History

Progressives

Individuals who sought to address social issues and improve conditions for Americans.

Corrupt Politicians

Politicians who accepted bribes and kickbacks, undermining the integrity of governance.

Boss Tweed

Head of NYC's democratic political machine in the 1860s and 1870s, known for corruption.

Thomas Nast

Cartoonist who exposed Boss Tweed's corruption through his illustrations in Harper's Weekly.

Pendleton Act of 1883

Legislation that established a Civil Service Commission to implement competitive examinations for federal jobs.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890

First federal law aimed at curtailing trusts and monopolies, promoting competition.

Oligopoly

Market structure where a few large companies control prices within an industry.

Interstate Commerce Act of 1887

Law requiring railroads to charge reasonable rates and publish those rates.

Tariffs

Taxes on imported goods, which were raised in 1890 to protect American businesses.

Socialists

Advocates for collective ownership of a nation's resources and major industries by the government.

Eugene V. Debs

Founding member of the American Socialist Party and five-time presidential candidate.

Muckrakers

Journalists who exposed corruption and societal issues through investigative reporting.

Upton Sinclair

Author of 'The Jungle,' which revealed the unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.

Meat Inspection Act of 1906

Legislation aimed at ensuring sanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.

Pure Food and Drug Act

Law requiring accurate labeling of food and drugs to protect consumers.

Initiative

Process allowing citizens to place a measure or issue on the ballot in state elections.

Referendum

Process empowering voters to approve or reject a measure made by the state legislature.

Recall

Procedure enabling voters to remove elected officials from office before their term ends.

17th Amendment

Constitutional amendment providing for the direct election of U.S. Senators.

Civil Service Act

Law aimed at reforming government employment practices for greater integrity.

William McKinley

President who was assassinated in 1901, leading to Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.

Theodore Roosevelt

26th president known for his progressive reforms and trust-busting efforts.

Square Deal

Roosevelt's policy promoting fairness and equal treatment for all citizens.

Trust Buster

Term used to describe Roosevelt for his efforts to regulate and break up monopolies.

United Mine Workers

Labor union that went on strike for better wages and working conditions.

Arbitration

Process of resolving disputes by accepting the decision of an impartial third party.

Conservation

Efforts aimed at protecting and preserving natural resources.

National Park System

System establishing parks and natural reserves to protect the environment.

William Howard Taft

Roosevelt's chosen successor who continued progressive reforms.

16th Amendment

Constitutional amendment allowing federal income tax to generate revenue.

Primaries

Elections held to determine candidates for general elections.

Bull Moose Party

Progressive party founded by Roosevelt in 1912.

Election of 1912

Presidential election where Woodrow Wilson defeated the Republicans and Progressives.

Woodrow Wilson

Democratic president known for his New Freedom domestic policy.

Federal Reserve Act of 1913

Legislation creating the Federal Reserve System to regulate banking.

Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914

Established the FTC to investigate and regulate unfair business practices.

Clayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914

Strengthened Sherman Anti-Trust Act by clarifying illegal business practices.

White Protestants

Dominant demographic in the U.S. during the late 1800s, often resisting change.

Discrimination

Unfair treatment of individuals based on race, religion, or ethnicity.

Anti-Catholicism

Prejudice against Catholics, driven by fears about immigration and influence.

Anti-Semitism

Hostility or discrimination against Jews, prevalent in American society.

New Immigrants

Groups that arrived in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often facing discrimination.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

Federal law restricting Chinese immigration to the U.S.

Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907

Agreement to limit Japanese immigration to the U.S..

Anti-Asian Policies

Laws discriminating against Asian immigrants, particularly Japanese.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Supreme Court case that established the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Ku Klux Klan

White supremacist group that re-emerged in the early 20th century.

Lynching

Public killing of individuals, often African Americans, as a means of racial control.

Women's Suffrage

Movement advocating for women's right to vote.

Suffragists

Individuals advocating for women's voting rights.

19th Amendment

Constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote, ratified in 1920.

Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)

Organization advocating for the prohibition of alcohol.

Frances Willard

Leader of the WCTU, campaigning for temperance and women's rights.

Prohibition

Legal prevention of the sale and consumption of alcohol in the U.S. starting in 1920.