Progressives & Reform Chapter 21
Government Reform: Spoils System Spoils System = when a politician gives someone a government job in return for help getting elected (ex. Their friends) Problem = unqualified people getting government jobs – stealing $$$$ REFORM: Pendleton Civil Service Act: forced candidates for some government jobs to pass an exam
Thomas Nast – Drew political cartoons about corrupt city government Ida Tarbell Upton Sinclair Lincoln Steffens: Corruption in cities
The Progressives/Reformers Progressives/Reformers = a group of people that tried to change industry, government and cities. Goal = to get the government to work for the PUBLIC INTEREST instead of the interest of big business
Progressive Presidents Teddy Roosevelt – President William H. Taft = did more trust- busting than Roosevelt during time in office William H. Taft 27th President Teddy Roosevelt 26th President
Woodrow Wilson (president during WWI) Woodrow Wilson 28th President
Wilson & Progressivism 1912 Election – Democrat Woodrow Wilson beats Taft & Roosevelt Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 – gave govt. more power to regulate trusts Federal Reserve Act – created modern banking system Personally believed in segregation – allowed Southerners to gain federal support
Political Parties: Bull Moose Party- New progressive political party in 1912 presidential election that Roosevelt entered in The Populist Party- Peoples Party William Jennings Bryan The Socialist Party Socialism- system in which the state controls the economy Eugene Debs: strong socialist candidate
Different views on how to run the nation Industrial Workers of the World: A union that believed workers should own the means of production and could use strike or sabotage to get there. Also called “Wobblies” Laissez-faire: a theory that stated business, if unregulated, would act in a way that is good for everyone (hands off-no government involvement)
Suffragists Women’s Suffrage = the fight to let women vote (only a few western states let women vote) How? – They staged peaceful demonstrations and marched (EX. Seneca Falls Convention 1848) 19 th Amendment: gave all women the right to vote (1920!!!)
Susan B Anthony fought for womens suffrage Elizabeth Cady Stanton- helped to start NAWSA Carrie Chapman Catt: President of NAWSA. Supported Pres. Wilson Key People
AA Struggles still W.E.B. Dubois: African American leader who fought against segregation and for equal rights. Helped start NAACP Booker T. Washington: African American leader who did not believe in challenging segregation. Eventually earn equality Plessy v Ferguson: famous court decision legalizing segregation