1. Chapter 22, Lesson 1 Progressive Era

2. Fighting Corruption Call for reform (fixing abuses or errors in society) was growing & led by progressives Gov’t & big business were taking advantage of American people Corrupt politicians took bribes William M. (Boss) Tweed controlled NYC Police, courts, some newspapers Exposed by Thomas Nast’s political cartoons in Harper’s Weekly & imprisoned

3. Boss Tweed

4. Spoils System Gov’t jobs & favors given to friends & supporters of elected leaders Pres Rutherford B Hayes tried but failed to fix Pres James Garfield tried but was assassinated http://youtu.be/N6USyilfk6w Chester Arthur became Pres & pushed Congress to pass Pendleton Act in 1883 which set Civil Service Commission to give tests

5. Controlling Business Trusts or powerful groups of companies had too much control over the economy 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act passed but only used to control labor unions Early 1900s was used to control trusts

6. Railroads RR formed oligopoly (group of businesses who limit competition & raise prices) 1887 Interstate Commerce Act-fair prices & set up Interstate Commerce Commission to check on RR & later trucking

7. Socialists Didn’t like small # of people have majority of $ Believed gov’t should own resources and operate major industries on behalf of people Eugene Debs, labor leader who founded American Socialist Party in 1898

8. Progressives Gov’t should regulate, not own industry Gov’t more efficient, help the poor

9. Muckrakers Reporters who “raked” & exposed “muck” of corruption in business McClure’s Magazine – Lincoln Steffens exposed corrupt politics of NY & other cities – Ida Tarbell exposed oil trust’s unfairness (Standard Oil)

10. Muckrakers Upton Sinclair exposed horrors of Chicago meatpacking in his book The Jungle (1906) Congress passed Meat Inspection Act & Pure Food and Drug Act 1906 Food & medicine had to be labeled accurately

11. Oregon System Initiative: allow citizens to place an issue on ballots of state elections Referendum: voters could accept or reject laws Recall: voters could remove incompetent elected officials