Legislation of the Progressive Era

Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883 The Pendleton Civil Service Act government jobs should be awarded on the basis of merit competitive exams rather than ties to politicians or political affiliation Civil Service Commission What category does it belong in?

Interstate Commerce Act 1887 Establishes right of federal government to supervise railroads Five-member Interstate Commerce Commission Difficulty regulating Court establishes long, legal process Resistance from railroads 1897, Supreme Court rules ICC can not set maximum rates

Sherman Antitrust Act 1890 Made it illegal to form a trust that interfered with competition Vague language Largely unsuccessful

National Reclamation Act 1902 Also known as Newlands Act Funds from public land sales for large-scale irrigation projects Roosevelt Dam, Arizona Shoshone Dam, Wyoming Sets precedent for Federal Government to manage water resources in the West

National Child Labor Committee 1904 Formed to bring attention to child labor Investigators took pictures of children in harsh working environments Organized exhibits Helped get Keating-Owens passed (1916) Prohibited transportation across state lines of goods produced with child labor 1918, unconstitutional by Supreme Court

Meat Inspection Act 1906 The book, The Jungle, prompted President Roosevelt Meatpacking industry investigated Public interest/safety Set standards of cleanliness Fed to inspect plants also absorb cost

Pure Food & Drug Act 1906 Put stop to sale of contaminated food/medicine Truth in labeling required

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) 1909 Civil Rights conference held in Niagara Falls Advocates upset by lack of civil rights legislation passed by progressives Included prominent white reformers NAACP formed Agenda: FULL equality

Underwood Act 1913 & the 16th Amendment Underwood Act introduced to reduce tariffs To compensate for lost revenue, an attachment provided for a graduated federal income tax (becomes the 16th Amendment, ratified in 1913)

Federal Reserve Act 1913 Divides nation into 12 districts Each district controlled by a federal reserve bank to issue currency in emergency regional banks to use currency to loan $$ to customers Fed banks to keep banks afloat Put the banking system under federal supervision Considered Wilson’s most significant accomplishment

17th Amendment Provides for direct election of Senators Prior to this, Senators appointed by State Legislature

Clayton Antitrust Act 1914 Strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act by clearly defining unfair business practices Prohibits corps from buying/obtaining stock of another corp if it creates monopoly Also exempted labor from antitrust laws Called Magna Carta for labor Allowed for: strikes, peaceful picketing, boycotts

Federal Trade Commission 1914 Considered the second, big antitrust legislation “Watchdog” agency To investigate potential violations of federal regulation To enforce antitrust laws To prevent unlawful suppression of competition

18th Amendment 1919 Also called Prohibition Makes illegal manufacture, sale & transportation of alcohol Reformers thought of alcohol as prime cause of corruption Prohibition was law from 1920-1933 Repealed by 21st Amendment

19th Amendment 1920 Grants women the right to vote

Initiative, Referendum & Recall Initiative: A bill placed on the ballot by the people (instead of the lawmakers/legislature) Referendum: An Initiative voted on by the people (instead of the lawmakers/legislature) Recall: Allows citizens to remove and replace a public official before the end of a term of office