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Pendleton Act
Established that positions within the Federal Government should be awarded on the basis of merit instead of favoring other people who do not have a say in it. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
This act was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, 240 to 17. Muckraking journalists had long reported on the appallingly unsanitary conditions of the country’s manufacturing plants, especially in Chicago’s meat-packing industry. But it wasn’t until the public outcry following the publication of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle that Congress moved on legislation. -
Antiquities Act
President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act in 1906 largely to prevent looting of archaeological and Native American structures and objects. The purpose was to give the federal government an expeditious path to protect archaeological sites. -
Meat Inspection Act
Law reformed that the meatpacking industry. Mandating that the USDA inspect all meats both before and after they were slaughtered and processed for human consumption. -
16th Amendment (Income Tax)
This amendment is important due to the fact that it follows the federal government (United States) to levy (collect) income tax for all Americans. Income tax allows for the government to keep an army, build roads and bridges, enforce laws and carry out other important duties. Other taxes, such as taxes on houses or other property are considered ¨direct¨ taxes by the constitution. -
17th Amendment (Direct Election of Senators)
The 17th Amendment to the United States constitution established the popular election of the United States Senators by the people of the U.S. The amendment was proposed by the 62nd in 1912 and adopted in 1913 upon being ratified by three-fourths (36) of the state legislators. It was first implemented in special elections in Maryland (Nov 1913) and Alabama (May 1914), then nationwide in November 1914 election. -
Clayton Anti-Trust Act
At the turn of the 20th century, large corporations had developed strong strategic positions in entire segments by using predatory pricing, exclusive dealings and anticompetitive mergers. These practices directly impacted local operations and drove smaller entities out of business. In 1914, Henry De Lamar Clayton of Alabama introduced the Clayton Antitrust Bill to regulate massive corporations -
Keating- Owen Child Labor Act
The first child labor bill was based on senator Albert J. Beveridge’s proposal from 1906 and used the government’s ability to regulate interstate commerce to regulate child labor. The act banned the sale of products from any factory, shop or cannery that employed children under the age of 14. They also did the same for children who worked in mines at the age of 16 at night or for more than 8 hours during the day. The act was passed by Congress and signed -
18th Amendment (Prohibition)
The 18th Amendment was also known as the ¨National Prohibition. It banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. and its possessions. It did not prohibit the purchase or consumption of alcohol, contrary to common belief. Congress the Amendment on December 18, 1917. The necessary number of states ratified it on January 16th. It went into effect one year later, January 16, 1920. -
19th Amendment (Suffrage for Women)
Prohibits the states and the Federal Government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of gender
