IX. The Progressive Era (1897 – 1914) Flashcards
(49 cards)
What were the main goals of the Progressive Era?
The goals included making the economic system fairer, reducing government corruption, improving the quality of life for ordinary people, restoring American societal values, and promoting bureaucratic and scientific efficiency.
What principles did the Progressives establish regarding public intervention?
They established principles to ensure fairness, health, and safety.
Who were the Progressives primarily composed of?
White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs), middle-class individuals, and relatively young professionals like lawyers, doctors, and teachers.
What societal issues did Progressives target?
Child labor, child abuse, prostitution, poor working conditions, poverty, and corruption in government and big business.
What demands did urban workers push for during this period?
Safe factories, shorter workdays, workers’ compensation, better housing, and health measures.
What significant legislation was passed due to Progressive advocacy?
Meat Inspection Act, Pure Food and Drug Act (1906), and Clayton Antitrust Act (1914).
Why is Theodore Roosevelt considered the first modern president?
He expanded executive power, used media to appeal directly to people, and regulated big business to achieve social and economic justice.
What was Roosevelt’s “Square Deal”?
A domestic program focusing on controlling corporations, consumer protection, and conserving natural resources.
What role did muckrakers play during Roosevelt’s presidency?
They were journalists who exposed corruption, poor living conditions, and corporate greed, influencing public opinion and reform.
How did Roosevelt address environmental concerns?
He signed the Newlands Reclamation Act, created 150 national forests, and established five national parks and 51 wildlife refuges.
Who was Upton Sinclair, and what impact did his book “The Jungle” have?
He exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry, leading to the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act.
What did Ida Tarbell expose in her writings?
The monopolistic practices of Standard Oil and corporate corruption.
What issue did Jacob Riis document?
The poor living conditions of immigrant children in garbage dumps in NYC.
How did the Progressive Era address racial issues?
It largely neglected African Americans, although figures like Ida B. Wells and W.E.B. Du Bois advocated for civil rights and equality.
What was Booker T. Washington’s approach to African American advancement?
He advocated for self-help and economic equality before political equality.
How did Taft’s approach to trust-busting differ from Roosevelt’s?
He initiated more antitrust cases but rejected the distinction between “good” and “bad” trusts, relying more on legal means.
What were Taft’s significant achievements?
Ratification of the 16th Amendment (federal income tax) and 17th Amendment (direct election of senators).
What were the Clayton Antitrust Act’s contributions?
It regulated unfair business practices, protected unions, and improved on the Sherman Antitrust Act.
What tragic event during Taft’s presidency highlighted poor working conditions?
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (1911).
What was Wilson’s reform package called, and what did it include?
The “New Freedom,” including tariffs, banking reform, labor rights, and child labor laws.
What major constitutional amendments were passed during Wilson’s administration?
The 18th Amendment (prohibition) and the 19th Amendment (women’s suffrage).
How did the Spanish-American War affect America’s global role?
The U.S. gained territories like Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam, becoming a major global power.
What event sparked the Spanish-American War?
The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898.
What treaty ended the Spanish-American War, and what were its terms?
The Treaty of Paris (1898), which granted Cuban independence under U.S. control and ceded Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam to the U.S.
