Tammany Hall (Noun)
Meaning
A political organization within the Democratic Party in New York City (late 1800's and early 1900's) seeking political control by corruption and bossism.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The notorious Tammany Hall dominated New York City politics for decades through a system of patronage and corruption.
- Boss Tweed, the leader of Tammany Hall, embezzled millions of dollars from the city treasury to fund his machine's operations.
- The investigations into Tammany Hall's activities eventually led to the downfall of its leaders and a reform movement within the Democratic Party.
- The cartoonist Thomas Nast's famous drawings of Tammany Hall as a corrupt and oppressive institution helped galvanize public opinion against it.
- Despite the corruption, Tammany Hall remained a powerful force in New York City politics until the mid-20th century.