progressivism

Congressional Union

• radical organization formed in 1913 by Alice Paul

• staged militant protests for a suffrage amendment

Bull Moose Party

nickname of the Progressives in the election of 1912

muckraker

• journalist that exposes political graft

• writing influenced public opinion

initiative

proposal of new law on a ballot

referendum

allows citizens chance to approve or reject law

recall

procedure for the removal of public officials

NAWSA (National American Woman Suffrage Association)

formed in 1890 to secure women’s right to vote

Clayton Antitrust Act

• passed to strengthen the Sherman antitrust act of 1890

• stated that labor unions were not monopolies

• legalized unions & prevented courts from issuing injunctions

Federal Trade Commission

set up to enforce the Clayton Act & business regulation

direct primary

election in which all citizens vote in order to select nominees

injunction

court order prohibiting certain activities

holding company

firm that buys up stocks & bonds of smaller companies

New Nationalism

Theodore Roosevelt’s plan

municipal

relating to the city

home rule

system that gives cities a limited role of self-government

Progressive Era

• 1890-1920

• reformers wanted to make the gov. responsive to needs of citizens (expand its power, more efficiency, less corruption)

• wanted to curb power of wealthy interests

social welfare program

included unemployment benefits, health benefits, & social security benefits

Sherman Antitrust Act

outlawed monopolies & unfair business practices

United States Forest Service

created to manage nation’s water & timber resources

Meat Inspection Act

required federal inspection of meat processing to ensure clean conditions

Pure Food & Drug Act

outlawed dishonest labeling of food & drugs

Department of Labor

created to promote welfare of working people

conservationist

people who work to protect natural resources

Federal Reserve System

• network of federal banks that hold deposits from national ones

• money is used to increase credit supply when necessary

civil disobedience

nonviolent refusal to obey a law to change it

During the Progressive Era, many city governments took over ___.

gas & electric companies

On a federal level, President Theodore Roosevelt worked to protect ___.

the environment

In the 1912 presidential election, Roosevelt was nominated by the ___.

Progressive Party

President Wilson supported reforms that gave more power to ___.

labor unions

In which section of the country did states first give voting rights to women?

the West

Many Americans began to support the women’s suffrage as a result of the ___.

important roles played by women during WWI

Jacob Riis

• “How the Other Half Lives”

• exposed the dire living conditions of the poor in New York City's slums.

• one of the first to use flash photography

Ida B. Wells

• Led anti-lynching (anti-hanging) crusades to expose & document racial violence in order to raise national awareness

Ida Tarbell

• The History of the Standard Oil Company (1904)

• dismantled standard oil by highlighting their absolute power & corruption (John D. Rockefeller)

Lewis Hine

• documented child labor between 1908 and 1924 while working for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC).

• photographs exposed the exploitative conditions faced by children working in factories, mines, and fields

Lincoln Steffens

• "The Shame of the Cities"

• exposed rampant political corruption in major American cities

• detailed how politicians in these cities worked with business leaders to rig elections, exploit public resources, and enrich themselves at the expense of the public

Robert LaFollette

• introduced what came to be known as the "Wisconsin Idea"

• reforms included:

  • Direct primary elections to allow voters to choose party candidates directly.

  • Tax reform that required corporations to pay their fair share of taxes.

  • Regulation of railroads and other public utilities to prevent monopolistic practices

Mary Harris "Mother" Jones

• organized strikes, rallies, and protests across the country, often in dangerous conditions

• called for better wages, safer working conditions, and the right to unionize.

• Founder of social democratic party in 1898

• Used the slogan ”join the union, boys” in order to cause more involvement on part with men;

Jane Addams 

• In 1889, Addams and her colleague Ellen Gates Starr co-founded Hull House in Chicago.

• Hull House was a settlement house that sought to provide social services and education to the urban poor, particularly immigrants.

• offered programs like kindergartens, daycare, vocational classes, and cultural enrichment activities, as well as services like legal aid and healthcare.

Eugene V. Debs 

• helped found the Socialist Party of America and became its most prominent spokesman.

• advocated for workers' rights, public ownership of major industries, and reforms aimed at improving the lives of working-class Americans.

Edward Bellamy 

• Looking Backward, utopian science fiction novel that envisions a future society in the year 2000 where poverty, crime, and inequality have been eliminated.

• inspired the formation of "Nationalist Clubs" across the United States, with members advocating for political and economic reforms based on the ideas presented in Looking Backward.

Henry George 

• “Progress & Poverty” emphasized capitalism = more poor people

• Proposed idea of single tax (property is taxed itself)

• Believed that land should be used as resources for the public & that money could be made off the land

• Was the predecessor for muckraking by shining the light on the problem of capitalism

Theodore Roosevelt 

• earned the nickname “Trust-Buster” for his efforts to break up large monopolies and restore competition in the marketplace

• pushed for stronger government regulation of industries through measures like the Hepburn Act (1906)

• passionate conservationist, believing in the responsible use of the nation’s natural resources for both economic and recreational purposes

Square Deal (Roosevelt)

• Control of corporations: Addressing unfair practices and monopolies through trust-busting and regulation.

• Consumer protection: Enacting laws to ensure the safety and quality of goods, particularly in the food and drug industries.

• Conservation of natural resources: Promoting sustainable use of natural resources and protecting public lands for future generations.

William Howard Taft

• supported the establishment of the Department of Labor in 1913, aimed to address labor issues

• advocated for an eight-hour workday for federal employees

• supported legislation that provided for the safety and welfare of workers in hazardous occupations.

• enforced the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act

• established the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Woodrow Wilson 

• aimed to promote competition and eliminate monopolies.

• Underwood Tariff Act (1913): significantly lowered tariff rates

• Federal Reserve Act (1913): established the Federal Reserve System.

• Federal Trade Commission Act (1914): establishment of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

• Clayton Antitrust Act (1914): strengthened earlier antitrust laws by prohibiting specific anti-competitive practices and protecting labor unions and farm organizations from being prosecuted as monopolies.

Gifford Pinchot 

• appointed as the first chief of the United States Forest Service (USFS)

• championed the idea of conservation

• emphasized the responsible management and sustainable use of natural resources rather than complete preservation.

• believed that forests should be managed for multiple uses, including timber production, recreation, and wildlife habitat.

Alice Paul

• in 1912, Paul and Burns joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)

• In January 1917, Paul and over 1,000 “Silent Sentinels” began eighteen months of picketing the White House

• police arrested them on the flimsy charge of obstructing traffic

• Paul was sentenced to jail for seven months, where she organized a hunger strike in protest.

Lucy Burns

• In 1917, Burns and other suffragists were arrested for picketing the White House.

• While imprisoned, they were subjected to harsh treatment, and Burns participated in a hunger strike to protest the conditions and demand better treatment for suffragists.

Booker T. Washington

• became one of the most influential African American leaders of his time, advising Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

• He founded the National Negro Business League in 1900, which aimed to promote the economic development of African Americans and encourage entrepreneurship.

Hepburn Act 

• allowed the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to establish maximum rates that railroads could charge for transporting goods and passengers.

• ICC could also require railroads to keep detailed records of their rates and operations, increasing transparency and accountability.

16th Amendment

• gave Congress the power to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on the U.S. Census.

• wealthier citizens would pay a higher percentage of their income, providing a more equitable tax system.

17th Amendment

• established the direct election of U.S. Senators by the people of each state.

• made the U.S. government more democratic and helped to curb corruption

18th Amendment

• prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States.

• initiated Prohibition

19th Amendment

granted women the right to vote by prohibiting any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex