Final answer:
The Civil Service Act of 1883 aimed to pattern government hiring after merit-based business practices, creating the Civil Service Commission to implement a professional civil service system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Civil Service Act of 1883, commonly known as the Pendleton Act, attempted to reform government hiring practices by patterning them after merit-based systems typical of business practices, rather than the spoils system which had been influenced by political patronage. Through this transformative legislation, the law established the Civil Service Commission with the responsibility of enforcing a merit system, where government jobs were filled based on ability and qualifications, demonstrated by competitive examinations. The act marked a significant step towards a professional civil service, laying the groundwork for the creative bureaucracy that followed.