Final answer:
The assassination of President James Garfield encouraged President Arthur to pursue civil service reform. Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Act, which introduced modest reforms and marked the first significant steps towards civil service reform.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assassination of President James Garfield encouraged President Arthur to pursue civil service reform. Garfield's assassination led to investigations into cases of individuals receiving government jobs they were not qualified for based on political connections. As a response, Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Act, which prohibited federal officeholders from making contributions to the politicians who appointed them and established the Civil Service Commission. The act introduced modest reforms and marked the first significant steps towards civil service reform.