SUPA unit 7

Soft vs. Hard Money

  • Soft Money: Currency not backed by a physical commodity like gold or silver. It's paper money, not tied to a fixed value.

  • Hard Money: Currency that is backed by a physical commodity like gold or silver.

Silver Money - Bland-Allison Act

  • The Bland-Allison Act (1878) required the U.S. government to buy silver and coin it into money, which helped support silver mining interests.

Omaha Platform

  • The Omaha Platform (1892) was a set of political proposals put forward by the Populist Party, calling for reforms like direct election of senators, a graduated income tax, and more control over railroads.

Populist Party

  • The Populist Party (or People’s Party) was a political group formed in the 1890s, mostly by farmers, advocating for economic reforms to help working-class Americans and limit corporate power.

William Jennings Bryan

  • William Jennings Bryan was a famous politician, orator, and leader of the Populist Party, known for his famous "Cross of Gold" speech supporting free silver.

"Cross of Gold"

  • The "Cross of Gold" speech, delivered by Bryan in 1896, argued that the U.S. should adopt a bimetallic standard (gold and silver) to help farmers and working-class Americans.

Election of 1896 - McKinley

  • In the Election of 1896, William McKinley defeated Bryan, representing a key moment in U.S. history where industrial interests gained more power over rural, agrarian interests.

National Grange Movement

  • The National Grange Movement was an organization of farmers in the late 1800s that worked for better economic conditions, including fairer railroad rates and government regulation.

Ocala Platform

  • The Ocala Platform (1890) was a set of reforms proposed by farmers and reformers calling for policies like free silver, government ownership of railroads, and a graduated income tax.

Progressivism

  • Progressivism was a political movement in the early 1900s focused on social justice, labor rights, government reform, and combating corruption and inequality.

Populism

  • Populism is a political ideology that focuses on representing the interests of ordinary people, especially working-class and rural groups, often against elites and big corporations.

Muckrakers

  • Muckrakers were investigative journalists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who exposed corruption, social injustices, and corporate abuses.

Primary

  • A primary is an election where voters choose a political party’s candidate for a general election.

Initiative

  • An initiative allows citizens to propose laws or amendments directly, bypassing the legislature.

Referendum

  • A referendum is when citizens vote directly on a law or policy proposed by the government.

Recall

  • A recall is a procedure that allows citizens to remove elected officials from office before their term ends.

Clayton Antitrust Act

  • The Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) strengthened earlier antitrust laws to prevent monopolies and unfair business practices, protecting competition.

City Managers

  • City managers are professional, non-elected leaders hired to run a city’s day-to-day operations, aiming for efficiency and impartiality in local government.

Robert LaFollette

  • Robert LaFollette was a progressive politician known for his reforms in Wisconsin, advocating for direct democracy, railroad regulation, and workers' rights.

Eugene Debs

  • Eugene Debs was a socialist leader and five-time presidential candidate who fought for workers’ rights and social reforms.

Theodore Roosevelt

  • Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th U.S. president, known for his progressive policies, trust-busting, and conservation efforts.

New Nationalism

  • New Nationalism was Roosevelt’s progressive platform advocating for government regulation of business, welfare policies, and social justice.

Bull Moose Party

  • The Bull Moose Party was the progressive political party formed by Roosevelt in 1912 after a split with the Republican Party. It focused on progressive reforms.

Hepburn Act

  • The Hepburn Act (1906) gave the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) authority to regulate railroad rates and practices.

Pure Food and Drug Act

  • The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) aimed to regulate the production of food and medicine to ensure they were safe and properly labeled.

Meat Inspection Act

  • The Meat Inspection Act (1906) required that meat products be inspected for safety and cleanliness before being sold to consumers.

Upton Sinclair - The Jungle

  • Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle (1906), a novel exposing the horrific working conditions in the meatpacking industry, leading to public outrage and reforms like the Meat Inspection Act.

"Trust-busting"

  • Trust-busting refers to government efforts, especially during Roosevelt’s presidency, to break up monopolies and promote competition.

Payne-Aldrich Tariff

  • The Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909) was a law that raised tariffs on imports, despite efforts to lower them, causing controversy and dissatisfaction among progressives.

William Howard Taft

  • William Howard Taft was the 27th U.S. president, known for his trust-busting actions and later as a Supreme Court justice.

Woodrow Wilson

  • Woodrow Wilson was the 28th U.S. president, leading the nation through World War I and advocating for progressive reforms like the Federal Reserve System.

New Freedom

  • New Freedom was Wilson's progressive platform, focusing on limiting big businesses, promoting competition, and reducing government interference in the economy.