Food industry Problem: No inspections of factories or quality of product Businesses “fatten” bottom line by decreasing quality Example- meat industry
Proposed solutions Meat Inspection Act~ Pure Food and Drug Act~ Guaranteed that the government inspects all meat Factories closed or fined if not following regulations Pure Food and Drug Act~ Made sure what was advertised was in the product, and what was in the product was advertised. Both are still effective in society today
Workers problems Problems: Hours Wages Injuries Conditions Example: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
Proposed solutions Set the working hours Adamson act~ Set the working hours Example: Railroad workers will work an average of 8 hours a day (6 days a week) Minimum wage laws~ Each state sets the minimum wage Based on each states’ economy Workman’s compensation insurance~ Receive money for each week out of work if injured on the job Could not be fired if hurt on job
Muller vs. Oregon (1908) Louis Brandies Persuaded the Supreme court to pass laws protecting women’s weaker bodies from certain work conditions Hailed a success Closed women out of “male” jobs Workers gain control in work place
Political problems and solutions Need to regain power lost by the people Political Machines & Corruption Spoils system Voters have little to no power (senators part of “millionaires club”) Political Bosses and individuals ran the cities as their own Kingdoms
Proposed solutions 17th amendment State Level The initiative enables citizens to draft laws and constitutional amendments and place them on the ballot for a popular vote. The referendum provides for a popular vote on laws passed by the legislature. The recall allows citizens to remove elected officials from office. Australian (“Secret”) Ballot
Social problems Problem: Tenement and slums The poor Conditions in the cities
Solutions: Each large city passes own regulations Housing regulations~ Settlement houses~ Set up to help poor and immigrant assimilation Provide temporary relief Ex. Hull House Salvation army~ Provided food, clothing, shelter to the needy
alcohol 18th amendment~ Temperance movement~ Solutions: Women’s Christian Temperance Movement Leader Carrie Nation Nation divided into “wet” & “dry” “dry” controlled congress in 1919
Women Women defining a new social role More active in unions and organizations Wyoming 1st state to give vote to women (1869) Took 72 years for all states to allow women to vote 1st demand at Seneca Falls, NY in 1848 Elizabeth Cady Stanton Susan B. Anthony Carrie Chapman Catt Alice Paul
Woman’s Suffrage Political reformers want the woman’s vote This would change the tone of elections Many were afraid woman would be a second vote for their husband