Progressive Era

Cause:
● Economic inequality and social injustices stemming from industrialization and
urbanization.
● Public outcry over corruption in government and big business.
● Desire for reforms to address issues such as child labor, unsafe working conditions, and
political corruption.
Effects:
● Establishment of government regulations to protect workers and consumers.
● Rise of social and political movements advocating for change.
● Increased government intervention in the economy and society.
Key Details:
● Movement characterized by a desire for social, political, and economic reforms.
● Led to the implementation of various reforms, including labor laws, consumer
protections, and political reforms.
● Influential figures include Theodore Roosevelt, Jane Addams, and Woodrow Wilson.
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
Cause:
● Unsafe working conditions in factories, particularly the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in
New York City.
● Lack of fire safety measures and proper regulations.
Effects:
● Increased awareness of workplace safety issues and the need for labor reforms.
● Strengthened labor movements and calls for improved working conditions.
Key Details:
● Occurred on March 25, 1911, resulting in the deaths of 146 garment workers, mostly
young immigrant women.
● Highlighted the need for stricter workplace regulations and led to the passage of new
labor laws.
Muckrakers
Cause:
● Growing public discontent with corruption and injustices in society.
● Desire for transparency and accountability in government and business.
Effects:
● Exposed corruption and abuses of power through investigative journalism.
● Sparked public outrage and calls for reforms in various sectors.
Key Details:
● Term coined by Theodore Roosevelt to describe journalists who exposed societal ills.
● Notable muckrakers include Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, and Lincoln Steffens.
● Their work helped galvanize support for progressive reforms.
How the Other Half Lives
Cause:
● Concern over the living conditions of the urban poor.
● Desire to raise awareness about poverty and inequality in American cities.
Effects:
● Increased public awareness of urban poverty and slum conditions.
● Contributed to efforts to address housing and social welfare issues.
Key Details:
● Written by journalist and photographer Jacob Riis, published in 1890.
● Used photography and firsthand accounts to depict the harsh realities of life in New York
City tenements.
● Influenced public opinion and spurred efforts to improve housing and living conditions for
the poor.
The Jungle
Cause:
● Concerns about unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.
● Desire to expose corruption and health hazards in food production.
Effects:
● Generated public outcry and demands for food safety regulations.
● Prompted government action to reform the meat industry.
Key Details:
● Written by Upton Sinclair, published in 1906.
● Depicted the unsanitary practices of the meatpacking industry in Chicago.
● Led to the passage of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906.
The Meat Inspection Act
Cause:
● Public outrage over the unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry, as exposed
by "The Jungle."
● Concerns about food safety and consumer health.
Effects:
● Established federal regulations for meat inspection and sanitation.
● Improved standards for meat processing and packaging.
Key Details:
● Passed by Congress in 1906, signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt.
● Required federal inspection of meat products intended for interstate commerce.
● Aimed to ensure the safety and quality of meat consumed by the public.
Pure Food & Drug Act
Cause:
● Public concerns about the safety and purity of food and drugs.
● Efforts to address health risks posed by adulterated and mislabeled products.
Effects:
● Established the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate food and drug safety.
● Required accurate labeling of ingredients and prohibited the sale of adulterated or
misbranded products.
Key Details:
● Passed by Congress in 1906, signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt.
● Aimed to protect consumers from harmful and deceptive practices in the food and drug
industries.
 ● Marked a significant milestone in consumer protection and public health regulation.
Edward Bellamy
Cause:
● Concerns about social and economic inequalities in late 19th-century America.
● Desire for alternative visions of society that addressed issues of capitalism and class
disparity.
Effects:
● Popularized the idea of a utopian society based on socialist principles.
● Influenced public discourse on economic reform and social justice.
Key Details:
● Author of "Looking Backward: 2000–1887," published in 1888.
● Imagined a future society where wealth is distributed equally and labor is organized
cooperatively.
● Inspired the formation of numerous Bellamy Clubs and sparked discussions about
socialism in America.
Social Gospel
Cause:
● Response to social and economic challenges of industrialization.
● Integration of Christian ethics into social reform movements.
Effects:
● Mobilized religious communities to address issues such as poverty, inequality, and
social injustice.
● Contributed to the development of social welfare programs and activism.
Key Details:
● Advocated for the application of Christian principles to societal problems.
● Emphasized the importance of charity, social justice, and collective responsibility.
● Prominent figures include Washington Gladden and Walter Rauschenbusch.
Carrie Nation
Cause:
● Moral outrage over the consumption of alcohol and its perceived negative effects on
society.
● Advocacy for temperance and prohibition as means of addressing social problems.
Effects:
● Gained attention for her unconventional methods of protest, including smashing alcohol
bottles and vandalizing saloons.
● Sparked debate over temperance and alcohol regulation laws.
