Final answer:
The increase in power of corrupt city political machines during the late 1800s was connected to the increasing numbers of immigrants through the practice of machine politics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The increase in power of corrupt city political machines during the late 1800s was connected to the increasing numbers of immigrants through the practice of machine politics. Political machines, such as Tammany Hall in New York, offered services and assistance to immigrants in exchange for their votes. This included providing necessities like jobs, housing, food, and police protection. The political machines formed alliances with business and labor leaders, rewarding loyal voters with jobs and offering government contracts to their larger donors. While the political machines were corrupt, many working-class immigrants viewed them as their only allies in politics.