Legislation of the Progressive Era
Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883
0The Pendleton Civil Service Act 0 government jobs should be awarded on the basis of
merit0 competitive exams rather than ties to politicians or
political affiliation0 Civil Service Commission
0What category does it belong in?
Interstate Commerce Act 1887
0Establishes right of federal government to supervise railroads
0Five-member Interstate Commerce Commission0Difficulty regulating
0 Court establishes long, legal process0 Resistance from railroads
01897, Supreme Court rules ICC can not set maximum rates
Sherman Antitrust Act 1890
0Made it illegal to form a trust that interfered with competition
0Vague language0Largely unsuccessful
National Reclamation Act 1902
0Also known as Newlands Act0Funds from public land sales for large-scale irrigation
projects0Roosevelt Dam, Arizona0Shoshone Dam, Wyoming0Sets precedent for Federal Government to manage
water resources in the West
National Child Labor Committee 1904
0Formed to bring attention to child labor0 Investigators took pictures of children in harsh
working environments0Organized exhibits 0Helped get Keating-Owens passed (1916)
0 Prohibited transportation across state lines of goods produced with child labor
0 1918, unconstitutional by Supreme Court
Meat Inspection Act 1906
0The book, The Jungle, prompted President Roosevelt 0Meatpacking industry investigated0Public interest/safety
0 Set standards of cleanliness 0 Fed to inspect plants also absorb cost
Pure Food & Drug Act 1906
0Put stop to sale of contaminated food/medicine0Truth in labeling required
National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP) 1909 0Civil Rights conference held in Niagara Falls
0 Advocates upset by lack of civil rights legislation passed by progressives
0 Included prominent white reformers0NAACP formed
0 Agenda: FULL equality
Underwood Act 1913
& the 16th Amendment0Underwood Act introduced to reduce tariffs 0To compensate for lost revenue, an attachment
provided for a graduated federal income tax (becomes the 16th Amendment, ratified in 1913)
Federal Reserve Act 1913
0Divides nation into 12 districts0Each district controlled by a federal reserve bank
0 to issue currency in emergency0 regional banks to use currency to loan $$ to customers0 Fed banks to keep banks afloat
0Put the banking system under federal supervision0Considered Wilson’s most significant accomplishment
17th Amendment
0Provides for direct election of Senators0Prior to this, Senators appointed by State Legislature
Clayton Antitrust Act 1914
0Strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act by clearly defining unfair business practices
0Prohibits corps from buying/obtaining stock of another corp if it creates monopoly
0Also exempted labor from antitrust laws0 Called Magna Carta for labor
0Allowed for: strikes, peaceful picketing, boycotts
Federal Trade Commission 1914
0Considered the second, big antitrust legislation0 “Watchdog” agency
0 To investigate potential violations of federal regulation0 To enforce antitrust laws0 To prevent unlawful suppression of competition
18th Amendment 1919
0Also called Prohibition0Makes illegal manufacture, sale & transportation of
alcohol 0Reformers thought of alcohol as prime cause of
corruption0Prohibition was law from 1920-19330Repealed by 21st Amendment
19th Amendment 1920
0Grants women the right to vote
Initiative, Referendum & Recall
0 Initiative: A bill placed on the ballot by the people (instead of the lawmakers/legislature)
0Referendum: An Initiative voted on by the people (instead of the lawmakers/legislature)
0Recall: Allows citizens to remove and replace a public official before the end of a term of office