Progressive Era

Roots of Progressiveness

the negative effects of industrialization triggered the political movement of progressiveness, which aimed to address its negative consequences

Progressives

diverse group of reformers active primarily from the 1890s to 1920s who sought to address social, political, and economic problems

Intiative

process that allows citizens to bypass their state legislative and propose new statues or constitutional amendments

Direct Primary

a form of election in which voters directly choose a political party’s candidates for office

Muckrackers

investigative journalists of the Progressive Era who exposed corruption and social injustices

Suffrage

The right to vote

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

prominent leader of women’s right movement in the 19th century and an early advocate for women’s suffrage

Triangle Shritwaist Factory Fire

incident in NYC where a factory fire killed 146 workers, who were unable to escape due to lack of safety measures

Carry Nation

a radical temperance reformer known for smashing saloons with hatchets to protest alcohol consumption

Susan B. Anthony

prominent American women’s right activist and suffragist

Recall

is a political procedure that allows citizens to remove an elected official from office before the term is over

Prohibtion

nationwide constitutional ban on the production sale, and transport of alcoholic beverages

Lobbying

the act of attempting to influence government decision making

Referendum

a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct direction

Jane Addams (20 yrs at Hull House)

autobiographical account describing the founding an development of Hull-House (a settlement house to serve immigrants and the urban poor)

Lincoln Steffens (Shame on Cities)

Reports on the workings of corrupt political machines in several major cities in the U.S

Jacob Riis (How the other half lives)

exposed the dire living conditions of the urban poor and slums in NYC, aiming to shock the public and drive social reform

Upton Sinclair (The Jungle)

exposed the appalling working conditions in the meat packing industry