Thursday, November 4, 2010

Outline of Tweed Ring

I. 1864-1869: Height of Tweed's Power

  • Holds several positions of power including NYS Senate seat, NY Democratic Party Central Committee chairman, highest official of Tammany Hall.
  •  Election fraud, extortion, city contracts used to the monopolize city.
  •  Pays newspapers to keep quiet on corruption schemes in order to maintain a clean image.


II. Late 1869: Thomas Nast Attacks

  •  Political cartoons are aimed at Tweed and Tammany Hall, depicting them as greedy, vicious animals.


III. 1870: The Movement Picks Up Steam

  •  New York Times board of directors member James B Taylor dies, New York Times runs its first anti-Tweed editorial.


IV. 1871: The Beginning of the End

  •  New York Times gets documents and incriminating evidence from former supporter of Tweed Ring, James O' Brien. Publishes massive exposé showing Tweed corruption in great detail.
  • Nast continues attack with cartoons. Audience continues to grow. Support increases.
  • Elections take Tweed and his co-conspirators out of office.


V. 1871-1876: Goodbye Tweed

  • Tweed goes to jail on fraud-related charges
  • Bribes his way out of jail and flees to Spain
  • Nast political cartoon gets Tweed captured

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