Tammany Hall

Tammany Hall was a New York City Democratic political organization that built power through election control, patronage, and neighborhood networks.

Political machine: A party organization that maintains power through disciplined networks, patronage, and voter mobilization. Tammany Hall became a leading example of this system.
Society of the Sons of St. Tammany: A New York fraternal and political society founded in 1789 that became the institutional predecessor of Tammany Hall. It began as a civic society before evolving into a Democratic political organization.
William M. Tweed: A New York politician who led Tammany Hall in the 1860s and early 1870s before his corruption conviction. His rule became the best-known example of Tammany’s power and corruption.
Tweed Courthouse: A New York City courthouse whose construction became notorious for cost overruns and corruption during the Tweed Ring era. Its inflated costs made Tammany corruption tangible to the public.
Patronage: The distribution of government jobs and favors in return for political support. Tammany rewarded loyal organizers and voters with public employment and assistance.
Aaron Burr: An American politician who served as vice president from 1801 to 1805 and built a powerful New York political network. Burr helped turn Tammany into an effective electoral organization in the early nineteenth century.
Richard Croker: A Tammany Hall leader who controlled New York City Democratic politics during the late nineteenth century. He rebuilt and consolidated Tammany’s influence after the Tweed era.
Tweed Ring: A group of New York City officials and associates who profited from public contracts under William M. Tweed. The ring exposed how Tammany power could turn city spending into private gain.
Ward boss: A local political organizer who mobilizes voters and connects residents to party and government resources. Ward bosses carried Tammany's influence into neighborhood life.
DeWitt Clinton: A New York politician who served as mayor and governor and led a powerful faction opposed to Tammany. His rivalry with Tammany shaped the organization’s early contests for city and state power.

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