An Era of Reform Essential Question How did the turn of the century become an era of reform?

Working Conditions Many jobs in Washington were dangerous and deadly to workers. Workers’ wages were low and hours were long. Women and children were paid less for doing jobs as dangerous as the men. Workers created labor unions to push for improved working conditions. Unions sometimes denied membership to blacks, women, and unskilled workers. Labor unions organized strikes to improve working conditions. Some companies fired strikers and hired strikebreakers in their place. Fired workers were angry with the strikebreakers, which led to discrimination and violence. Companies sometimes blacklisted labor leaders to make it difficult for them to get a job.

Fear of Unions Many Americans feared that labor unions were violent and wanted to overthrow rich business owners. The Industrial Workers of the World was one of the most well-known labor unions. IWW membership was open to all workers. The IWW championed the concept of “One Big Union” and the overthrow of capitalism. It supported the deliberate destruction of company property. Fears about the IWW led to the Everett Massacre.

The Seattle General Strike Workers all over Seattle held a five-day labor strike. The city nearly shut down. Soldiers and “special deputies” were posted around the city to prevent possible violence. Although the strike was peaceful, the public saw unions as unpatriotic and disloyal. The strike was not helpful in strengthening the unions.

The Centralia Massacre IWW members planning a meeting in Centralia were warned of a possible attack. IWW members were prepared with guns to fight back. World War I veterans called legionnaires were hired to attack the IWW meeting. The legionnaires were met with gunfire, and three were killed.

The Gilded Age Industrial growth in Washington and around the country made many Americans wealthy. Beneath the country’s gold cover, there were many problems. Business leaders and government officials were sometimes corrupt. Corrupt politicians worked together to stay in power. The wealth of the country was in the hands of very few people. Reformers wanted to solve the country’s problems. The result was a period of reform, or change.

The Progressive Movement Progressives were reformers who wanted to end corruption, fix economic problems, and improve society. Some progressives wanted to ban alcohol. The 18th Amendment made alcohol illegal. The amendment was canceled, or overturned, in 1933. Progressives worked to stop the corrupt political practices. The initiative let citizens propose laws themselves by gaining enough signatures on a petition. The referendum allowed citizens to vote for or against laws already passed by their state’s lawmakers. The recall allowed citizens to remove an elected official from office if they did not like how he was doing his job.

The Progressive Movement Government started to take greater control of businesses that had too much power. Laws were passed to shorten the workday to eight hours. Laws were passed banning child labor in mines. Children were required to go to school. Laws that would end child labor took a little longer. Women were given the right to vote in state and local elections, hold public office, and serve on juries. Washington was the fifth state to grant voting rights to women. The 19th Amendment giving all women in the nation the right to vote took another 10 years.

World War I The war raged in Europe for a few years before the United States became involved. America remained neutral in the war until German U-boats attacked ships carrying U.S. citizens. German-Americans faced discrimination in the United States. Members of the IWW did not support American participation in the war. Laws made it illegal for anyone to write or say anything critical of the war effort, the military, the government, the flag, or the Constitution.

Washington’s Economy Booms The war created many new jobs. Washington’s industries benefited from the demand for war supplies. Men who were too old to go to war took jobs of those who left to fight. Women took jobs of men who were fighting in Europe. Washington’s shipbuilding and airplane industries grew because of the war. The war helped create the state’s largest industrial employer—the Boeing Company.

The War Ends The government no longer needed to produce war supplies. Farms, shipyards, and lumber mills were not needed as much as they were during the war. Many people lost their jobs. Many African Americans left the South and moved to northern and western cities in what became known as the Great Migration. People became angry again at immigrants and blacks who competed for scarce jobs. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was reborn in Washington to threaten non-whites and foreigners.

The Roaring Twenties Many Americans were ready to let go after years of sacrifice and loss. Americans became consumers, or buyers, of goods and services. Automobiles became affordable and the number of roads and highways increased. Most American homes had electricity. People began buying on credit to pay for their purchases a little bit at a time. Education improved and one-room schools were replaced with larger ones.

Help from Hydropower The Pacific Northwest had about 40 percent of the nation’s hydropower potential. Hydropower became important to help meet the demand for electricity. Farmers of the Columbia Basin wanted a dam to be used to irrigate the basin’s dry lands. Supporters of the dam hoped to use it to create hydropower as well. In the late 1920s, the government approved the plan to build the Grand Coulee Dam.