Key Details:
● Notorious temperance activist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
● Associated with the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and other
temperance organizations.
● Became a symbol of the temperance movement's radical and militant wing.
WCTU
Cause:
 ● Concerns about the detrimental effects of alcohol consumption on individuals and
families.
● Desire to promote temperance and moral reform in society.
Effects:
● Played a significant role in advocating for prohibition and social reforms related to
alcohol.
● Mobilized women as a political force and contributed to the suffrage movement.
Key Details:
● Founded in 1874 by Frances Willard and Annie Wittenmyer.
● Advocated for the abolition of alcohol and other social reforms, including women's rights
and labor issues.
● Became one of the largest and most influential women's organizations in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries.
Jane Addams
Cause:
● Concerns about poverty, urbanization, and social injustice in industrializing America.
● Desire to address social problems through direct action and community organizing.
Effects:
● Established Hull House as a pioneering settlement house and social reform center.
● Advocated for social welfare policies and improved living conditions for the urban poor.
Key Details:
● Influential social reformer and activist in the Progressive Era.
● Co-founder of Hull House in Chicago, which provided social services to immigrant
communities.
● Promoted social justice, peace activism, and women's rights throughout her career.
Hull House
Cause:
● Concerns about the living conditions and welfare of immigrant communities in urban
areas.
● Desire to provide social services and support to marginalized populations.
Effects:
● Served as a model for the settlement house movement and social reform efforts.
● Contributed to advancements in social work and community organizing.
Key Details:
● Founded by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr in 1889.
● Offered education, childcare, healthcare, and recreational programs to residents of the
surrounding neighborhood.
● Played a key role in advocating for labor rights, immigrant rights, and social welfare
reforms.
NAWSA (National American Woman Suffrage Association)
Cause:
● Long-standing efforts to secure voting rights for women in the United States.
● Desire to address gender inequality and expand democratic participation.
Effects:
 ● Mobilized women's suffrage campaigns at the state and national levels.
● Played a crucial role in advocating for the passage of the 19th Amendment.
Key Details:
● Formed in 1890 through the merger of two suffrage organizations.
● Led by prominent suffragists such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.
● Adopted various strategies, including lobbying, grassroots organizing, and public
demonstrations, to advance the cause of women's suffrage.
Alice Paul
Cause:
● Frustration with the slow progress of the women's suffrage movement.
● Desire to adopt more militant tactics to achieve suffrage rights for women.
Effects:
● Founded the National Women's Party (NWP) and organized high-profile protests and
demonstrations.
● Instrumental in pushing for the passage of the 19th Amendment and securing women's
right to vote.
Key Details:
● Played a leading role in the suffrage movement's shift toward more radical activism.
● Organized marches, pickets, and hunger strikes to pressure lawmakers and draw
attention to the cause.
● Continued to advocate for women's rights throughout her life, including the passage of
the Equal Rights Amendment.
19th Amendment
Cause:
● Decades of activism and advocacy by women's suffrage organizations.
● Growing recognition of women's contributions to society and the need for gender
equality.
Effects:
● Granted women the constitutional right to vote in the United States.
● Marked a significant milestone in the struggle for women's rights and political
empowerment.
Key Details:
● Ratified in 1920 after a long and arduous campaign by suffragists.
● Prohibited the denial of the right to vote on the basis of sex.
● Expanded democratic participation and reshaped American politics.
"trust-busting"
Cause:
● Concerns about the concentration of economic power in the hands of large corporations
and monopolies.
● Desire to promote competition and prevent unfair business practices.
Effects:
● Led to the breakup of several monopolies and trusts in various industries.
● Established legal precedents for antitrust regulation and enforcement.
Key Details:
 ● Championed by President Theodore Roosevelt as part of his "Square Deal" domestic
policy agenda.
● Targeted monopolistic practices in industries such as oil, railroads, and banking.
● Paved the way for subsequent antitrust legislation and government oversight of
corporate activities.
Interstate Commerce Act
Cause:
● Concerns about unfair and discriminatory practices by railroads and other interstate
carriers.
● Desire to regulate interstate commerce and promote fairness in transportation.
Effects:
● Established the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) as the first federal regulatory
agency.
● Provided oversight of railroad rates and practices, marking the beginning of federal
regulation of industry.
Key Details:
● Enacted in 1887 during the Progressive Era.
● Aimed to address issues such as rate discrimination, rebates, and unfair business
practices.
● Reflected growing public sentiment for government intervention to protect consumer
interests and ensure fair competition.
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
Cause:
● Concerns about the growing power of monopolies and trusts in the late 19th century.
● Desire to prevent the suppression of competition and maintain a free market economy.
Effects:
● Prohibited anticompetitive practices, including monopolization and restraint of trade.
● Laid the foundation for antitrust law and government efforts to regulate business
monopolies.
