Progressive Era

By Madison Nash

  • Sherman Antitrust Act

    The point of this act was to maintain free competition in business and helped to prohibit monopolies. I think this is creating economic reform because this act is basically the definition of breaking big businesses in different industries.
  • Period: to

    Progressive Era

  • Coal Strike of 1902

    President Roosevelt helped resolve a problem between mine workers and the United Mine Workers (UMW). The UMW wanted higher wages, reduced hours, and union recognition. Roosevelt helped workers accept arbitration by threatening to order the army to run the mines. I think this falls under creating economic reform because these workers were trying to better their workplaces and lives.

  • Northern Securities v. United States

    President Roosevelt wanted to make sure the monopoly of power of some trusts didn't hurt the public. He ordered the attorney general to sue the Northern Securities and eventually the Supreme court ruled that it violated the Sherman Antitrust Act. I think this was creating economic reform because it breaking the monopoly of power for big businesses.

  • Newlands Reclamation Act

    This act authorized the use of federal funds from public land sales to pay for irrigation and land development projects. This helped the federal government begin transforming the West's landscape and economy on a large scale. This is protecting social welfare because transforming the West's landscapes opens up jobs and new opportunities for poor people.

  • Department of Commerce and Labor

    This department allowed companies to quietly deal with their problems and be able to fix them. It regulated big business better without sacrificing economic efficiently. I think this is creating economic reform because it allowed companies to make decisions that would improve their companies and consciences. It also helps break down this big business problem happening in the United States during this time.

  • United States Forest Service

    President Roosevelt appointed his friend, Gifford Pinchot, to head this service. With the president's support, Pinchot's department drew up regulations to control lumbering on federal lands. Roosevelt added more than 100 million acres to the protected forests, established 5 new national parks, and 51 wildlife reservations. This is protecting social welfare because once again this creates new job opportunities and new places to live.

  • Meat Inspection Act

    This required federal inspection of meat sold through interstate commerce and allowed the Agriculture Department to set standards of cleanliness. I think this is protecting social welfare because not only did it protect the food that people eat, it also created jobs for those in need.

  • The Pure Food and Drug Act

    This act was passed on the same day as the Meat Inspection Act. It prohibited the manufacture, sale, or shipment of impure or falsely labeled food and drugs. I think this is protecting social welfare because this potentially could help poor people from buying food that's not good for them at an affordable price.

  • The Children's Bureau

    This federal agency focused on improving the lives of children and families. It tackled a lot of issues concerning family issues. This is protecting social welfare because this helped to actually protect issues with poor families and children/infants. This could also be considered creating economic reform because it can start to restrict against child labor.

  • National Park Service

    Roosevelt's concern for the environment and for protection of the wild areas of the United States helped develop a national parks system. I think this is protecting social welfare because this once again opens up new jobs that poor people can take to support their families.