Progessive Era

Muckrakers

investigative journalists, writers, and photographers who exposed societal problems

Election of 1904

Republican Teddy Roosevelt vs. Democrat Alton B. Parker

Election of 1908

Republican William Howard Taft vs. Democrat William Jennings Bryan

Theodore Roosevelt

was a Republican but didn’t fall into the charcteristics of a Republican, morals aligned more with the beliefs of the Populist party

16th amendment

Gave the federal government the right to levy an income tax

17th amendment

Gave the power to people in the states, they would elect the

Senators instead of them being appointed by the state

legislatures like they had originally been under the

original text in the Constitution

18th amendment

Prohibition – no making, selling, or purchasing alcohol. (Though consuming or private possession was not mentioned)

19th amendment

The government cannot deny the right to vote based on gender

New nationalism

idealogies of T. Roosevelt’s Bull Moose party; direct election of senators, advocated for women’s suffrage, workmen’s compensation, and an 8 hour workday.

election of 1912

Won by socialist democrat Woodrow Wilson

Bull Moose Party

another name for the progressive party gained while Roosevelt was running for a third term

Progressive party characteristics

was a third party, they had the belief that an active, robust federal government must regulate big business and protect vulnerable citizens from the excesses of unregulated capitalism.

progressivism

a political philosophy and movement that seeks to advance the human condition through social, economic, and political reform.

Jacob Riis

wrote How the Other Half lives, used photograpght to show terrible living conditions in urban slums

Meat Inspection Act

required federal inspection of meatpacking plants. Laws were strongly influenced by reactions to The Jungle.

Upton Sinclair

Muckraker, wrote The Jungle, about unsafe meatpacking factories

Ida Tarbell

Muckraker, investigated monopolies like Standard Oil

Lincoln Steffans

Muckraker, wrote about competition in city governments, The Shame of the Cities

Pure food and Drug Act (1906)

prevented the sale of unsafe food and medicine by prohibiting the interstate transport of adulterated and misbranded goods

Muller V. Oregon

supreme court case that upheld laws limiting women’s work hours, supported the idea that government could protect workers

The Square Deal

control of cooperations, consumer protection, conservation of natural resources, create fairness between big businesses and small businesses.

The Coal Strike (1902)

about 140,000 workers went on strike, workers wanted increase, shorter workday wanted (8-9h instead of 10).

Elkins Act

stopped railroads from giving rebates, strengthed the ICC

Hepburn Act

strengthed the ICC, restricted railroad passes, allowed the ICC to set maximum railroad rates

Interstate Commerence Comission

created to regulate the railroads but by the early 1900s was weak and ineffective; Roosevelt wanted to make it stronger

Northern Securites Case

the railroad monopoly was created by J.P Morgan and James Hill, Roosevelt sued the company under the Sherman Antitrust Act

Sherman Antitrust Act

outlaws monopolies and gives small businesses a fair chance

Clayton Anti-Trust Act

1 company could not buy stocks in a competing company, a person could not serve on board of 2 competing company at the same time, unions, farm groups could not be declared illegal or persecuted under it

new freedom

Woodrow Wilson’s 1912 presidential campaign platform and subsequent domestic policy agenda, aiming to promote economic reform and restore competition by breaking up corporate monopolies (trusts), reducing tariffs, and regulating banking

federal trade comission

designed to investigate businesses and stop unfair trade practices

federal reserve act

the foundational U.S. law that established the Federal Reserve System as the central bank of the United States.

Robert LaFollete

led the progressive movement, proposed the Wisconsin idea that university research and education should positively impact people's lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom

Ballinger-Pinchot Affair

scandal between President Taft’s adminstration and Roosevelt’s adminstration, argued over conservation and said that some people in the government cared more about big business than conservation

Payne-Aldrich tarrif

a highly protective measure passed by the U.S. Congress that initially aimed to lower tariffs but ultimately raised or maintained high rates on many imported goods, signed by Taft