The Teapot Dome scandal of the 1920s demonstrated to Americans that the oil industry could wield great power and influence government policy to the point of outright corruption. The scandal, which played out on newspaper front pages and in silent newsreel films, seemed to create a template for later scandals.
Blatant corruption was discovered, denials were made, hearings were held on Capitol Hill, and all the time reporters and photographers swarmed the scene. By the time it was over, some of the characters stood trial and were convicted. Yet the system changed very little.
The story of Teapot Dome was essentially the tale of an unqualified and inept president, surrounded by larcenous underlings. An unusual cast of characters took power in Washington following the turbulence of World War I, and Americans who thought they were returning to normal life instead found themselves following a saga of thievery and deception.
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