The Pendleton Act of 1883
A) created the Interstate Commerce Commission.
B) made the executive branch responsible for regulating certain markets in railroads and telegraphs.
C) created a competitive system of civil service appointments based on merit.
D) completely ended the system of patronage within the federal bureaucracy.
E) revised the patronage system to require political appointees to take competency exams.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Pendleton Act of 1883 created a competitive system of civil service appointments based on merit. This ended the system of patronage within the federal bureaucracy, which had previously allowed politicians to give government jobs to their supporters. The act required that people seeking certain government jobs take exams to demonstrate their qualifications for the position.