William M. Tweed begins his tenure at Tammany Hall

Background. Tammany Hall, founded in 1786, was a prominent political organization in New York. In 1857, the organization withdrew support for Fernando Wood following riots, scandals, and economic panic, leading to his electoral loss. This instability created a leadership vacuum that William M. Tweed filled in 1858, shifting the organization's direction toward a more centralized and corruptible structure.

Leadership Transition. Fernando Wood departed Tammany Hall in 1858, allowing William M. Tweed to succeed him as grand sachem. This change in leadership coincided with Tweed's election to the New York County Board of Supervisors. The board became a primary vehicle for his influence, enabling him to consolidate power within the political machine and expand operations into city governance.

Consolidation of Power. In 1858 Tweed was appointed to the New York County Board of Supervisors, a twelve-member body that became his first vehicle for large-scale graft. Tweed and other supervisors forced vendors to pay a 15% overcharge to their ring in order to do business with the city. Over the course of his tenure, through explicit involvement or implicit permission, his operations expanded into practically every aspect of city and state governance.