Chester Alan Arthur: The American Presidents Series: The 21st President, 1881-1885

Chester Alan Arthur was a successful lawyer and prominent figure in Gilded Age society who unexpectedly became president. After being forced out as head of the Custom House of the Port of New York in 1877 during a Republican Party power struggle, Arthur gained such prominence that he was nominated for vice president in 1880 despite never having held elected office before. Arthur was elected vice president alongside James A. Garfield. Four months into their term, an assassin killed Garfield, making Arthur president. The assassin was motivated by the corrupt "spoils system" of federal job patronage. Despite having benefited from this system throughout his career, Arthur recognized the need for reform. In the winter of 1882-83, Arthur successfully pushed through the Pendleton Act, which established a professional civil service and initiated broader governmental reforms in subsequent decades. Though largely forgotten today, Arthur demonstrated unexpected leadership when circumstances thrust him into the presidency.