A: Lincoln Steffens

Source: Excerpt from a book by muckraker Lincoln Steffens called, The Shame of Cities, published in 1904.

New advances in printing technology during the 1890s made magazines and other publications inexpensive to print. Magazines became available to a larger middle-class audience. Lincoln Steffens was well known for writing magazine articles about child labor, prisons, religion and political machines.

Based on the sourcing information, predict what the author (Steffens) will say in his book?

Multiple Choice

Based on the sourcing information, predict what the author (Steffens) will say in his book?

• He will say explain the new benefits of printing technology.

• He will talk about the wonderful American life and how everything is great in society.

• He will say the problems in big cities are partly caused by political bosses,

Multiple Choice

(Contextualization) From this document, how do you think people felt about American life?

• Happy, life is good

• A growing sense of frustration

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) What is the author trying to convince the reader of?

• That America is slipping away into corruption.

• That bribery is good.

• That Americans should only go to church on the 4th of July

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) In your opinion which sentence really shows the problems in American cities?

• "The spirit of business is profit, not patriotism; individual gain, not national prosperity."

• "We cheat our government and we let our leaders loot it and we let them bribe our sovereignty from us."

• "We are content to let them pass bad laws, giving away public property in exchange for money."

Document B: George Plunkitt

Source: Excerpt from a talk by George Plunkitt, a political boss in New York City. The talk was called “Honest Graft and Dishonest Graft,” recorded in 1905. (Graft is another word for corruption and bribes). In this talk, Plunkitt responds to Lincoln Steffens’s book, The Shame of the Cities.

Based on the sourcing information, what do you think Plunkitt will argue?

Multiple Choice

Based on the sourcing information, predict what the author (Plunkett) will say in his book?

• He will say positive things about political bosses and corruption.

• He will say where the New York Yankees get their name from.

• He will say the problems in big cities are partly caused by political bosses,

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) Plunkett tries to convince the listeners he’s not a bad guy by using what words or phrase?

• "Show me the Irishman who would steal the roof"

• "I ain’t no looter"

• "buy the old roof at a bargain"

• "I’ve been readin’ "

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) What is the author trying to convince the readers of?

• That there are too many immigrants coming to America

• That it's time to upgrade the city's orphanages.

• That politicians who steal money, actually are able to get lots of improvements for the city

Document C: William "Boss" Tweed

The following document is from historian Kenneth D. Ackermann’s book, “The Corrupt Politician Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York". It was published in 2005.

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) How does this document portray Boss Tweed?

• Tweed is a thief, and founded the concept of bribery.

• Tweed did a lot of good for the city of New York.

• Tweed turned his back to new immigrants in America and never tried to help them.

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) For Boss Tweed to remain in power what was necessary?

• Tweed needed to steal from the right people, and not the wrong type of people.

• Tweed realized he needed to pay off state and federal politicians to keep his city power

• Tweed realized he needed the support of his constituency (the voters).

Document D: Thomas Nast

The following cartoon is from Muckraking cartoonist Thomas Nast in 1871. Nast was associated with the magazine Harper's Weekly from 1859 to 1886. He was a critic of Democratic Representative "Boss" Tweed and the Tammany Hall Democratic party political machine.

(And NO, he is not Colonel Sanders Grandfather)

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) Looking back from the video earlier, and what we have examined about Tammany Hall, who is the “biggest” individual in this cartoon? Why?

• It's Thomas Nast, he was the real power in New York City.

• It's Boss Tweed, he ran Tammany Hall

• It's president Roosevelt, Tammany Hall replaced the Rough Riders

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) What is the cartoonist trying to say about the members of Tammany Hall?

• The members of Tammany Hall are crooks, but never get caught because they blame someone else.

• Tammany Hall is full of modest individuals never taking credit for their good deeds.

• That only one person from Tammany Hall was a theft, but the public could never identify him.

Poll

The historical question:

What effects did political bosses (like Boss Tweed) have during the Progressive Era on major US cities?

• Positive, he did more good than bad for both the people and New York city.

• Negative, he shouldn't have stole the money even though he helped build America's largest city.

Multiple Select

Pick the 2 sentences of commentary for the following cartoon concrete detail. (Pick the 2 correct answers)

According to Thomas Nast's cartoon "Who Stole the People's money... Twas Him", it shows Tammany Hall ring leader Boss Tweed and others pointing the blame at everyone else.

• This evidence is important because it shows that Boss Tweed and the members of Tammany Hall thought they were always innocent.

• This evidence is important because cartoons are creative, and always good evidence.

• This evidence is showing how the members of Tammany Hall are sticking together, which helps them stay out of trouble and stay strong.

• This evidence is showing how Tammany Hall is credited with creating the dance "The Hokey Pokey".

Open Ended

The historical question:

What effects did political bosses (like Boss Tweed) have during the Progressive Era on major US cities?

Remember both the good and bad he did; what stands out to you?

Write you full topic sentence below, and remember to give the main points of information (The who, what, when, where, and why).