the spoiled system
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That some government jobs be filled on the basis of competitive examsThe Pendleton Civil Service Act required that people wanting government jobs had to pass certain tests. These tests were called Civil Service Exams. The Pendleton Civil Service Act also made it illegal to fire someone for openly stating their political opinions.
The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act established the merit based system of appointments which led to the decline of the spoils/patronage system. Instead of political affiliation government employees were selected by competitive exams and could not be fired based on political affiliation.
The new deal
The Pendleton Act, passed under President Alan Arthur, was the first step towards Civil Service reform in the US. The act was motivated, in part, by the assassination of President Garfield by a disappointed offiice seeker.
The civil service system is an employment system.