This week we look at Chester Arthur, a man many Americans never expected to become a successful president. After the assassination of James A. Garfield, Arthur entered the White House under a cloud of suspicion, with critics fearing he represented everything wrong with politics at the time. Instead, he surprised the nation by championing civil service reform and helping reshape the federal government through the landmark Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. Did Arthur struggle in his new role, or did he leave behind one of the most unexpected redemption stories in presidential history?

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