USH Progressive Era

Laissez-Faire

- Economic policy where the government stays out of business and the economy, allowing companies to operate freely with little regulation.

Monopoly

- A situation where one company controls an entire industry, limiting competition and often raising prices.

Labor Union

- An organized group of workers that negotiate with employers for better wages, hours, and working conditions.

Knights of Labor

- A labor union founded in 1869 that included most workers (skilled and unskilled) and aimed to create one large unified labor organization.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

- A labor union led by Samuel Gompers that focused on skilled workers and improving wages, hours, and working conditions.

American Railway Union (ARU)

- A union led by Eugene V. Debs that united railroad workers regardless of job type.

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

- A radical labor union that aimed to unite all workers into one group and challenge capitalism.

Collective Bargaining

- The process where workers negotiate as a group with employers over wages, hours, and conditions.

Strike

- When workers stop working to force employers to meet their demands.

Haymarket Riot

- A violent labor protest in Chicago that turned deadly and hurt the public image of unions.

Homestead Strike

- A major steel workers' strike that turned violent and showed tensions between labor and big business.

McCormick Grain Binder

- New farming technology that increased productivity and led to more food production and lower crop prices.

Grange

- An organization that helped farmers work together to improve their economic conditions.

Farmers' Alliance

- A group that united farmers to fight against high railroad rates and low crop prices.

Populist Party

- A political party formed by farmers and workers that pushed for economic reforms and government regulation.

Omaha Platform

- The Populist Party's list of demands, including free silver, government control of railroads, and direct election of senators.

Know-Nothing Party

- A nativist political party that opposed immigration and favored native-born Americans.

Nativism

- The belief that native-born citizens should have more rights than immigrants.

Progressivism

- A reform movement aimed at solving economic, social, and political problems caused by industrialization.

Muckraker

- A journalist who exposed corruption, unsafe conditions, and social problems to promote reform.

Jacob Riis

- A muckraker who exposed poor living conditions in urban tenements through photography and writing.

Jane Addams

- A reformer who founded Hull House to help immigrants with housing, education, and social services.

Upton Sinclair

- A writer who exposed unsafe conditions in the meatpacking industry in his book The Jungle.

Ida Tarbell

- A journalist who exposed the unfair practices of Standard Oil and helped break up the monopoly.

Ida B. Wells

- An activist who fought against lynching and worked to raise awareness about racial violence.

Margaret Sanger

- A reformer who advocated for women's reproductive rights and access to birth control.

W.E.B. Du Bois

- A civil rights leader who founded the NAACP and pushed for immediate equality for African Americans.

Secret Ballot

- A voting system that ensures privacy so voters cannot be pressured or influenced.

Initiative

- A process that allows citizens to propose laws directly.

Referendum

- A process where voters can approve or reject laws passed by the legislature.

Recall

- A process that allows voters to remove an elected official from office.

Direct Primary

- An election where voters choose candidates instead of party leaders.

16th Amendment

- Allowed the federal government to collect income taxes.

17th Amendment

- Established the direct election of U.S. Senators by voters.

18th Amendment

- Banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol (Prohibition).

19th Amendment

- Granted women the right to vote.

Wabash v. Illinois

- Supreme Court case that limited states' ability to regulate interstate commerce, leading to federal regulation.

Interstate Commerce Act

- A law that regulated railroad rates and practices.

Sherman Antitrust Act

- A law that allowed the federal government to break up monopolies and trusts.

Northern Securities v. United States

- Supreme Court case that broke up a railroad monopoly, strengthening antitrust laws.

Square Deal -

Theodore Roosevelt's program that aimed to ensure fairness for workers, consumers, and businesses.

Trust-Buster -

A nickname for Roosevelt because he used laws to break up monopolies.

1902 Coal Miners Strike

- A major strike where Roosevelt stepped in to negotiate, resulting in better pay and hours for workers.

Meat Inspection Act -

Law requiring government inspection of meat to ensure safety.

Pure Food and Drug Act -

Law that required accurate labeling of food and medicines to protect consumers.

Conservation -

The protection and preservation of natural resources and land.

William Howard Taft -

President who continued trust-busting but lost support due to high tariffs and weak conservation efforts.

Bull Moose Party -

The Progressive Party formed by Theodore Roosevelt after splitting from Republicans.

Woodrow Wilson -

Progressive president who focused on financial reform and reducing monopolies.

Federal Reserve System -

A banking system created to control money supply and stabilize the economy.

Clayton Antitrust Act -

Strengthened antitrust laws and protected labor unions from being treated as monopolies.