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Women's Christian Temperance Union
This organization was extremely influential in the temperance movement and in the 18th amendment's proposal. -
Interstate Commerce Act of 1887
This was an attempt by Congress to regulate the railroad industry, argued for by Progressives who were suspicious of radical demands of farmers and laborers. -
How the Other Half Lives
An early publication by Jacob Riis that described the slums around New York City, and made the basis for future "muckraking." -
Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890
This law was a step forward in cutting down on monopolies to preserve the competitive market. Laborers and small business owners argued mainly for this progressive achievement. -
Ida B. Wells
She was an early civil rights activist who worked for both women's suffrage and for the rights of black people. She published accounts of lynchings in the South that showed that they were commonly ways of controlling blacks rather than criminally punishing them. -
National American Women Suffrage Association
This organization was the combination of two separate women suffrage organizations and was extremely influential in the passing of the 19th amendment. -
Eugene V. Debs
Eugene was an avid socialist during the Progressive Era and was nominated as the Socialist Party's candidate five times over. He was heavily involved in the Pullman Strike as well. -
John Dewey
He was an adamant activist during the 20th century, shedding a liberal light on education and psychology, and he had an overwhelming belief in democracy. -
Anthracite Coal Strike
This event was one in which laborers pushed for their rights, and in this case, miners. Many miners in this incident left the anthracite coal mines in Pennsylvania. -
Anti-Saloon League
Was the most important of the temperance movement's unions, and the most effective in the rural North and South. -
Elkins Act
This amended the Commerce Act of 1887 and allowed the ICC to moderate and impose fines on railroads that offered rebates or shippers that accepted them. -
Department of Commerce and Labor
This was a short-lived cabinet of the United States government. It was an attempt to improve commercial activity and conditions for laborers. -
Ida Tarbell
A well-known Muckracker who established investigative journalism and wrote a book that revealed the corruption of the Oil Industry. -
Lincoln Steffens
Well-known for his investigations of municipal and town government, and its corruption. -
Northern Securities Antitrust
An event in which the Supreme Court ruled against the Railroad companies for being in violation of antitrust laws. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
This was the first in a series of reforms on the labeling of food and drugs that would later lead to the development of the Food and Drug Administration. -
Meat Inspection Act
A law that created requirements for the labeling of meat and that meat be butchered under sanitary conditions. It was another step forward for what would become the Food and Drug Administration. -
The Jungle
This book described the horrible conditions in which immigrants toiled away in the meat industry, and the unsanitary conditions in which meat was prepared and packed. -
Square Deal Policy
These were Theodore Roosevelt's goals to "progress" America, and are commonly referred to as his "3 Cs:" conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
This fire was an event that sparked much reform for workers, especially women in factories, as it shed light on poor safety practices (such as locking doors from the outside to prevent workers from taking unauthorized breaks). -
Progressive (Bull Moose) Party
This party was formed underneath Theodore Roosevelt. It embodied liberal activism in the United States. It took advanced positions on current reforms. -
17th Amendment
This amendment to the United States Constitution gave the people the power to vote for Senators by popular vote. -
Underwood Tariff
It reinstated the federal income tax after the 16th amendment, and lowered tariff rates to 25%, much lower than it had been in a while. -
Federal Reserve Act
This enacted the Federal Reserve, the central banking system of the United States, and declared the US Dollar as legal tender of the United States. -
Clayton Antitrust Act
This act specifically outlined anti-competitive practices in the business world, further cutting back on monopolistic behavior and improving the conditions of workers. -
Federal Trade Commission
This secretariat was established by the Federal Trade Commission Act and was designed to protect consumers and inhibit anti-competitive behavior among businesses. This was another progressive movement to protect consumers. -
Keating-Owen Child Labor Act
This act was short-lived, but was eventually revised, and prohibited the sale of certain products made by certain companies that hired children, or made children work unreasonable hours. -
19th Amendment
This amendment gave women the right to vote and was the culmination of the Women's Suffrage Movement. -
18th Amendment
This amendment made the distribution, sale, and transportation of alcohol illegal in the United States. It was one of the many reform movements during the 19th century. -
Margaret Sanger
She was an activist for birth control and planned parenthood, a progressive movement for women's rights to control births. She started the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the America Birth Control League. -
Robert La Follette
A powerful enemy of corrupt big businesses, Follette argued against trusts and political bosses. He performed among some of the best of 3rd party candidates in US history.
