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Woman's Christian Temperance Union
Advocated for the prohibition of alcohol, using women's supposedly greater purity and morality as a rallying point. Advocates of prohibition in the United States found common cause with activists elsewhere, especially in Britain, and in the 1880s they founded the World Women's Christian Temperance Union, which sent missionaries around the world to spread the gospel of temperance. -
Ida B. Wells
African American journalist. published statistics about lynching, urged African Americans to protest by refusing to ride streetcars or shop in white owned stores -
Robert La Follette
Progressive Republican Governor of Wisconsin, this man wrested control from the corporations and gave it back to the people -
Interstate Commerce Act
Established the federal government's right to oversee railroad activities and required railroads to public their rate schedules and file them with the government. -
Sherman Antitrust Act
Law that banned the formation of trusts and monopolies in the United States, was signed by Benjamin Harrison and used later by Theodore Roosevelt, virtually had no impact -
National American Woman Suffrage Association
American women's rights organization formed as a unification of the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). The NAWSA continued the work of both associations by becoming the parent organization of hundreds of smaller local and state groups, and by helping to pass woman suffrage legislation at the state and local level. -
How the Other Half Lives
A book by John Riis that told the public about the lives of the immigrants and those who live in the tenements. -
John Dewey
Father of progressive education, was a philosopher who believed in "learning by doing" which formed the foundation of progressive education. -
Anti-Saloon League
The most successful political action group that forced the prohibition issue into the forefront of state and local elections and pioneered the strategy of the single-issue pressure group. -
Margaret Sanger
American leader of the movement to legalize birth control during the early 1900's. As a nurse in the poor sections of New York City, she had seen the suffering caused by unwanted pregnancy. -
Square Deal Policy
Roosevelt's "Square Deal" embraced the three Cs: control of the corporations, consumer protection, and the conservation of the United States' natural resources. -
Anthracite Coal Strike
Strike in which Theodore Roosevelt summoned both sides to the White House and, after threats of seizure and use of troops, reached a compromise of a 10% pay increase and a nine-hour day -
Elkins Act
A federal law that amended the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The Elkins Act authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission to impose heavy fines on railroads that offered rebates, and upon the shippers that accepted these rebates. -
Department of Commerce and Labor
Department established by Roosevelt to deal with domestic economic affairs. Later split into two departments for better management. -
Ida Tarbell
Muckraker whose History of the Standard Oil Company ran in McClure's magazine in 1904. -
Lincoln Steffens
Reporter whose articles on municipal corruption in McClure's magazine began to run in 1902 and were collected into the 1904 book The Shame of the Cities. -
Northern Securities Antitrust
Struggled to gain control of the Burlington Railroad on the New York Stock Exchange. E.H. Harriman, James J. Hill, and J.P. Morgan were involved and were sued because they had violated the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
The first law to regulate manufacturing of food and medicines; prohibited dangerous additives and inaccurate labeling. -
The Jungle
This work by Upton Sinclair pointed out the abuses of the meat packing industry. The book led to the passage of the 1906 Meat Inspection Act. -
Meat Inspection Act
Required strict cleanliness requirements for meat packers and created a program of federal meat inspection. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
A horrific incident involving a fire that erupted in a locked factory, killing dozens. This case had the effect of increasing government regulation of factory safety conditions. -
Progressive (Bull Moose) Party
Advocated additional regulation of industry and trusts, sweeping reforms of many areas of government, compensation by the government for workers injured on the job, pensions for the elderly and for widows with children, and women suffrage. -
17th Amendment
Established that senators were to be elected directly. This law was intended to create a more democratic, fair society. -
Federal Reserve Act
Created 12 district banks that would lend $ at discount rates (could increase/decrease amt. of $ in circulation); loosen/tighten credit with nation's needs; first central banking system since 1836 -
Underwood Tariff
Tariff reduced the tariffs from the Payne-Aldrich Tariff to about 29% and included a graduated income tax. It was a milestone in tax legislation since it enacted a graduated income tax -
Clayton Antitrust Act
Lengthened the Sherman Anti-Trust Act's list of practices that were objectionable and exempted labor unions from being called trusts Displayed the changing attitude towards labor unions. -
Federal Trade Commission
investigated companies and issued cease-and-desist orders against unfair trade practices; could be appealed in court, but still a step toward consumer protection -
Keating-Owen Child Labor Act
Ended child labor, and ended selling products made from child labor. It was signed by Woodrow Wilson and also gave congress the responsibility of regulating interstate commerce. -
18th Amendment
Prohibited the non-medical sale of alcohol This amendment is the midpoint of a growing drive towards women's rights as well as showing the moral attitude of the era. -
Eugene V. Debs
Head of the American Railway Union and director of the Pullman strike; he was imprisoned along with his associates for ignoring a federal court injunction to stop striking. While in prison, he read Socialist literature and emerged as a Socialist leader in America. -
19th Amendment
Established that no citizen can be denied the right to vote on account of sex. Granted women the ability to vote.
