USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Approved on January 16, 1883, the Pendleton Act established a merit-based system of selecting government officials and supervising their work. Following the assassination of President James A. Garfield by a disgruntled job seeker, Congress passed the Pendleton Act in January of 1883.

Detailed explanation-2: -Garfield’s assassination by a deranged office seeker amplified the public demand for reform. Civil service reformers established the National Civil Service Reform League and undertook a major public campaign for reform, arguing that the spoils system had played a major role in the assassination of Garfield.

Detailed explanation-3: -Garfield’s assassination was instrumental to the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act on January 16, 1883. Garfield himself had called for civil service reform in his inaugural address and supported it as President in the belief that it would make government more efficient.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883 was passed by Congress to prevent the constant reward to loyal party members. It established the principle of hiring federal employees on the basis of merit rather than political affiliation.

Detailed explanation-5: -Widespread public demand for civil service reform was stirred after the Civil War by mounting incompetence, graft, corruption, and theft in federal departments and agencies.