1. Progressive Reforms in Action
Progressive Era
Progressive Reforms in Action

2. Political Reforms
As with business, Progressives seek to make government more efficient:
LOCAL REFORM:
Commission Governments: city gov’t run by a group of experts
Council-Manager Government: City Council elected, then appoints an expert manager to run city – like a business.
Reform Mayors: fight corruption, take utilities out of private corporation hands

3. Political Reforms Governors play a large role: Robert Lafollette
STATE REFORMS
Governors play a large role:
Initiatives - bill can originate with people
Robert Lafollette
Reform governor of Wisconsin
Referendum - public vote on initiative
Worked to reform railroads and other big business/ keep them out of government
Recall -voters can remove official before term is up
Secret Ballot - protect voters

4. Political Reforms NATIONAL REFORMS
16TH Amendment – established income tax permanently (replaces tariff as largest income source)
17th Amendment – Direct election of Senators
18th Amendment – Prohibition of Alcohol (Volstead Act)

5. Women Fight for Equality
The battle for equality continues:
Women are active Progressives
Female industrial workers push for changes in safety, economic equality
Emergence of women’s colleges – more opportunity outside the home
Suffrage is major issue – Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton lead the way
Some states begin to grant suffrage. WY in 1869, CO, UT, and ID in 1890’s

6. Protecting Workers
Many Progressive Reform efforts focus on protecting workers:
1896 – Illinois Factory Act prohibits child labor
1908 – Muller v. Oregon – 10 Hour workday for women
1916 – Keating-Owen Act bans shipment of goods manufactured by children across state lines

8. Other Progressive Reforms
Educational-
Growth of public education / high schools
Standardization of medical / law schools
Social Sciences as “science”
Consumer-
Building codes / zoning laws
Insurance regulation
Creation of FDA based on Sinclair’s book
Pure Food and Drug Act
Truth in Labeling