The Progressive Era from 1890-1920 was a period of social activism and political reform. Reformers sought to address problems created by industrialization, urbanization, and corruption through government intervention. Notable reforms included civil service reform through the Pendleton Act, regulation of railroads and establishment of the Interstate Commerce Commission, and tariffs like the McKinley Tariff. The Supreme Court endorsed "separate but equal" in Plessy v. Ferguson, legalizing racial segregation. Muckrakers exposed corruption and pushed for reforms. Other reforms addressed issues like women's suffrage, child labor, workplace safety, and prohibition. Presidents like Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, and Woodrow Wilson further expanded the federal government

1. Progressive EraProgressive Era
a.k.a. Progressivisma.k.a. Progressivism
1890-19201890-1920

2. ProgressivismProgressivism
 Not a single political movementNot a single political movement
 A collection of ideas on how to fix problemsA collection of ideas on how to fix problems

3. Pendleton ActPendleton Act
 Patronage (spoils system) – gov’t jobsPatronage (spoils system) – gov’t jobs
given to supporters of winning party in angiven to supporters of winning party in an
electionelection
 Act was civil service reformAct was civil service reform
 President fills federal jobs according to CivilPresident fills federal jobs according to Civil
Service Committee rulesService Committee rules
 Civil Service ExaminationsCivil Service Examinations
 Examination given for federal jobsExamination given for federal jobs
 Only qualified candidates placed on listOnly qualified candidates placed on list
 Selection for job comes from listSelection for job comes from list

4. WabashWabash v.v. IllinoisIllinois
 Railroads charged lower shipping rates forRailroads charged lower shipping rates for
large corporationslarge corporations
 Illinois laws began to regulate railroad ratesIllinois laws began to regulate railroad rates
 Regulating trade between statesRegulating trade between states
 Wabash Railroad sued State of IllinoisWabash Railroad sued State of Illinois
 Supreme Court ruled Illinois could not restrict ratesSupreme Court ruled Illinois could not restrict rates
on traffic between stateson traffic between states
 Only federal gov’t can regulate interstate commerceOnly federal gov’t can regulate interstate commerce
 Interstate Commerce Commission establishedInterstate Commerce Commission established
 Legislation limited rates to ‘reasonable and fair’Legislation limited rates to ‘reasonable and fair’

5. McKinley TariffMcKinley Tariff
 Tariffs are taxes on imports from foreignTariffs are taxes on imports from foreign
nationsnations
 McKinley Tariff designed to help USMcKinley Tariff designed to help US
businessesbusinesses
 Cut tariff rates on some goods—tobacco & rawCut tariff rates on some goods—tobacco & raw
sugarsugar
 Increased rates on textilesIncreased rates on textiles
 Purpose—get people to buy AmericanPurpose—get people to buy American
 Lowered federal revenueLowered federal revenue
 National budget deficitNational budget deficit
 Negative impact on US economyNegative impact on US economy

6. Legalized SegregationLegalized Segregation
 Civil laws cannot dictate how society treats peopleCivil laws cannot dictate how society treats people
 Southern practicesSouthern practices
 Jim Crow laws – segregation, voting restrictionsJim Crow laws – segregation, voting restrictions
 Loopholes in 15Loopholes in 15thth
Amendment prohibited votingAmendment prohibited voting
 Poll taxPoll tax
 Literacy testLiteracy test
 Civil Rights Act of 1875Civil Rights Act of 1875
 Prohibited keeping people out of public places based onProhibited keeping people out of public places based on
racerace
 Supreme Court overturned act in 1883—opening door forSupreme Court overturned act in 1883—opening door for
legalized segregationlegalized segregation

7. PlessyPlessy v.v. FergusonFerguson
 Homer Plessy—1/8 African AmericanHomer Plessy—1/8 African American
 Intentionally sat in wrong section of trainIntentionally sat in wrong section of train
 Arrested, fined, appealed to Supreme CourtArrested, fined, appealed to Supreme Court
 Supreme Court upheld the Louisiana lawSupreme Court upheld the Louisiana law
requiring segregationrequiring segregation
 Significance of ruling:Significance of ruling:
 Endorsed “separate but equal” facilitiesEndorsed “separate but equal” facilities
 Established legal basis for discrimination inEstablished legal basis for discrimination in
South for over 50 yearsSouth for over 50 years

