Progressive Era Review Session

What is Reform? Reform Progressive Gilded Age Bringing about change to a social problem or concern Progressive Moving forward, bringing about change Public Interest Gilded Age Term that implies a “false sense of good.” Extreme poverty hidden by a few wealthy Americans.

Progressive Era Amendments 16th Amendment Imposing an income tax on Americans 17th Amendment Direct election of U.S. Senators 18th Amendment Prohibition of Alcohol 19th Amendment National Woman’s Suffrage (right to vote)

Election Reforms (PIRR) Primary Election Allow voters to choose a party’s candidates for elected office Initiative Allows voters to initiate or propose a bill to the state legislature Referendum Allows voters to vote on proposed legislation Recall Allows voters to remove an elected official from office The goal of these reforms was to give more power to the people and involve voters more directly in the political process

Civil Service Act (Pendleton Act) Act passed requiring job seekers to pass an exam to prove competency Set up to end the Spoils System and fill vacant jobs based upon qualifications for the position Spoils System – giving government jobs to followers, not based on qualification

Federal Reserve Act Regulated banking in the United States

Women’s Rights Movement 1848 – Seneca Falls Convention Seneca Falls, NY (Anthony and Stanton) Beginning of an organized Women’s Rights Movement Declaration of Sentiments Modeled after the Declaration of Independence Proclaimed the rights and grievances of women Proclaimed men and women equal Publicized the need for women’s rights Many years of struggle led to 19th Amendment (right to vote) for women Alice Paul Picketed the White House, hunger strike, force fed

Temperance Movement Movement to abolish the sale of alcohol in the United States Carry “The Hatchet” Nation Publically raided saloons Many leaders were women due to the affect of alcohol on families 18th Amendment Prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol

Muckrakers Muckrakers Writers (journalists) and critics who exposed corruption and abuses in industry, government and society Primary goal was to bring about social reform and change Helped encourage government to pass laws to protect consumers and reform problems in American society

Muckrakers Thomas Nast Political cartoonist Exposed corrupt city governments Boss Tweed, NYC, stole $100 million from tax payers and took advantage of immigrants and the city poor

Muckrakers Upton Sinclair Wrote “The Jungle” Exposed problems (unsanitary conditions) in the meat-packing industry in Chicago, IL Resulted in the Meat Inspection Act (1906) and Pure Food and Drug Act

Muckrakers Jacob Riis Wrote “How the Other Half Live” Exposed the living conditions of immigrants and the poor in city tenement buildings

Muckrakers Ida Tarbell Helped bring an end to the Standard Oil Trust John Rockefeller

Theodore Roosevelt Progressive Trust Buster (bad trusts) Sided with labor (workers) over business owners President Conservationist Incorporated several different political ideas Pure Food and Drug Act/Meat Inspection Act

Other Reformers Booker T. Washington W.E.B. Dubois Woodrow Wilson Believed in the power of education to bring about equality W.E.B. Dubois NAACP Demanded equality immediately Woodrow Wilson New Freedom Elected 1912