Unit 3 HOA

civil service reform

Efforts to end government corruption by replacing the 'spoils system' with hiring and promotion based on merit, often through competitive exams.

'New Nationalism'

Theodore Roosevelt’s 1912 progressive political platform that emphasized federal regulation of business, social justice, and protecting human welfare over property rights.

constituents

The people who are represented by an elected official; citizens in a politician’s district or state.

Progressive (Bull Moose) Party

A political party formed by Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 after splitting from the Republicans; supported progressive reforms such as women’s suffrage, labor rights, and stricter regulation of corporations.

direct election

A system in which voters, rather than state legislatures or other intermediaries, directly choose their representatives.

recall

A process that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before the end of their term through a special election.

direct primary

An election in which voters directly choose a party’s candidates for the general election instead of party leaders making the selection.

referendum

A process in which a proposed law is placed on the ballot for citizens to vote on directly.

initiative

A process that allows citizens to propose laws or constitutional amendments by petition, which can then be voted on directly.

segregation

The enforced separation of people based on race, often referring to laws and practices that kept African Americans and whites apart in public spaces.

lynching

The illegal killing of a person, usually by a mob, often by hanging, historically targeting African Americans in the U.S. South.

settlement houses

Community centers established in urban areas that provided services like education, childcare, and healthcare to immigrants and the poor.

muckrakers

Journalists in the Progressive Era who exposed corruption, social injustices, and abuses of power in government and business.

Social Gospel Movement

A religious movement of the late 1800s–early 1900s that applied Christian ethics to social issues, emphasizing helping the poor, fighting injustice, and promoting reform.

municipal

Related to a city or town government.

'Square Deal'

Theodore Roosevelt’s domestic program that focused on fairness for workers, businesses, and consumers, emphasizing control of corporations, consumer protection, and conservation of natural resources.

NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)

Founded in 1909, a civil rights organization that works to eliminate racial discrimination and ensure political, educational, social, and economic equality.

Temperance Movement

A social movement that advocated limiting or banning the consumption of alcoholic beverages, eventually leading to Prohibition.

National Park System

The federally managed system of protected lands, parks, and monuments in the U.S. created to preserve natural and historic areas for public use and conservation.

third parties

Political parties outside the two major ones (Democratic and Republican) that often focus on specific issues or represent protest movements.

'New Freedom'

Woodrow Wilson’s progressive program that aimed to limit big business and government power, restore economic opportunity, and support small businesses.

vocational training

Education and instruction designed to prepare individuals for specific trades, jobs, or careers.