Curated OER
Civil Service Reform: Senate Debates
High schoolers examine the 1883 Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. They discuss the spoils system, answer discussion questions, read and analyze speeches, complete a worksheet summarizing their findings, and report their findings to the...
Curated OER
Civil Service Reform: Campaign Contributions
High schoolers investigate the campaign contribution scandal in Illinois during the 1990s. They listen to a teacher-led discussion, answer discussion questions, compare/contrast two reform acts, and write their own civil service law.
Curated OER
Civil Service Reform: Senate Debates
Eleventh graders outline civil service reform proposals made by Senators during debates on Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. They interpret 1883 Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act to see if it incorporated Senators' proposals or...
Curated OER
Political Reform in the Late 1800s
Eleventh graders examine the type of political reform in the 1800s. In groups, they analyze the Pendleton Civil Service Act and two other economic acts. To end the lesson plan, they take a quiz and discuss the impact of the acts on the...
Curated OER
Civil Service Reform: Campaign Contributions
Eleventh graders discuss the 19th-century spoils system. They discuss the 1990s licenses for bribes campaign contribution scandal that occurred under George Ryan's (Illinois's then-Secretary of State) tenure. .