Key Details:
● Passed by Congress in 1890, signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison.
● Initially used to target combinations and trusts that restrained interstate commerce.
● Led to both enforcement actions against monopolistic practices and debates over the
proper scope of antitrust regulation.
Theodore Roosevelt
Cause:
● Concerns about corporate power and corruption in government.
● Desire to promote progressive reforms and address social and economic inequalities.
Effects:
● Advocated for trust-busting, conservation, and consumer protection measures.
● Expanded the powers of the presidency and asserted executive authority in domestic
affairs.
Key Details:
● Became president in 1901 after the assassination of William McKinley.
 ● Known for his energetic leadership style and "Square Deal" agenda.
● Established national parks, initiated antitrust prosecutions, and mediated labor disputes
during his presidency.
Northern Securities Company
Cause:
● Consolidation of railroad companies under the control of a single trust.
● Concerns about monopolistic practices and the suppression of competition.
Effects:
● Targeted by the federal government for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act.
● Forced to dissolve after the Supreme Court ruled against it in 1904.
Key Details:
● Formed in 1901 by J.P. Morgan and James J. Hill to consolidate several major railroads.
● Monopolized railroad traffic in the northwest United States.
● Case against Northern Securities Company marked a significant victory for antitrust
enforcement and federal regulation of monopolies.
Hepburn Act
Cause:
● Concerns about railroad rate discrimination and unfair practices.
● Desire to regulate railroad rates and ensure fairness for shippers and consumers.
Effects:
● Empowered the Interstate Commerce Commission to set maximum railroad rates.
● Strengthened federal oversight of railroad practices and rates.
Key Details:
● Enacted in 1906 during the Progressive Era.
● Expanded the regulatory authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
● Represented a significant victory for reformers seeking to curb the power of the railroad
industry.
William H. Taft
Cause:
● Succession of Theodore Roosevelt as president.
● Desire to continue progressive policies while maintaining party unity.
Effects:
● Pursued trust-busting and conservation efforts, albeit with a more conservative approach
than Roosevelt.
● Faced challenges within his own party and divisions among progressives.
Key Details:
● Elected president in 1908, serving from 1909 to 1913.
● Implemented reforms such as the Payne-Aldrich Tariff and continued antitrust
prosecutions.
● Struggled to balance the interests of progressives and conservatives within the
Republican Party.
1912 Election
Cause:
● Division within the Republican Party between conservative and progressive factions.
 ● Emergence of third-party candidates and alternative political movements.
Effects:
● Resulted in a significant realignment of American politics.
● Led to the election of Woodrow Wilson and the resurgence of the Democratic Party.
Key Details:
● Four-way race between Woodrow Wilson (Democrat), Theodore Roosevelt
(Progressive/Bull Moose), William H. Taft (Republican), and Eugene V. Debs (Socialist).
● Theodore Roosevelt's candidacy split the Republican vote, enabling Wilson to win the
presidency.
● Marked the decline of the Republican Party's progressive wing and the ascendancy of
progressivism within the Democratic Party.
Bull Moose Party
Cause:
● Discontent among progressive Republicans with the conservative direction of the party.
● Desire to advance progressive policies and challenge the Republican establishment.
Effects:
● Fielded Theodore Roosevelt as its presidential candidate in the 1912 election.
● Championed progressive reforms such as trust-busting, labor rights, and social welfare.
Key Details:
● Formed in 1912 after Theodore Roosevelt's split from the Republican Party.
● Advocated for a more active role of government in regulating business and protecting
the interests of ordinary citizens.
● Played a significant role in the 1912 election but ultimately failed to win the presidency.
Woodrow Wilson
Cause:
● Political realignment and division within the Republican Party.
● Appeal of Wilson's progressive platform and promise of reform.
Effects:
● Implemented progressive reforms such as antitrust legislation, banking reform, and tariff
reduction.
● Led the United States through World War I and played a key role in the creation of the
League of Nations.
Key Details:
● Elected president in 1912, serving from 1913 to 1921.
● Advocated for the "New Freedom" agenda, emphasizing competition and small
business.
● Faced challenges such as racial segregation and civil liberties violations during his
presidency.
Clayton Anti-Trust Act
Cause:
● Concerns about gaps and loopholes in existing antitrust legislation.
● Desire to strengthen protections for labor unions and limit the power of monopolies.
Effects:
 ● Exempted labor unions from antitrust prosecution and legalized strikes, boycotts, and
peaceful picketing.
● Expanded the scope of antitrust law and provided additional tools for prosecuting
anticompetitive behavior.
Key Details:
● Enacted in 1914 during Woodrow Wilson's presidency.
● Complemented existing antitrust laws such as the Sherman Antitrust Act.
● Marked a significant victory for organized labor and progressive reformers.
