Historical1881
Chester Arthur Becomes President
Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as the 21st President following the death of James Garfield from an assassin's bullet. Despite his background in machine politics, Arthur championed and signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883.
Why It Matters
Arthur's presidency demonstrated how the office can transform its holder. His signing of civil service reform replaced the corrupt spoils system with merit-based government hiring, professionalizing the federal workforce.