Dylan Connelly

Chapter 15
The Progressive Movement

1. Muckrakers- journalists who investigated in social conditions and political corruption.
Muckrakers were one of the first people to have progressive ideas. They would attack the
beef industry and the Standard Oil Company.
2. Jacob Riis- published photos and descriptions of the disease, poverty, and crime that
affected New York City. These photos helped the muckrakers call for reform. This also
caused public awareness of just how bad it was.
3. Robert M. La Follette- Republican governor in Wisconsin. He was a model for
progressive reform. He attacked the way parties ran their conventions. He also had the
direct primary law passed.
4. Direct Primary- all party members could vote for a candidate to run in the general
election. It was a law that was passed because of La Follette. It made Wisconsin known
as the laboratory of democracy. The law started to spread into other states.
5. Initiative- permitted a group of citizens to introduce legislation which had to be voted on
by the legislatures. This gave citizens more power in their local government. This was
one of three reforms that progressives pushed for.
6. Referendum- allowed citizens to vote on proposed laws directly without going to the
legislature. This gave citizens more power in their local government. This was one of
three reforms that progressives pushed for.
7. Recall- provided voters with the ability to elect for an official to be removed from office.
This gave citizens more power in their local government. This was one of three reforms
that progressives pushed for.
8. Suffrage- womens right to vote. It was the women fighting for their rights as American
citizens. It was a major goal for women progressives and it was their goal for many years.
9. Carrie Chapman Catt- leader of NAWSA. She tried to push the suffrage movement
nationwide. She supported the reelection of Wilson. Helped get the 19
th
Amendment
passed granting women the right to vote.
10. Prohibition- laws banning the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcohol.
Progressives believed that alcohol was the main cause of many of societys problems.
The money workers earned was used on alcohol which led to abuse and drunkenness.
11. Square Deal- Roosevelts reform program. He made sure that large businesses did not
abuse their power. He stopped the coal strike of 1902.
12. Social Darwinism- belief that the US was in competition with other nations in the world
because only the strongest would survive. The people started to believe in this idea due to
yellow journalism. The people believed they needed to expand to become stronger.
13. United Mine Workers- coal miners of eastern Pennsylvania. They launched a
strike in 1902. They wanted more pay and less work hours as well as union
recognition. It was ended by Teddy Roosevelt.
14. Arbitration- settlement negotiated by an outside party. It was accepted by the
union but not the mine owners. Roosevelt was unhappy so he threatened to send
the army in but the mine owners accepted it afterwards.
15. Hepburn Act- intended to strengthen the ICC. Roosevelt wanted to let the ICC set
railroad rates. It limited competition and prevented new competitors from
entering.
16. Upton Sinclair- published The Jungle. The novel told of the slaughter houses in
Chicago. It stated the terrible conditions of the meatpacking industry.
17. Meat Inspection Act- required federal inspection of meat product. It also required
for the Agriculture Department to set the standards of cleanliness. The act was
passed in 1906.
18. Pure Food and Drug Act- prohibited the manufacturing, sale, or shipment of
impure food and drugs. It was passed the same day as the Meat Inspection Act.
The Jungle really made Congress start to pay attention to the cleanliness of food.
19. Gifford Pinchot- head of the US Forest Service. He was handpicked by Teddy
Roosevelt. The company was started in 1905.
20. Richard A. Ballinger- conservative corporate lawyer. Replaced James R. Garfield
as secretary of the interior. He tried to make around a million of acres of forests
available for private development.
21. Insubordination- disobedience of authority. Taft fired Pinchot for insubordination.
Pinchot leaked a story to the press and asked Congress to investigate it.
22. Childrens Bureau- an agency that investigated the labor of children. It started in
1912 and is still around today. It currently deals with child abuse.
23. Progressive Party- started by Teddy Roosevelt. It was known as the Bull Moose
Party. He started it to run against Taft but it led to a victory for Woodrow Wilson.
24. New Nationalism- Roosevelts platform in 1912 election. It favored the protection
of women and children in labor force. It also supported compensation for workers
injured on the job.
25. New Freedom- Wilsons platform in election. He criticized Roosevelts platform
for supporting monopolies. He believed that monopolies should be destroyed.
26. Income Tax- direct tax of earnings of an individual. It was part of the Underwood
Tariff Act. It was made legal by the 16
th
Amendment.
27. Federal Reserve Act- created 12 regional banks. The banks would be supervised
by a Board of Governors. They would be appointed by the president.
28. Federal Trade Commission- monitor American business. They had the power to
investigate companies. They also had the ability to issue cease and desist
against companies.
29. Unfair Trade Practices- those that hurt completion. It was established by the FTC.
The FTC could be taken to court if a business disagreed with its rulings.
30. Clayton Antitrust Act- passed by progressives in Congress. It outlawed certain
practices that restricted competition. It stopped retailers who bought from one
company to stop selling another companies product.
31. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People- helped African
Americans gain more rights. They thought voting rights were essential to end
discrimination. They would merge with the Niagra Movement.