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Women's Suffrage
In 1890, the National American Woman Suffrage Association was created and began working toward the nineteenth amendment. Their movement helped change society and ultimately led to the creation of more rights for women. Their association helped lead to societal reform, which was one of the progressive ideals. -
President Roosevelt v. Big Business
To help progressives reform the government, president Roosevelt charged big businesses with monopolies and tried to break apart the trusts they made with each other. Roosevelt would win majority of his cases and help reform society. His first strike against these big businesses began in 1902, when he charged J.P. Morgan's railroad company with creating a monopoly. -
Child Labor Laws
In 1906, John Spargo’s book helped convince many states to pass different child labor laws. These different laws outlawed hiring people if they were younger than a specific age. Other new laws also made children go to school instead of their job to help educate the new generation. These two new laws helped abolish child labor in the country and progress societal reform, one of the progressive ideals of the time. -
Introduction of Progressivism
Progressivism was the belief that industrialization and urbanization caused many of the problems with society. They pushed for different reforms of society and government. Many of their beliefs started after the laissez-faire economics era, believing this era of economics made many of the societal problems in America. The actual formation of the Progressive Party happened in 1912. -
Sixteenth Amendment
The sixteenth amendment was the introduction for tax income. To help impose taxes on the higher, wealthy class, the government ratified the sixteenth amendment. The new amendment made wages and property income taxable to have an appropriate tax on all social classes. This was considered a "progressive amendment" as it helped progress the societal reform of social classes. -
Federal Reserve Act
During Woodrow Wilson's presidency, he helped create the Federal Reserve Act. The new act would create different regional reserve banks and become one of the most significant legislative pieces of American history. This act made societal and government reform easier as it was a way to fix the banking system in America. -
Seventeenth Amendment
The seventeenth amendment was intended to help reform the government. The ratification of the amendment changed how state senators were elected into office and helped prevent corruption within the government. The new amendment made governmental reform easier for the progressives. -
The Federal Trade Commission
In 1914, Congress passed the Federal Trade Commission which monitored American business. The new commission was able to reform big business by issuing cease and desist. This ended corrupted businesses by being able to charge them with corrupted business deals. The FTC made societal reform easier with the destruction of corrupt businesses. -
Eighteenth Amendment
The eighteenth amendment was used to fix corruption inside the upper class by prohibiting alcohol. Many people believed that alcohol was to blame for the horrible behavior of many political machines and to fight against it, Congress passed the seventeenth amendment which prevented those upper class people from having any. The amendment contributed to societal reform by "fixing" many upper class businessmen. -
Nineteenth Amendment
The nineteenth amendment added a new voice when it came to voting. Women had been advocating for the right to vote for years. Congress passed the nineteenth amendment in 1920 which gave women the right to vote. This change helped with reforming the society for the progressives.