8. Societal ProblemsSocietal Problems
 Believed industrialism and urbanizationBelieved industrialism and urbanization
caused society problemscaused society problems
 Wanted gov’t to take more active role to solveWanted gov’t to take more active role to solve
problemsproblems
 Science and technology benefited peopleScience and technology benefited people
 Using scientific principles could produce solutionsUsing scientific principles could produce solutions
to problemsto problems

9.  Muckrakers – journalists who publishedMuckrakers – journalists who published
articles about corruptionarticles about corruption
 Forced reformsForced reforms
 Efficiency progressivesEfficiency progressives
 Ideas from businesses who applied scientificIdeas from businesses who applied scientific
methodsmethods
 Commission planCommission plan
 Hire specialists to run city departmentsHire specialists to run city departments

10. Political ReformsPolitical Reforms
 Direct primaries – voting public choosesDirect primaries – voting public chooses
candidates to run in general electioncandidates to run in general election
 Initiative – citizens can introduce laws andInitiative – citizens can introduce laws and
legislature required to vote on themlegislature required to vote on them
 Referendum – proposed laws submitted toReferendum – proposed laws submitted to
votersvoters
 Recall – voters demand special election toRecall – voters demand special election to
remove elected officialremove elected official
 1717thth
Amendment – direct election of SenatorsAmendment – direct election of Senators

11. Other ReformsOther Reforms
 Zoning laws – divide cities into zones forZoning laws – divide cities into zones for
specific usespecific use
 1919thth
Amendment – women’s suffrageAmendment – women’s suffrage
 Child labor reformChild labor reform
 Worker safetyWorker safety
 Worker’s CompensationWorker’s Compensation
 1818thth
Amendment – prohibition; illegal toAmendment – prohibition; illegal to
manufacture, sale, or transport alcoholmanufacture, sale, or transport alcohol

12. Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt
 Square DealSquare Deal
 Taking on Big BusinessTaking on Big Business
 Sued Northern SecuritiesSued Northern Securities
 Striking Coal MinersStriking Coal Miners
 Use arbitration to break strikeUse arbitration to break strike
 Interstate Commerce Commission power toInterstate Commerce Commission power to
set railroad ratesset railroad rates
 Pure Food and Drug ActPure Food and Drug Act
 Upton Sinclair’s bookUpton Sinclair’s book The JungleThe Jungle
 Meat Inspection ActMeat Inspection Act
 Avid conservationistAvid conservationist
 Increased power of executive branchIncreased power of executive branch

13. William Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft
 Preferred to avoid conflictsPreferred to avoid conflicts
 Big supporter of competitionBig supporter of competition
 ConservationistConservationist

14. Woodrow WilsonWoodrow Wilson
 Worked to lower tariffsWorked to lower tariffs
 Created Federal Reserve systemCreated Federal Reserve system
 Banks keep portion of deposits in regional reserve bankBanks keep portion of deposits in regional reserve bank
 Federal Trade CommissionFederal Trade Commission
 Regulate American businessesRegulate American businesses
 Stop unfair trade practicesStop unfair trade practices
 Keating-Owen Child Labor ActKeating-Owen Child Labor Act
 Banned employment of children under age 14 in factoriesBanned employment of children under age 14 in factories
that made goods for interstate tradethat made goods for interstate trade
 Expanded role of president and federal gov’tExpanded role of president and federal gov’t
 Was president during World War IWas president during World War I

15. African AmericansAfrican Americans
 National Association for the Advancement ofNational Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP)Colored People (NAACP)
 Founded in 1905 by W.E.B. DuBois and otherFounded in 1905 by W.E.B. DuBois and other
African American leadersAfrican American leaders
 Fight for full political rights for African AmericansFight for full political rights for African Americans

16. TheThe
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