gilded age: political machines we will know what a political machine is and how they emerged and...
TRANSCRIPT
Gilded Age: Political Machines
We will know what a political machine is and how they emerged and understand the role that political machines played in politics. We will be able to construct a "Benefits
Thinking Map/Web" showing the interdependency of immigrants and political machines while identifying
prominent figures and practicing reading and comprehension skills through short reading.
What is a machine made of?
Can a machine be a person?
What do you think when someone says “we are all running like a well oiled machine”?
Stand Up – Hand Up – Partner with Someone Not From Your Work Group
"How can this building become a machine? Who resides in this building?
What do you think happens in this building?"
Political Machine: organized group that controlled the political party and offered services to voters and businesses in exchange for political (votes) or financial support.
Tammany Hall: This was the name of the New York city political machine from 1861 to 1871. Very corrupt and the most powerful of all machines.
Using your handout you will have 10 minutes to complete the thinking web w/ your partner.
In each bubble write one item immigrants got and one item political machines got and answer the question below –
“Can a political machine work in today’s society?”
William Marcy Tweed
Boss Tweed ran NYC
Role of the Political Boss
The “City Boss” (typically the mayor) controlled jobs, business licenses, and influenced the court system.
He was the leader of the machine.
Remember, a machine is not necessary made out of iron and steel. It can be someone or group of people that can make things happen through their influence. (social, political, or economic.)
William Marcy Tweed
Targets of Political Machines, who did they try to get to join them?
Immigrants - They were urban, lower-class
people were natural allies of the political
machines.
What did the political machines offer those that were considered natural allies of the political machines?
-Food-Jobs-Housing-Naturalization Process (citizenship)-Better standard of living-Protection
What did the Political machines get in return for helping immigrants?
- Loyalty- Vote(s)- Allegiance- Political Power- Longevity- Cheap Labor
Thinking Webs Break
-What benefits did Immigrants get from Political machines?
-What benefits did political machines get from immigrants?
Graft: any type of illegal and unethical use of political influence for personal gain.
Kickbacks: illegal payments for services
Who exposed the political machines in New York City?Thomas Nast: cartoonist for New York Times and Harper’s Weekly. His cartoons revealed corruption of Tweed. This made Tweed angry.
He did a cartoon about Tweed. Tweed was convicted and jailed. Tweed escaped to Spain. But was captured with the use of a Nast cartoon.
Tweed was imprisoned again in the U.S. and died in 1878.
Famous cartoon that got Boss Tweed arrested in Spain and brought back to America and put in jail again. Worked well because most of his supporters
couldn’t read. “He did it”.
Video Clip – Boss Tweed and Thomas Nast
What would you offer immigrants today if you were
the city boss of a political machine?
How did Boss Tweed get political power?
