Progressive Era and Gilded Age Practice Flashcards

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering the Gilded Age, Progressive reforms, key muckrakers, and early 20th-century legislation based on lecture notes.

Referendum

A way for people to vote directly on a proposed new law.

Initiatives

A process that allows voters to put a bill before a state legislature, which is proposed through collecting a certain number of signatures.

16th Amendment

A progressive constitutional amendment that gave congress power to pass income tax.

17th Amendment

A progressive constitutional amendment that gave direct election of senators.

The Wisconsin idea

Lead by one of the first states to adopt progressive reforms and oppose political bosses.

Primary election

An election where voters choose their party candidate; Wisconsin was the first state to adopt a primary run by state officials.

Gilded Age

A period described as the glitter of American society that had serious problems, also known as a "gold covered poop."

Muckraker

A crusading journalist.

Ida Tarbell

A muckraker whose work led to demands for control on trust.

Jacob Rees

A muckraker who provided images of slum life.

Abjin Sinclair

A muckraker who revealed food troubles and uncleanliness by making The jungle book.

Reformers

People who vote to remove an elected official from office.

Progressives

A diverse group of reforms united by a belief in the public interests.

City bosses

Popular leaders with the poor who provided help in return for goods or political support.

William Tweed

Also known as Boss Tweed, he cheated New York City out of $100,000,000$ and died in jail after fleeing to Spain.

Sherman Antitrust Act

A law that prohibited business is from trying to limit or destroy competition or monopoly.

Interstate Commerce Act

Signed by president Grover Cleveland, it set up the Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee railroads.

Interstate commerce

Trade that crosses state lines.

James Garfield

President whose assassination sparked efforts to end the spoils system after he was shot by someone he did not give a job to.

Civil service

A system that includes most government jobs except elected position, judiciary, and military.

Spoil system

The practice of rewarding political supporters with government jobs.