Which reform act described as establishing a merit-based civil service system at the federal level?

Which reform act described as establishing a merit-based civil service system at the federal level?

• A. Created a merit-based civil service system at the federal level
• B. Ended all segregation laws in the U.S.
• C. Granted women the right to vote
• D. Established the first federal income tax

Answer: (A)

This is about moving federal hiring from political patronage to merit-based qualifications. The reform described created a system where many federal jobs were awarded based on competitive exams and proven ability, rather than who you knew or political connections. It established the Civil Service structure to oversee appointments and protect hiring decisions from political manipulation, a major shift toward professionalism in government. That shift is what makes this option the best fit. The other choices refer to different reforms—ending segregation, granting women’s suffrage, and creating the federal income tax—not to how federal hiring was handled.

This is about moving federal hiring from political patronage to merit-based qualifications. The reform described created a system where many federal jobs were awarded based on competitive exams and proven ability, rather than who you knew or political connections. It established the Civil Service structure to oversee appointments and protect hiring decisions from political manipulation, a major shift toward professionalism in government. That shift is what makes this option the best fit.

The other choices refer to different reforms—ending segregation, granting women’s suffrage, and creating the federal income tax—not to how federal hiring was handled.