Merit system social mobility. After the fall of the Han Dynasty, the nine-rank system was established during the Three Kingdoms period. The concept of a merit system spread from China to British India during the 17th century, and then into continental Europe. The United States civil service began to run on the spoils system in 1829 when Andrew Jackson became president. The assassination of United States President James A. Garfield by a disappointed office seeker in 1881 proved its dangers. President Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau who believed that the president owed him a civil service position and in not
The Fifth Assassin The Fifth Assassin The Fifth Assassin is a novel written by Brad Meltzer which follows the adventures of archivist Beecher White as he discovers a connection linking the four successful presidential assassins with a modern-day killer who is recreating their crimes. According to WorldCat, the book is in 1887 libraries More than two-dozen would-be assassins have targeted Presidents of the United States. Only four were successful: John Wilkes Booth, Charles J. Guiteau, Leon Czolgosz, and Lee Harvey Oswald. Archivist Beecher White - hero of the #1 New York Times bestseller "The Inner Circle" - uncovers a new assassin in Washington,