Progressive Era Flashcards

Trust

A group of corporations run by a single board of directors. A trust is a large, powerful company designed not to look like a single corporation.

Monopoly

A company with near total control in an industry

Laissez-faire government

French term. Means “To Let Alone" or “Let Do” or “Hands Off” government. Limited government Individuals and businesses have freedom to do what they choose.

Capitalism

A money-based economic system in which private citizens own and control property and the forces of supply and demand freely set prices. (Free Enterprise System)

Socialism

More government involvement to regulate the economy + society

Bureaucracy

large government or organization with many departments + agencies which can become complicated + inefficient

Muckrakers

worked to inform the public about problems of the time

Political Machine

An organization that controls + manipulates politics heartlessly + efficiently

Tammany Hall

A political machine + an organization run by Boss Tweed. Helped urban poor + befriended them, in return the urban poor votes for whoever Boss Tweed wants them to, people pay him to make others vote for them. He gets money, information, favors, etc.

Standard Oil

A business trust founded by John. D. Rockefeller which grew into a large monopoly that controlled nearly all U.S. oil production, refining, marketing, and transportation.

Women’s Suffrage

The fight to secure women the right to vote in national and local elections. The 19th Amendment was passed in 1920 which gave women the right to vote.

Temperance movement

It advocated for the reduction or the elimination of alcohol consumption. Often driven by religious groups and women. Sought to address problems like abuse and domestic violence which was blamed on alcohol.

Reform

Making changes to something (usually political, economic, or social) in order to improve it.

Uprising of the 20,000

In 1909, over 20,000 immigrants, mostly young women, launched a strike against the triangle shirtwaist factory that lasted 11 weeks. It was the largest strike by women in American history.

Triangle factory fire

In New York on March 25, 1911 there was a fire in the triangle shirtwaist factory that killed 146 workers. A cigarette dropped to the ground starting the fire and since all the doors were locked there were hardly any ways to escape. There were no sprinkler system and the fire escapes collapsed.

Thomas Nast

He was a muckraker and focused on political corruption (Boss Tweed). He was a political cartoonist + artist. He successfully got Tweed arrested.

Lincoln Steffens

He was an author and wrote the book “The Shame of the Students” which is about political machines.

Jacob Riis

He was a reporter/author who wrote the book “How the Other Half Lives” which is about tenements, poverty, poor people, etc.

Ida Tarbell

She was an author who wrote the book “The History of the Standard Oil Company” which was about abusive monopolies specifically the Standard Oil Company.

Lewis Hine

Photographer that targets the problems of child labor.

Upton Sinclair

He was an author and wrote a book called “The Jungle” which was about the truth behind meat packing. He worked as a meat packer undercover just to see how it was like. He wrote about what he saw.

Theodore Roosevelt

He became the president after William McKinley got assassinated. He was known for being a strong leader who fought against big monopolies/trusts + worked to protect consumers and workers. This made many people like him as a president

William “Boss” Tweed

Owner of Tammany Hall

John D. Rockefeller

He refined in oil, he was the most wealthy American

Adam Smith

A Scottish economist/author who wrote a book called “An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth and Nations. He is considered the father of modern economics.

18th Amendment

Prohibition - ban on alcohol (1920-1933). Only Amendment that got repealed (by 21st).

Why was alcohol banned?

Alcohol abuse was perceived as immoral and un-Christian, women hated it because there was a connection between alcohol abuse and domestic abuse and women were traditionally excluded from bars where many political discussions took place.

19th Amendment

Gave women the right to vote

Sherman Antitrust Act

1890 - banned abusive monopolies/trusts

Clayton Antitrust Act

1914 - passed to stop unfair business practices and protect competition. It made it illegal for companies to form monopolies. It also helped protect workers and labor unions.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

monitors business practices + business mergers

Civil Service Act

1883 - Also known as the Pendleton Act, created civil service commission to ensure hiring and promotions for government jobs are based on merit (being deserving of/qualifications)

Pure Food and Drug Act

1906 - food and medicine labels must accurately list ingredients

Meat Inspection Act

1906 - It required the government to check meat to make sure that it is clean and safe to eat