Reword this like a human:The spoils system did indeed have an impact on President James Garfield and his successor, Chester A. Arthur. However, instead of allowing Garfield to make influence for Arthur, it actually played a significant role in Garfield's assassination.
To understand this, let's start with what the spoils system is. The spoils system refers to the practice of rewarding loyal political supporters with government positions or jobs. It was prevalent during the 19th century in the United States. When a new president took office, they would often replace a large number of government officials with their own supporters, regardless of their qualifications or abilities.
In 1881, James Garfield became the 20th President of the United States. He was a reform-minded Republican who sought to eliminate corruption and reform the civil service system. However, the spoils system was deeply ingrained in American politics at the time, and he faced opposition from a faction within his own party called the Stalwarts, who were strong proponents of the spoils system.
James Garfield's assassin, Charles J. Guiteau, was a disillusioned office-seeker who believed that he was entitled to a government job due to his support for Garfield during the presidential campaign. When Guiteau was repeatedly denied a position, he became resentful and obsessed, ultimately leading him to shoot President Garfield in July 1881.
The assassination of President Garfield had a profound impact on his successor, Chester A. Arthur. Arthur himself had been associated with the Stalwart faction and had been appointed as the Vice President partly due to his support for the spoils system.
However, following Garfield's assassination, public sentiment turned against the spoils system. The incident served as a catalyst for civil service reform. Chester A. Arthur, deeply affected by the tragedy of Garfield's death, supported efforts to reform the spoils system and advocated for the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883. This act established a merit-based civil service system in the United States, which aimed to select government employees based on their qualifications rather than political affiliation.
So, in summary, the spoils system played a significant role in the assassination of President James Garfield by an angry office-seeker. This event, in turn, influenced Chester A. Arthur to support civil service reform and move away from the spoils system.