Final answer:
An example of patronage would be the act of appointing a friend to a political position, aligning with the historical practice of the spoils system where political appointments were made on the basis of party loyalty. Option d
Step-by-step explanation:
Patronage is the act of hiring or using state resources in a partisan manner to reward political support. It was prevalent in the United States during the 19th century, famously known as the spoils system. An example of patronage would be appointing a friend to a political position, which is likely an act of giving advantages to supporters or loyal members of the political party in power.
This definition aligns with the historical context of various presidents practicing patronage by appointing friends and supporters to various political posts as seen in the administrations of Presidents such as Andrew Jackson and Ulysses S. Grant.
During the rise of centralized party politics in the 1820s, many thousands of party loyalists were appointed to bureaucratic offices as political patronage.
This system of patronage was criticized for undermining merit-based appointments and after scandals and criticism, led to the adoption of civil service reforms such as the Pendleton Act of 1883 that sought to curtail such practices and push towards hiring government officials based on their merit instead of political connections or contributions. Option d