what was the key characteristic that determined who received ...

[Hungry!]

I need help in my history homework, what was the key characteristic that determined who received government jobs under the spoil system?

[aero]

Loyalty to the party that won the election . That is helping in some way to get the party's candidates elected . The system , however , became corrupt and devolved into payment of bribes to get jobs and outright extortion to receive promotions . Read about the excesses of the NY city democrat party in the late 1890's through the 1930's the Tamany Hall period .