Progressive Era - period from 1898 to 1917 when reformers won many changes to improve American life. * Progressives believed that the public interest should guide all government actions.

Graphic Organizer: Progressive Political Reforms Objective: To examine the major political reforms of the Progressive Era. Graphic Organizer: Progressive Political Reforms Party leaders pick candidates for state and local offices Voters select their party’s candidates PRIMARY Only members of state legislatures can introduce bills Voters can propose bills to the legislature INITIATIVE Only legislators pass laws Voters can vote on bills directly REFERENDUM Only courts or legislature can remove corrupt officials Voters can remove elected officials from office RECALL

Party leaders pick candidates for state and local offices 1) How have primary elections changed over time? 2) How does the recall give more power to voters? 3) What responsibilities does a citizen have when voting on a referendum? 4) If you could propose a bill to the County Legislature through the use of an initiative, what would it be? Party leaders pick candidates for state and local offices Voters select their party’s candidates PRIMARY Only members of state legislatures can introduce bills Voters can propose bills to the legislature INITIATIVE Only legislators pass laws Voters can vote on bills directly REFERENDUM Only courts or legislature can remove corrupt officials Voters can remove elected officials from office RECALL

REFORMERS IN OFFICE The Wisconsin Idea “Battling Bob” La Follette – governor of Wisconsin that introduced many new reforms in his state Examples: lower railroad rates primary elections * Other states began to copy La Follette’s reforms.

Political Reforms Primaries were adopted nationwide in which voters could choose their party’s candidate from among several people

Political Reforms Initiatives gave voters the right to put a bill directly before the state legislature

Political Reforms Referendums gave voters the power to make a bill become law

Political Reforms Recalls allow voters to remove an elected official from office

Political Reforms 16th Amendment (1913) – gave Congress the power to impose an income tax

Political Reforms Before 1917, U.S. Senators were chosen by the state legislatures, NOT by the voters. 17th Amendment (1913) – gave voters the right to directly elect U.S. Senators

Taming the Spoils System Spoils System – practice of rewarding supporters with government jobs "The Civil Service As It Is" February 3, 1872 by, Frank Bellew Caption: "The Civil Service As It Is" Hon. Member of Congress presenting a Few of his Constituents for Office

Patronage – practice of giving out government jobs as favors to loyal party workers Patronage oftentimes led to corruption. Examples: · Jobs were frequently given to unqualified people. I’ve got to thank Uncle Billy for getting me this cool job. Well…a little joke never hurt anyone, right?

· Officeholders stole public money.

President James Garfield attempted to reform the spoils system.

ILLINOIS GOVERNOR ARRESTED IN OBAMA SUCCESSOR PROBE December 9, 2008 ILLINOIS GOVERNOR ARRESTED IN OBAMA SUCCESSOR PROBE RELEASED AFTER COURT APPEARANCE CHICAGO - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on Tuesday on charges he brazenly conspired to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder in what a federal prosecutor called a "corruption crime spree."

Garfield believed that civil service jobs should be given to people based on merit and ability, not political connections.

An angry office seeker assassinated Garfield before he could reform the system.

Chester A. Arthur becomes president – worked to reform spoils system Congress passes the Pendleton Act – This act created the Civil Service Commission – Now all civil service jobs (government jobs) require exams

Department of Civil Service · Civil Service Commission (1883) - began to award jobs based on the results of an exam. Department of Civil Service

NEXT STEP – REGULATING BIG BUSINESS

“Congress—Who’s In It and Who Owns It”; by Jacob Burck

· Interstate Commerce Act (1887) - required the publishing of railroad shipping rates - banned pools and rebates, which were special discounts to favored customers - The act also created the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) in order to try to regulate the railroad industry. The ICC was charged with investigating and hearing complaints about unfair business practices.

· Sherman Antitrust Act (1888) - Prohibited trusts and the unfair limiting of competition, such as monopolies.