Politics in the Gilded Age
What were the motivations of the progressives?
Politics, big business, immigration, civil rights, and consumer protection.
What was the Temperance Movement?
A social movement that advocated for abstinence in alcohol consumption, aiming to reduce or eliminate alcohol use in society.
What was the Interstate Commerce Act?
It set up interstate commerce commission to regulate railroads and high rates for shipping goods. It also outlawed unfair rebates. Rebates are like late discounts, consumers would pay full price for a product and get money back from the purchase later on.
What was the significance of the Election of 1912?
There were many different parties running for President, such as Republican, Democrat, Populist, and Progressive.
What was the Plessy vs. Ferguson case and what was its impact?
The case followed a man named Homer Plessy who was sitting in the white section of a train in Louisiana. He was 1/8 black and could "pass" as white but was dark-skinned enough that he would still get in trouble for sitting in the white train car. He was put on trial and his judge, John Howard Ferguson, declared Plessy guilty and the Separate Car Act constitutional. Plessy appealed and the case went to the Supreme Court where they agreed with Ferguson's ruling. This led to "separate but equal facilities" as being constitutional. And as a result, other states passed similar laws throughout the South, making segregation the law across multiple states.
Who were muckrakers and what did they accomplish?
They were people or organizations, commonly writers and journalists, who exposed the poor conditions of the Gilded Age. Some things they accomplished were exposing political machines and unsanitary factories, among other accomplishments.
What were Settlement Houses?
They were community centers established in urban areas to help immigrants and the impoverished.
What is Direct Democracy?
A way to empower citizens and challenge corruption in the government. Progressives thought this was a good way to make the government more responsive and accountable.
Who was Teddy Roosevelt and what did he accomplish?
He was a former governor of New York and he became the first 'progressive' President, even though he emerged as a leader of the Republican Party. He created the progressive party which became a very popular third party. Also, he was the first President to really take on big business. As President, he broke up standard oil and 40 other companies. He was defined as the 3 C's: conservation of natural resources, consumer protection, and control of corporations. He thought that good trusts should be left alone if efficient and fair. Created the square deal which was the first big set of progressive laws.
What was the NAACP?
An organization to help the Civil Rights reform movement.
What did Sinclair's The Jungle do?
It exposed meatpacking and unsanitary factories.
What did child labor look like during the Progressive Era?
It was a significant issue with children working in factories, mines, and other industries under dangerous conditions.
What was the Sherman Antitrust Act and did it accomplish what it was intended for?
It outlawed trusts and monopolies to increase business competition. However, it was vague and poorly defined and as a result, there was no ability to enforce it. In addition, courts applied this act against labor unions.
Who was William H. Taft and what did he do?
He was President after Roosevelt and continued his progressive policies. He broke up over 80 trusts and monopolies, signed laws for workers to have 8 hour work days, and made new safety rules for mining. However, he failed to connect with the people and eventually lost progressive support after raising tariffs. Taft also created the Interstate Commerce Act and the Sherman Antitrust Act.
What did Riis' How the Other Half Lives do?
It exposed tenement and city housing of poor workers.
What was the attitude toward immigrants during the Progressive Era?
It was a controversial subject with some people welcoming immigrants while others expressed concern with their assimilation and thought they would overcrowd cities and steal jobs.
What was the Pure Food and Drug Act?
It aimed to protect consumers from misbranded food and drugs, prohibited the sale of food and drugs that contained harmful or poisonous substances, and required accurate labeling of ingredients and warnings of potential hazards.
Who was Woodrow Wilson?
He was a former governor of New Jersey and a candidate in the election of 1912. He supported antitrust legislation for the coal industry, direct primaries and election reform, budget and monetary reforms, and progressivism. He also favored a strong federal government rather than direct democracy.