Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Corruption Runs Wild
Government in the Gilded Age was often corrupt, tainted with money from various groups. Read about the role of political machines in many city governments, in particular Tammany Hall in New York City.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Gilded Age 1870 1900: Key Political Issues: Patronage, Tariffs, Gold
Political patronage was a big problem in the late 19th century and led to corruption within the government. This made it difficult to reform the civil service. Tariffs were another big issue and affected economic groups in different...
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: Us History: Political Machines and Progressive Reforms
Read and study the sources about political machines, corruption, and Progressive reforms. Then use the four sources and your knowledge of U.S. history to answer the questions.
Other
The University of Southern Mississippi: Aaec Editorial Cartoons Digital Collect
The Editorial Cartoon Digital Collection contains examples of the work of member artists of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC). Created primarily in the 1960s and 1970s, the cartoons reflect changes in American...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Political Machine and Cartoons
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart covers the background of Boss Tweed, Thomas Nast, and the requirements of political cartoons.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Politics of the Gilded Age
Politics in the last half of the 19th century reflected mediocrity at best and corruption at worst. Read about the series of "forgettable presidents," beginning with Andrew Johnson. Find out how big business could buy the government that...
Other
World Press: Amid the Wreckage of War and Corruption: Presidential Running Mate
This article analyzes the political situation in Sierra Leone prior to its elections in 2007. The political parties and their potential candidates are described. [Date of Article: November 5, 2005]
PBS
Pbs: Frontline: World: Dispatches: Nigeria: The Corruption of Oil
An examination of the culture of corruption plaguing Nigeria stoked by its valuable oil fields and overwhelming levels of poverty.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Big City Politics, the Gilded and the Gritty: America, 1870 1912
Ash Can School artist John Sloan's painting Election Night captures the exuberance of urban politics in the early-twentieth century, and artist Henry Glitkencamp's illustration Voting Machines suggests its corrupting power. Both pieces...
Scholastic
Scholastic: Tammany Hall
Brief history of Tammany Hall from beginning to the fall of the political machine.
University of Nebraska
University of Nebraska Lincoln: Railroads and the Making of Modern America
Corruptions, malfeasance, bribery and fraud - all these terms can describe the construction process of the American railroad system. Search primary source documents to uncover the shenanigans that took place in the late 19th century....
Internet History Sourcebooks Project
Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: The Rule of Porfirio Diaz 1909
Fordham University provides a discussion on the rule of dictator Porfirio Diaz. It talks about his accomplishments, history, beliefs, brutality, and corruption from the perspective of a contemporary historian of the time.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: Thomas Nast
Thomas Nast was the first influential American political cartoonist. Read about his transformation from an illustrator of the Civil War to one who took on Boss Tweed and the corruption of Tammany Hall.
PBS
Pbs News Hour: 'Red Shirts' Spill 60 Gallons of Blood to Protest Thai Government
Political unrest in Thailand took a bloody turn as protesters dumped gallons of blood into their prime minister's compound as a protest against the class system and corruption. Additional details are included in the web article.Resource...
Travel Document Systems
Tds: Georgia: Government
A thorough discussion of the state of the government and politics in Georgia today. Information is from the U.S. State Dept. Background Notes and a link is provided for more information on the South Ossetia question.
International Institute of Social History
International Institute of Social History: Foster a Correct Spirit, Resist the E
From the International Institute of Social History this is "Foster a correct spirit, resist the evil spirit, resist corruption, never get involved with it" a Chinese political propaganda poster by Jiang Jianzhang, 1983.
Other
Esri: Ready or Not, Let the Games Begin
Excellent coverage of the preparation for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, the venues, and the very real economic, social, political, and public health problems it faced leading up to the Games.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Mark Twain, the Gilded Age
A critique of a realistic novel of the Gilded Age entitled "The Gilded Age." "The title is a masterly epigraph on the flushed, corrupt period of the Reconstruction."
Other
Insightful Interaction: Visualizations
A collection of interactive visualizations that were produced through analysis of economic, political, and market research data. Topics are diverse, e.g., military spending and trade, immigration, consumer spending, crime, unemployment,...
Ohio History Central
Ohio History Central: Direct Primaries
Find out why the implentation of direct primaries was a result of corruption in the political process.
Other
Brookings Institution: Campaign Finance
The Brookings Institution provides a directory of articles that examine the subject of campaign finance reform and how it relates to Congress, the FEC, and the Courts.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: The Populist Movement
This collection uses primary sources to explore the Populist Movement.
Other
Siteseen Ltd: Causes for the Fall of the Roman Empire
This article addresses the many reasons why the world's greatest superpower of the 4th century, the Roman Empire, crumbled and fell. Many reasons are discussed in detail, including the spread of Christianity, the invasion of various...
The World Bank
World Bank Group: Kyrgyz Republic
This site has a description of the economy and development of the Kyrgyz Republic from the perspective of the World Bank. Read about economic policy, human development, and World Bank programs.