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Period: to
Progressive Era
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Sherman Antitrust Act
Sherman Antitrust Act was enforced on July 2, 1890. It was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison and was named after its primary supporter, Ohio Senator John Sherman. The objective of this act is to prevent any monopoly in any business. It also prohibits activities that restrict interstate commerce and competition in the marketplace. Sherman Antitrust was developed to solve the problems of interstate business, which were caused by different laws in different states. -
Coal Strike of 1902 (Anthracite Coal Strike)
Coal Miners in Pennysylvania went on a strike in 1902. The miners protested the terrible working conditions of the working sites. The strike had been going on for several months, and finally the coal miners and their employers went into an agreement according to the order of President Theodore Roosevelt. As to the agreement, the workers worked nine hours a day and their wages increased by 10%, with the condition that they must not protest within three years. -
The Black Hand
The Black Hand was an ethnic phenomenon starting in 1903 and had continued for 15 years. During 1890 to 1900, 655,888 immigrants, mostly Italian background, arrived in the United States expecting to earn enough money to return home and buy land. The Italian immigrants formed ‘Little Italies’ communities. However, many Italian individuals exploited these communities by extorting their wealthy neighborhoods. The target of the extortionists was business-oriented. -
The Jungle
The Jungle was written by Upton Sinclair, an American journalist and novelist, in 1906. He wrote this novel to portray the lives of immigrants in the United States. The novel depicts poverty, the complete absence of social security, unpleasant living and working conditions, and the utter hopelessness prevalent among the working class, which is contrasted with the deeply rooted corruption of people in power. -
Federal Meat Inspection Act
The Act established standards for inspecting all meat processing plants that conducted business across state lines. It prevents adulterated or misbranded meat and meat products from being sold as food and to ensure that meat and meat products are slaughtered and processed under sanitary conditions. -
Theodore Roosevelt as President
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He promoted his Square Deal program to help the middle class people, condemn plutocracy and bad trusts, and protect businesses from rigorous demand of organized labors. Moreover, his numerous reforms doubled the number of national parks and established 50 wildlife sanctuaries in the United States. Roosevelt remained as a popular political figure in American history. -
17th Amendment
The 17th Amendment is an act that was proposed on May 13, 1912 and was completely ratified by 1913. It is about a provision that enables normal people to choose their own senators, who were formerly chosen by the representatives of the government. The 17th Amendment prevents the federal government from indirectly taking the powers and funds of the states. However, various issues with these provisions, such as corruption and electoral deadlocks, led to a reform of the campaign. -
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States during 1913 to 1919. He actively fought for stronger central government, anti-trust legislation, and labor rights. His Fourteen Points policy was regarded as idealistic humanitarianism, which led to American intervention in World War I. He tried to reestablished real competition in business by diminishing economic monopolies. Wilson also reduced the tariff, implemented income tax and enforced Federal Reserve System to amend the economy. -
19th Amendment
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” Passed by Congress June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment granted American women the right to vote.
