1. Progressive
Legislation

2. State Reforms
Direct Primaries - an election in which voters cast ballots to select nominees for upcoming elections
no longer handpicked party leaders to run
Initiative Process - citizens can propose new laws by obtaining a certain percentage of voters’ signatures on a petition
Once signatures collected, proposed law placed on the ballot for next election
Referendum - Citizens may demand via petition that a law passed by the legislature be “referred” to voters for their approval or rejection
Recall - gave voters ability to remove officials before next election

3. Workplace Reforms
Triangle Fire – improved fire safety standards – appoint fire inspectors, compulsory fire drills, unlock & fire proof exits.
Labor department established, accident insurance programs and compensation systems.
1908 Muller V. Oregon – U.S. Supreme Court limited hours to 10 a day for women laundry workers
1907 National Child Labor Committee convinced 30 states to abolish child labor – children defined as under age 14
Progressives sought minimum wage for woman & children.

4. Federal Reforms T Roosevelt’s “Square Deal”
United Mine Workers strike due to low wages – 1902
TR insisted both sides submit to arbitration (3rd party decides on legally binding solution)
TR threatened to use army to seize and operate mines
arbitration gave miners 10% raise, reduced hours 10 to 9. –did not officially recognize union
TR called in a “square deal” for both sides = slogan for his presidency
1904 regulate food, drug, railroad industries
1906 Hepburn Act authorized Interstate Commerce Commission to limit rates if shippers complained of unfair treatment – permission needed before raising rates
1906 Pure Food Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act required accurate labeling of ingredients, strict sanitary conditions, rating system for meat.

5. Anti-Trust Activism Sherman Act 1890 Clayton Act 1914
Sherman Anti-Trust Act used to sue Northern Securities Company – a holding company
holding company buys up stocks and bonds of smaller companies = monopoly
Supreme Court dissolved the company
1909 Government filed 42 anti-trust actions (Standard Oil, beef trust, American Tobacco Company)
TR not anti-business – believed trusts should be supervised & controlled
Clayton Act 1914
Federal Trade Commission Act 1914.

6. The Environment
Earlier Presidents created Yellowstone/Yosemite – preserved 35 million acres of forest land
1900s experts to develop policy for land and water use backed by scientific data.
TR set aside 200 million acres for National forests, mineral reserves and water projects
1902 – National Reclamation Act – set aside money from the sale of public lands to fund construction of irrigation systems in arid states

7. New Labor Department
1912 Children’s Bureau created
1913 Department of Labor added as a new cabinet department – supported legislation to benefit women/children (contained both children’s and women’s bureaus)
1920 Women’s Bureau created first – female bureau heads at federal level

8. New Constitutional Amendments
1913, 16th Amendment authorized Congress to collect income taxes (prior relied on income from tariffs).
1913, the 17th Amendment  established direct election of 
United States Senators by popular vote.
1919, the 18th Amendment prohibition-illegal to make, sell, or import liquor (repealed in 1933)
Not everyone favored prohibition but thought it would protect society from the poverty & violence associated with drinking.
1920, 19th Amendment guarantees American women’s right to vote.