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Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese Exclusion Act was a federal law signed into effect by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882 that stopped all immigration from China, due to the recent surge in Chinese migrants that had come to work on the railroad and now had nothing else to do. -
Interstate Commerce Act
The Interstate Commerce Act was a federal law signed into effect by the 49th Congress in 1887 that was meant to regulate trade between states involving railroads. Although it technically required the railroads to be “reasonable and just”, it did not give the federal government to decide upon fixed rates. -
Jane Addams' "Hull House"
The Hull House was a settlement house in Chicago, Illinois, co-founded by Jane Addams and Ellen Starr. The Hull House was open primarily to recently immigrated peoples from Europe, as a means to help teach them and give them a place to stay, as well as to bond the higher and lower echelons of society together. The Hull House complex would be torn down from it’s full size to make room for the University of Chicago, but in 1965 it was declared a historical landmark. -
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Muckrakers
Muckrakers were investigative journalists in the United States during the Progressive Era who held decently sized audiences in major magazines. Their primary purpose was to make the public aware of corruption within various institutions and leaders. -
Sherman Antitrust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act was a federal law signed into effect by the 51st Congress in 1890 that was meant to create economic competitiveness within the United States. It achieved this by outlawing trusts, effectively attempting to limit businesses from creating entire monopolies on certain trades. -
Plessy Versus Ferguson
The Supreme Court case of Plessy versus Ferguson was the case that set the precedent for allowing racially segregated facilities so long as said facilities were of the same quality. This gave rise to the phrase and idea of “separate but equal”. -
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Teddy Roosevelt's Square Deal
Theodore Roosevelt’s “Square Deal” was a term used to describe his three upmost goals with his presidency, which were to conserve natural resources, protect the consumers in America, and to control the major corporations. While he was able to achieve these things in his first term, when he attempted to further it in his second term, he was blocked by Congress. -
McKinley Assassinated
President William McKinley Jr. was assassinated in Buffalo, New York, on September 14, 1901. This was just six months into his second term as President of the United States. -
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Coal Miner Strike of 1902
The Coal Miner Strike of 1902 was a strike organized by the United Mine Workers of America that lasted some six months or thereabout. The workers in the anthracite coalfields of eastern Penneslyvannia were demanding higher wages, shorter work days, and a recognition of their labor union. It was also the first time that the federal government had stepped into a labor dispute as a neutral arbitrator. -
Ida Tarbell- “The History of the Standard Oil Company”
A book published by famous muckraker, Ida Tarbell, the book “The History of the Standard Oil Company” was written to expose the Standard Oil company of it’s scandals and corruption. The company at the time was run by the famous oil tycoon, John D. Rockefeller, who was and is the richest figure in American history. -
"The Jungle"
A book published by famous muckraker, Upton Sinclair, the book “The Jungle” was written to expose the brutal living conditions of immigrants within industrialized cities in America such as Chicago, as well as how their lives were exploited. -
Federal Meat Inspection Act
The Federal Meat Inspection Act was a federal law signed into effect by the 59th Congress in 1906 that was meant to protect meat consumers in the US. It made it a federal crime to mislabel or alter meat and meat products that were sold for consumption, as well as enforcing that all meat be cut in sanitary conditions, including the actual slaughter of the animal too. -
Roosevelt Antiquities Act
The American Antiquities Act was a federal law signed into effect by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 that was meant to help protect natural wonders. It achieved this by allowing archaeological sites on public property to be considered as important resources, meaning that the government could better protect them, by allowing the President to decree various landmarks, structures, and objects of historical &/or scientific importance as National Monuments. -
Food and Drug Act
The Pure Food and Drug Act was a federal law signed into effect by the 59th Congress in 1907 that was meant to protect consumers within the US. It achieved this by banning the foreign and domestic traffic of any products that were altered or mislabeled, forcing the U.S. Bureau of Chemistry to begin inspecting products before they could be shipped out, and report any offenders to the proper authorities. -
Muller Versus Oregon
The Supreme Court case of Muller versus Oregon was the case that set the precedent for making it so women could not work the same amount of hours as men in a singular work day. -
Taft Wins
On March 4, 1909, William Howard Taft began his first term as the 27th President of the United States. He was elected in 1908, and was the President to come after Theodore Roosevelt. He wouldn’t have a second term however, being surpassed by Woodrow Wilson. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 was a tragedy that occurred in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. The fire broke out on the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors of the Asch Building, and killed most of the workers within. This horrible event led to the legislation that enforced greater safety standards within factories, and also gave rise to the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. -
Underwood-Simmons Tariff
The Revenue Act of 1913 was an act spearheaded by representative Oscar Underwood and eventually passed by Woodrow Wilson that massively lowered tariff rates and re-established a federal income tax. -
Federal Reserve Act
The Federal Reserve Act was a federal law signed into effect by the sixty third congress that was meant to better protect the nation’s money supply. It did this by creating a central banking system in the United States, which consisted of twelve regional banks in the different regions of the U.S., by giving loans out to other banks, and by being a last resort option for loans. -
16th Amendment
The Sixteenth Amendment was passed by Congress as a means to allow the federal government to levy income taxes on the nation without assigning the states themselves to do it. -
Department of Labor Established
The Department of Labor was established in 1913 by President William Howard Taft as a federal cabinet. It had existed prior, but never as its own department. With Taft’s establishment, the Department was better able to orchestrate its initial goal, to collect data about labor and employment. This would also enable them to better help workers in the future. -
Wilson Elected
On March 4th, 1913, Thomas Woodrow Wilson began his first term as the 28th President of the United States. He was elected in 1912, and was the President after William Taft. President Wilson would be remembered for the larger part as our President through the first World War, and the founder of the League of Nations. -
17th Amendment
The Seventeenth Amendment was passed by Congress as a revision to the way we choose our Senators, making them chosen by popular vote in elections as opposed to being chosen by state legislatures. -
Federal Trade Commission Act
The Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914 was established by President Woodrow Wilson as not only a means of establishing the Federal Trade Commission itself, but also criminalizing unfair practices that affect commerce and economic competition. -
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission was an agency of the United States federal government established by Woodrow Wilson in 1914 as a means to enforce U.S. antitrust laws, and to promote the protection of consumers.
