Final answer:
The election of 1915 led to William Hale Thompson becoming mayor of Chicago, which saw a rise in the spoils system and corruption. Progressives aimed to reform politics to decrease corruption through commission systems and the separation of city management from political influence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The election of 1915 brought William Hale Thompson back into power as the mayor of Chicago, marking the resurgence of the spoils system and increased corruption within the city's government. During this era, city hall became widely recognized as a symbol of corruption, inefficient governance, and political patronage, where positions and favors were distributed to loyalists regardless of their qualifications. This type of system, entrenched in the history of American politics, traces its origins to the administrations of earlier presidents such as Andrew Jackson and was exemplified by political figures like New York's Boss Tweed. A century earlier, past presidents such as Ulysses S. Grant presided over periods where the spoils system flourished, introducing inefficiencies and corruption into the federal government.
Reform efforts by Progressive politicians and activists aimed to dismantle such corrupt systems, producing alternative governance structures like the commission system in Galveston, Texas, and the city manager system in Staunton, Virginia. These reforms were designed to reduce the influence of political machines and separate daily governmental operations from electoral politics, thereby limiting opportunities for corruption and graft and promoting efficiency and accountability.