Progressives & Reform Copy the words in YELLOW

Government Reform: Spoils System Spoils System = when a politician gives someone a government job in return for help getting elected (ex. Their friends) Problem = unqualified people getting government jobs – stealing $$$$ President Garfield was assassinated by someone who felt they should have had a job so… Civil Service Commission: agency set up by Congress to fill government jobs, set up tests for government jobs

Muckrakers Muckrakers = journalists who exposed corruption in government and industry Goal = to get the government to pass laws to get things changed for the better EXAMPLES: Upton Sinclair – Wrote book on the meatpacking industry Ida Tarbell – Wrote articles about the Standard Oil Company’s unfair business practices Thomas Nast – Drew political cartoons about corrupt city government

The Progressives/Reformers Progressives/Reformers = a group of people that tried to change industry, government and cities. Goal = to get the government to work for the PUBLIC INTEREST instead of the interest of big business 16 th Amendment: created federal income taxes 17 th Amendment: changed the election of Senators to popular vote instead of by the state government

The Temperance Movement Temperance Movement = Ban the sale of liquor in the U.S. (Prohibition) Carry Nation = husband died from heavy drinking – she fought hard to ban “demon rum” 18 th Amendment: made liquor illegal to sell (led to underground sale of alcohol – EX. Speak easys)

Suffragists Women’s Suffrage = the fight to let women vote (only a few western states let women vote) How? – They staged peaceful demonstrations and marched (EX. Seneca Falls Convention 1848) 19 th Amendment: gave all women the right to vote (1920)

Economic Reform Big business (Carnegie Steel, Rockefeller Oil) was out of control Late 1800s – business leaders in major industries had formed trusts 1890 – Sherman Antitrust Act made it illegal to gain control of industries by forming trusts. Government didn’t enforce at first…needed a strong president

Presidents Roosevelt & Taft Teddy Roosevelt – at 42, our youngest President up until then Supported by the Progressives Trustbuster = Went after big business trusts & monopolies (EX. J.P. Morgan, Standard Oil Company, etc) Broke up big trusts into smaller companies

Roosevelt also… Helped striking coal miners labor union Regulated railroads Started national parks and conservation (controlling how America’s natural resources were used) Established Grand Canyon as national park President William H. Taft = did more trust-busting than Roosevelt during time in office Presidents Roosevelt & Taft (cont.)

Teddy Roosevelt 26 th President William H. Taft 27 th President

Wilson & Progressivism 1912 Election – Democrat Woodrow Wilson beats Taft & Roosevelt Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 – gave govt. more power to regulate trusts Federal Reserve Act – created modern banking system Personally believed in segregation – allowed Southerners to gain federal support