ow did the spoils system affect President James Garfield and his successor Chester A. Arthur?
The spoils system, which involved the practice of awarding government positions to loyal supporters and cronies, had a significant impact on President James Garfield and his successor Chester A. Arthur. Garfield was a staunch opponent of the spoils system and believed in merit-based appointments. However, he faced pressure from his own party to make patronage appointments, which ultimately led to his assassination by a disgruntled office seeker in 1881.
Following Garfield's death, Chester A. Arthur became president and unexpectedly began to champion civil service reform. Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883, which established a merit-based system for appointing federal employees and prohibited the awarding of government positions based on political affiliations. This marked a significant departure from the spoils system and President Arthur's actions were seen as a reversal of his previous support for patronage.
Overall, the spoils system had a complex and tumultuous impact on both President Garfield and his successor President Arthur, with Garfield ultimately losing his life due to his opposition to patronage and Arthur ultimately enacting significant civil service reform.