-
Tenement House Act
The Tenement House Act was the first law to ban the construction of tenement buildings in poor conditions in New York. The first tenement act issued that all building must have a fire escape and at least one window per room. Most builders would simply build meaningless windows that lead to a hallways or another room to pass that law. That led to a second law that stated that the windows face an outside source of fresh air. -
Northern Security Antitrust
The Northern Securities Company was a vital railroad trust formed in 1901 in the United states by J.P. Morgan, E. H. Harriman, J. D. Rockefeller, James J. Hill and their associates. They controled many of the main rail lines. The company was sued in 1902 under the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 by President Theodore Roosevelt, one of the first anti-trust cases filed against corporate intfiled against corporate interests instead of labor. -
Elkins Act and Hepburn Act
The Elkins Act authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission to imposed fines on railroads that offered discounts. Companies used the discounts to run smaller companies out of business. . The Hepburn Act was an act passed in 1906 enabled the government to set a maximum rate of charges for bridges, terminals, ferries, railroad sleeping cars, express companies and oil pipelines. Both acts were legislations regarding railroads in the States. Both Acts were passed by the Congress and successful. -
Square Deal
The Square Deal was President Theodore Roosevelt's domestic program formed upon three basic ideas: conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection. These three demands are often referred to as the "three C's" of Roosevelt's Square Deal. it aimed at helping middle class citizens and involved attacking plutocracy and bad trusts while at the same time protecting business from the most extreme demands of organized labor. -
The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act
During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s foods, drugs, medicines, liquor, and slaughter houses were under no obligation to provide the American public with clean, sanitary products. Under the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act, companies that provided food, drugs, medicines, liquor and meat were subject to government regulatory agencies. This helped improved the country in the sense that worrying about food poisoning or infections caused by canned food, was no longer an issue. -
Muller vs. Oregon
The Muller vs. Oregon case is a Supreme Court Case. It justified restrictions on work hours in a day. Muller was convicted after he was found to make a female employee work for more than a 10 hour shift in a single day. This was a big case for workers rights. Some women were against the ruling because they thought women should be treated equally to men in the work place, including hours worked. -
Bull Moose Party
The Progressive Party of 1912 was nicknamed as the Bull Moose Party since president of the US in 1909, Theodore Roosevelt, said he fit to be president as a "bull moose." The party called for major reforms including women's suffrage, social welfare assistance for women and children, farm relief, revision in banking, health insurance in industries, and worker's compensation. -
Standard Oil Antitrust Case
The Standard Oil Antitrust was based on John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company that controlled almost all the oil refineries in the United States. This led to power into other industries like the railroads, other industries, and even levels of government. The U.S. Supreme Court was able to break it up in 1911. It showed that the Government was not controled by business and had power against big business, -
17th Amendment
was passed in 1911 and it was first used in 1913. This amendment gives people the power to choose their senators and not by their election or appointment by a state legislature. The main reason they changed this was because when the senators where appointed by a state legislature things could be manipulated. People now choose their representatives and even though this is a much criticized amendment I believe it is something really good for the country because people vote for it. -
16th Amendment
February 3rd 1913 the 16th Amendment was ratified to the U.S. Constitution. From this day forward, the Congress will have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes. It does not matter where the money is earned, as long as it is income and the census can’t be used as a basis for distributing taxes on people. President William Taft proposed corporations, and following this Congress wrote the amendment. It is the main tax support in the USA today. -
Federal Trade Commission Act
The FTC Act was one of President Woodrow Wilson's major acts against trusts. This commission was authorized to issue “cease and desist” orders to large corporations to curb unfair trade practices. Established the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a bipartisan body of five members appointed by the president of the United States for seven-year terms. -
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment was included within the Constitution providing the women in the country with the opportunity to select their leaders from the year of 1920 towards the future, as a result from the perseverant women and the supporters of their suffrage and their cause.