Progressive Timeline

  • Hepburn Act

    Hepburn Act
    The Hepburn Act of 1906 was a bill that provided the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and strengthened federal regulation of railroads. It was named for Rep. William Hepburn of Iowa, chairman of the House Commerce Commission, the Act passed after a series of unpopular rate increases by railroad corporations. The act also expanded the powers of the 1903 Elkins Act. Theodore Roosevelt was president at the time when the Act was passed.
  • Pure Food and Drug Act

    Pure Food and Drug Act
    This Act was known as the Wiley Act and Dr. Wiley's Law, which was the first series of significant consumer protection laws enacted by the United States Congress. It also led to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Its main purpose was to ban foreign and interstate traffic in adulterated or mislabeled food and drug products. President Theodore Roosevelt signed it on June 30, 1906
  • Meat Inspection Act

    Meat Inspection Act
    The Meat Inspection Act of 1906 was a piece of U.S. legislation, signed by President Theodore Roosevelt on June 30, 1906. It prohibited the sale of adulterated or misbranded livestock. It also ensured that livestock were slaughtered and processed under sanitary conditions.
  • 16th Ammendment

    16th Ammendment
    This Amendment allows the United States Constitution to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states on the basis of population. It was passed by Congress in 1909 in response to the 1895 Supreme Court case of Polluck v. Farmers' Loan Trust Co. The 16th Amendment was ratified by the requisite number of states on February 3, 1919.
  • 17th Ammendment

    17th Ammendment
    This amendment established the direct election of United States senators in each state.
  • Federal Reserve Act

    Federal Reserve Act
    This act created the Federal Reserve System, known simply as the Fed. It was implemented to establish economic stability in the U.S.
  • 19th Amendment

    19th Amendment
    This amendment prohibits the United States and its states from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex. President Woodrow Wilson stood before the Senate to call for the passage of the 19th Amendment.
  • Federal Trade Commission Act

    Federal Trade Commission Act
    The Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914 is a United States federal law that established the Federal Trade Commission. The Act was signed into law by US President Woodrow Wilson.
  • Clayton Anti-Trust Act

    Clayton Anti-Trust Act
    The Clayton Anti-Trust Act was enacted on October 15, 1914. It defined unethical business practices, such as price fixing and monopolies, and upheld various labor rights. The Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 continues to regulate U.S. business practices today. President Woodrow Wilson was the president at the time when he signed it into law.
  • 18th Amendment

    18th Amendment
    The 18th Amendment legalized the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol. President Woodrow Wilson was president when Congress passed the 18th Amendment.