Progressives & Reform

Chapter 21

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 $$$$

REFORM: Pendleton Civil Service Act: forced candidates for some government jobs to pass an exam

Thomas Nast – Drew political cartoons about corrupt city government

Ida Tarbell

Upton Sinclair

Lincoln Steffens: Corruption in cities

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

Progressive Presidents

Teddy Roosevelt –

President William H. Taft = did more trust-busting than Roosevelt during time in office

William H. Taft 27th President 1909-1913

Teddy Roosevelt 26th President1901-1909

Woodrow Wilson (president during WWI)

Woodrow Wilson 28th President 1913-1921

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

Political Parties:

Bull Moose Party- New progressive political party in 1912 presidential election that Roosevelt entered in

The Populist Party- Peoples Party William Jennings Bryan

The Socialist Party

Socialism- system in which

the state controls the economy Eugene Debs: strong socialist candidate

Different views on how to run the nation

Industrial Workers of the World: A union that believed workers should own the means of production and could use strike or sabotage to get there. Also called “Wobblies”

Laissez-faire: a theory that stated business, if unregulated, would act in a way that is good for everyone (hands off-no government involvement)

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)

19th Amendment: gave all women the right to vote (1920!!!)

Susan B Anthony fought for womens suffrage

Elizabeth Cady Stanton- helped

to start NAWSA Carrie Chapman Catt: President

of NAWSA . Supported Pres. Wilson

Key People

AA Struggles still

W.E.B. Dubois: African American leader who fought against segregation and for equal rights. Helped start NAACP

Booker T. Washington: African American leader who

did not believe in challenging segregation. Eventually earn equality Plessy v Ferguson:

famous court decision

legalizing segregation