Baseline Assessment
This excerpt is from a speech given by George Washington Plunkitt, a member of the Tammany Hall machine, who also served as a state senator between 1884 and 1904.
THERE's only one way to hold a district: you must study human nature and act accordin'. . . . To learn real human nature you have to go among the people, see them and be seen.
What tells in holdin' your grip on your district is to go right down among the poor families and help them in the different ways they need help. If there's a fire, I'm usually there with some of my election district captains as soon as the fire engines. If a family is burned out I don't ask whether they are Republicans or Democrats... I just get quarters for them, buy clothes for them if their clothes were burned up, and fix them up till they get things runnin' again.
It's philanthropy, but it's politics, too—mighty good politics. Who can tell how many votes one of these fires bring me?
Political cartoon published by Harper's Weekly showing Boss Tweed's lasting influence on New York corruption.
[Image description: A large figure in prison stripes representing Boss Tweed looms over a scene labeled "BRIBERY & CORRUPTION - NEW YORK" showing men exchanging money bags. Caption reads: "Right under her nose, every day in the week."]
Campaign literature for Senator Robert La Follette, early twentieth century.
There was a time in Wisconsin when the boss and representatives of the railroads nominated the candidates for both parties... railroad passes, entertainment, money, influence.
La Follette secured the anti-lobby law and drove from the capitol some of the most corrupt and notorious characters of the age.
La Follette secured the primary election law. Under the primary law you vote direct for your choice, your vote is your own.
1883: Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act passed
1888: Louisville, KY adopts secret ballot
1898: South Dakota adopts initiative and referendum
1901: Wisconsin holds first direct primaries
1913: 17th Amendment (direct election of senators)
Describe one problem caused by political corruption and explain how Progressives proposed to reform that problem.
In your response, be sure to:
Words: 0
Your response addresses part of the prompt. See feedback below to reach full credit.
Full Credit - You addressed both parts of the prompt with evidence from the sources.
Your revised response will be submitted to your teacher for final review.
Full Credit on your first attempt - no AI assistance needed.
You demonstrated complete understanding of both the problem and the reform with strong source evidence. Great job!
| Student | Submitted | Independent Work | AI Assistance |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Smith | Jan 26, 2:15 PM | 2 | — |
| You (Demo Student) | Jan 26, 2:22 PM | 1 | 2 |
| Sarah Johnson | Jan 26, 2:28 PM | 1-2 | — |
Your teacher can see both scores - the independent attempt (1) and the AI-assisted revision (2) - giving insight into each student's learning journey.
| Student | Submitted | Independent Work | AI Assistance |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Smith | Jan 26, 2:15 PM | 2 | — |
| You (Demo Student) | Jan 26, 2:22 PM | 2 | — |
| Sarah Johnson | Jan 26, 2:28 PM | 1-2 | — |
Students who earn full credit independently show a score only in the "Independent Work" column - no AI assistance was needed.