Gilded Age & Progressive Era: Unit 7A

16. Populists (People’s Party)

Farmers said “the system is rigged” 🌾😤.
Formed in the 1890s to fight for farmers and working people. Wanted free silver, government control of railroads, direct election of senators, and more democracy. Basically anti-big business, pro-regular people.

17. William Jennings Bryan

The dramatic speech king of free silver 🎤🔥.
Democrat who supported bimetallism (gold + silver). Ran for president in 1896. Super popular with farmers, but business people were terrified of him.

18. William McKinley

Pro-business, pro-gold standard president 💰.
Won the Election of 1896. Supported high tariffs and big industry. Led the U.S. during the Spanish-American War and expanded American imperialism.

19. “Cross of Gold” Speech (1896)

Bryan’s most iconic moment 🎭.
He said Americans shouldn’t be “crucified on a cross of gold” — meaning the gold standard hurt farmers. The speech secured him the Democratic nomination.

20. Muckrakers

Journalists who exposed corruption and social problems 📰🔍.
They wrote about unsafe food, political corruption, monopolies, and poverty. Their goal = make the public mad enough to demand reform.

21. Jacob Riis

Took pictures of NYC slums 📸.
Wrote How the Other Half Lives to show how poor immigrants were living. Helped push urban reform.

22. Lincoln Steffens

Exposed city corruption 🏛.
Wrote about political machines in The Shame of the Cities.

23. Ida Tarbell

Took down Standard Oil 💥.
Exposed Rockefeller’s monopoly practices. Helped build support for trustbusting.

24. Progressive Movement

Middle-class reformers trying to fix America 🛠.
Wanted safer food, less corruption, women’s rights, labor protections, and more democracy. Basically: reform capitalism, don’t destroy it.

25. Initiative, Referendum, Recall

More power to voters 🗳.

• Initiative = citizens propose laws

• Referendum = vote on laws

• Recall = remove officials

Direct democracy era unlocked.

26. 17th Amendment (1913)

Senators are now elected directly by the people 🏛➡🗳.
Before this, state legislatures chose them.

27. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (1911)

Factory fire in NYC killed 146 workers (mostly immigrant women) 🔥.
Doors were locked. Safety was nonexistent. Led to major labor reforms.

28. TR’s Square Deal

Roosevelt’s fairness doctrine ⚖.
3 C’s: Control corporations, Consumer protection, Conservation.

29. TR the Trustbuster

He actually enforced the Sherman Antitrust Act 💪.
Broke up “bad trusts” but believed some big businesses were okay if regulated.

30. Meat Inspection Act (1906)

Government inspects meatpacking plants 🥩👀.
Passed after public outrage from The Jungle.

31. Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

No more mystery chemicals in your medicine 💊🚫.
Required proper labeling and federal inspection.

32. The Jungle – The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Exposed nasty meatpacking conditions 🤢.
Sinclair wanted to highlight worker exploitation, but Americans focused on the gross meat. Accidentally triggered food reform laws.

33. Preservationists vs. Conservationists

Environmental debate 🌲.

• Preservationists = protect nature completely (no human use)

• Conservationists = use resources wisely (TR’s side)

34. William Howard Taft

TR’s handpicked successor… who lowkey disappointed him 😭.
Taft was more conservative than Roosevelt expected. He continued trustbusting (actually busted more trusts than TR 👀), but he supported high tariffs and fired conservationist officials, which made Progressives mad.

Result?
The Republican Party split in 1912 because TR felt betrayed and ran against him.

Fun fact: Taft later became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court — the only person to be both president AND Chief Justice. Multitasking king.

35. Dollar Diplomacy

Policy under William Howard Taft 💵.
Encouraged American investment abroad to expand influence instead of using military force. Spoiler: sometimes still needed troops.

36. Election of 1912

Four-way chaos election 🗳😵.
Taft (Republican), TR (Progressive), Wilson (Democrat), Debs (Socialist).
Republicans split → Wilson wins.

37. Bull Moose Party

Roosevelt’s Progressive Party 🫎.
Named after TR saying he felt “strong as a bull moose.” Supported women’s suffrage, regulation, and social welfare programs.

38. Eugene V. Debs

Socialist candidate in 1912 🌹.
Wanted worker rights and government ownership of major industries.