AVARICE Suggested Launch Activity TEACHER’S NOTES CENTRAL QUESTION About Launch What is the importance of charity in a healthy civil Activities society? This optional introductory activity is designed to support you in the We can expand our understanding of a vice by examining its opposite classroom. However, the virtue. While the topic of this lesson is avarice, or greed, and how primary narratives and destructive it is to civil society, we can also explore how charity photos in the section that benefits civil society. follows can be used with or Individuals can benefit others and the larger society through without this introduction. charitable giving that demonstrates selflessness. Charity and philanthropy help shape a healthy civil society by promoting the virtues of contribution, justice, respect, and responsibility because republican self-government is predicated on the virtues of the people. Great philanthropists have donated and continue to donate millions and even billions of dollars to charitable causes, and moral and social uplift to improve the lives of millions of fellow citizens. James Smithson, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates are only some of the wealthy industrialists and entrepreneurs who have given their fortunes to help others. But, one does not need to be a billionaire to help others in the community. Together, ordinary Americans donate billions of dollars annually to causes in their communities, around the nation, and even around the world. DISCUSSION • For the following series of charitable causes, have the students raise their hands if they would support giving to the cause. ɩ A children’s hospital where families do not have to pay for services HEROES & VILLAINS: THE QUEST FOR CIVIC VIRTUE ɩ A program to eliminate malaria or other diseases around the world ɩ A public library with free books to borrow and computer services ɩ An art museum or museum of natural history such as the Smithsonian museums ɩ A public park with open spaces, sporting fields, walking and biking paths, and beautiful landscaping ɩ School programs such as art and music, sports and extracurricular activities, and computer devices that are not funded by taxpayer money ɩ Community theater where local actors perform well-known plays or original plays ɩ Local sports leagues that need uniforms and sporting equipment ɩ Local programs to deliver meals, clothing, and shelter to the underserved poor of the community ɩ Humane societies and animal shelters • Ask the students why they would choose to support one of these charitable causes. Discuss the benefit to civil society if citizens donate their money to the good of others in society. Ask students what charitable causes exist in their community and what causes might need funding. • Time, talent, and treasure. Besides donating money, have students think of ways that they could donate their volunteer time or their talents to the above causes that they supported. © THE BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE AVARICE “Boss” Tweed and Avarice he streets of New York were a teeming place appointments. It was called the “Tweed Charter” Tafter the Civil War. The unpaved dirt streets because he so desperately wanted that control that were strewn with trash thrown from windows he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and horse manure from animals pulling carriages. for it. Diseases like cholera and tuberculosis thrived in After installing his own men as mayor and the unhealthy environment. Black smoke clogged in other key positions, Boss Tweed helped the the air from the burning coal and wood that immigrants and poor out in many ways. Thousands heated homes and powered factories. Over one of recent immigrants were naturalized as American million people crowded into the city, and many citizens and thus had the right to vote. Tweed also lived in dilapidated tenements. Poverty, illiteracy, made sure that the immigrants had jobs, found crime, and vice were rampant problems for the a place to live, had enough food, and even had poor and for the Irish and German immigrants enough coal money to warm their apartments that comprised almost half the population. The during the cold of winter. In addition, Boss Tweed city government offered very few basic services to contributed millions of dollars to the institutions alleviate the suffering, and churches and private that benefited and cared for the immigrants such charities were overwhelmed by the need. as their neighborhood churches and synagogues, By the mid-1850s, “Boss” William Magear Tweed hospitals, orphanages, and charities. Immigrants (1823 – 1878) was one of the leading politicians in in New York were grateful for the much-needed New York City. He headed the Tammany Hall po- services from the city and private charities. The litical machine, which controlled Democratic Par- Tweed Ring seemed to be creating a healthy society. ty and most of the votes. He had spent a lifetime In overwhelming numbers immigrants happily in public service and held a wide variety of local voted for the Democrats who ran the city. positions including volunteer firefighter, Board of However, all was not well in New York. The Education, Board of Supervisors, and state sena- “Tweed Ring” was corruptly raking in millions of tor. Most importantly, in 1860 he dollars in graft and skimming off the top. was named the “grand sachem” Tweed doled out thousands of jobs as of Tammany Hall and was patronage and he expected favors, in control of the political bribes, and kickbacks in return. machine. In 1870, the Massive building projects such state legislature grant- as new hospitals, elaborate mu- ed New York City a seums, marble courthouses, new charter that gave paved roads, and the Brooklyn local officials, rather Bridge had millions of dollars than those in the of padded costs added that state capital in Alba- went straight to Boss Tweed ny, power over local and his cronies. They also political offices and gobbled up massive amounts HEROES & VILLAINS: THE QUEST FOR CIVIC VIRTUE of real estate, owned the printing company that did official city business such as ballots, and received I don't care who large payoffs from railroads. Soon, Tweed owned an extravagant Fifth Avenue mansion and an estate in “does the electing as Connecticut, gave lavish parties and weddings, and owned diamond jewelry worth tens of thousands long as I get to do of dollars. In total, the Tweed Ring brought in an estimated $50 to $200 million in corrupt money. the nominating. Boss Tweed’s avarice knew few boundaries. The corruption in New York City government, WILLIAM MAGEAR TWEED “ however, went far beyond greed to cheapen the rule of law and degrade a healthy civil society. Most from criminal activities they allowed to flourish. people in local government received their jobs due In the end, Boss Tweed’s greed was too great, to patronage rather than merit and talent. The Tweed and his exploitation was too brazen. The New Ring also manipulated elections in a variety of ways. York Times exposed the rampant corruption, and They hired people to vote multiple times, and even the cartoons of Thomas Nast in Harper’s Weekly had sheriffs and temporary deputies protect them lampooned the Tweed Ring for its illegal activities. while doing so. They stuffed ballot boxes with fake In October 1871, Tweed was arrested and indicted votes and bribed or arrested election inspectors who shortly thereafter. He was tried in 1873, found questioned their methods. Sometimes, they simply guilty of forgery and larceny, and sentenced to ignored the ballots completely and falsified election twelve years in prison. He escaped in disguise results. Tammany candidates often received more to Cuba and thence to Spain in 1875 by paying votes than eligible voters in a district. In addition, $60,000 in bribes, but he was recaptured, returned the ring used intimidation and street violence by to New York, and died in jail in 1878. hiring thugs or crooked cops, and received payoffs Defining Civic Virtues: Avarice To allow the love of wealth to lead you to do wrong acquiring it. © THE BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE Discussion Guide Directions: Discuss the following questions with your partner(s). 1. What problems did Boss Tweed and his political machine attempt to address in New York? Why did he have the opportunity to provide corrupt services to the immigrants of New York? 2. Boss Tweed held a large number of political offices in the local and state governments. Do you think he was interested in public service to serve the public good and health of civil society, or did he have a different motive in mind? 3. What services did he provide for the immigrants of New York? Did it matter to the immigrants if these services were provided legitimately or whether they were part of the corruption of the Tweed Ring? 4. What are some examples of the avarice of the Tweed Ring? How did the greed of the Tweed Ring contribute to the corruption of the political system? How were projects that benefitted the city and its inhabitants associated with the corruption of the Tweed Ring? 5. In what ways did the people of New York continue to benefit from Tweed’s projects even after the Tweed Ring was exposed and removed from power? 6. Did Boss Tweed accept justice for his greed and illegal activities? Did he take responsibility for his actions? Or, did he seek to evade justice and responsibility to the end of his life? Explain your answers. 7. How did the press help put an end to the corruption of the Tweed Ring? What is the role of a free press in a free society and constitutional republic? To what extent do you think that journalists in newspapers, television, and on-line have maintained high standards of professional journalism and the commitment to a healthy, free society? In what ways have they succeeded or failed? Give examples to support your answer.