Hetch Hetchy
Cause:
● Growing demand for water resources in the rapidly expanding city of San Francisco.
● Desire to develop water infrastructure to support urban growth and development.
Effects:
● Construction of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and aqueduct system to supply water to San
Francisco.
● Controversy and environmental protests over the damming of the Hetch Hetchy Valley in
Yosemite National Park.
Key Details:
● Project initiated in the early 20th century under the leadership of San Francisco mayor
James "Sunny Jim" Rolph.
● Led to debates over the preservation of natural landscapes versus the need for urban
development and resource extraction.
● Reflects tensions between conservation and development in American environmental
history.
Sierra Club
Cause:
● Concerns about environmental conservation and the protection of natural landscapes.
● Desire to promote responsible stewardship of wilderness areas and public lands.
Effects:
● Played a leading role in advocating for the preservation of national parks and wilderness
areas.
● Influenced public opinion and government policy on environmental issues.
Key Details:
● Founded in 1892 by John Muir and other conservationists.
● Advocated for the creation of national parks, including Yosemite, Sequoia, and Grand
Canyon.
● Continues to be a prominent environmental organization, advocating for conservation
and environmental protection.
John Muir
Cause:
● Love of nature and concern for the preservation of wilderness areas.
● Desire to raise awareness about the value of natural landscapes and ecosystems.
Effects:
● Founded the Sierra Club and played a key role in the conservation movement.
 ● Instrumental in the establishment of several national parks and wilderness areas.
Key Details:
● Scottish-American naturalist, author, and environmental activist.
● Known as the "Father of the National Parks" for his efforts to preserve and protect
America's natural treasures.
● Advocated for the idea of wilderness as a spiritual and cultural resource deserving of
protection.
Plessy v. Ferguson
Cause:
● Legal challenges to racial segregation and discrimination in the United States.
● Desire to address issues of racial equality and civil rights.
Effects:
● Established the "separate but equal" doctrine, legitimizing racial segregation in public
facilities.
● Contributed to the institutionalization of segregation and the denial of civil rights to
African Americans.
Key Details:
● Landmark Supreme Court case decided in 1896.
● Upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of "separate but
equal."
● Overturned by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, ruling that
segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
Ida B. Wells
Cause:
● Experiences with racial discrimination and violence in the post-Reconstruction South.
● Desire to expose and combat lynching and racial injustice through journalism and
activism.
Effects:
● Played a prominent role in the anti-lynching movement and the fight for civil rights.
● Raised awareness about the prevalence and brutality of lynching in the United States.
Key Details:
● African American journalist, newspaper editor, and suffragist.
● Investigated and documented numerous cases of lynching in the South.
● Co-founded the NAACP and advocated for civil rights and social justice throughout her
life.
W.E.B. Du Bois
Cause:
● Frustration with the slow pace of racial progress and the persistence of racial inequality.
● Desire to challenge racial stereotypes and advocate for African American rights and
empowerment.
Effects:
● Co-founded the NAACP and served as editor of its magazine, The Crisis.
● Became a leading voice for civil rights, racial equality, and Pan-Africanism.
Key Details:
 ● African American sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist.
● Advocated for full political, social, and economic rights for African Americans.
● Criticized Booker T. Washington's accommodationist approach and called for direct
action and protest against racial discrimination.
Booker T. Washington
Cause:
● Desire to uplift the African American community through education and vocational
training.
● Response to the
Atlanta Compromise
Cause:
● Response to the challenges faced by African Americans in the post-Reconstruction
South.
● Desire to navigate the realities of racial segregation and discrimination while advancing
economic opportunities for African Americans.
Effects:
● Emphasized the importance of vocational education and economic self-improvement as
pathways to racial progress.
● Influenced race relations and educational policies in the Jim Crow era South.
Key Details:
● Speech delivered by Booker T. Washington at the Atlanta Cotton States and
International Exposition in 1895.
● Advocated for a conciliatory approach to race relations, encouraging African Americans
to focus on economic advancement rather than political agitation.
● Criticized by some African American leaders, including W.E.B. Du Bois, for its perceived
accommodationist stance.
NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
Cause:
● Response to racial discrimination, violence, and disenfranchisement faced by African
Americans.
● Desire to secure civil rights and equal protection under the law for African Americans.
Effects:
● Played a leading role in challenging racial segregation and discrimination through legal
advocacy, lobbying, and grassroots organizing.
● Contributed to landmark civil rights victories and advancements in racial equality.
Key Details:
● Founded in 1909 by a multiracial group of activists, including W.E.B. Du Bois, Mary
White Ovington, and Moorfield Storey.
● Focused on issues such as ending segregation, securing voting rights, and combating
racial violence.
● Instrumental in landmark legal cases such as Brown v. Board of Education and the
Montgomery Bus Boycott.