Glossary
17th Amendment
Ratified in 1913, this amendment established the direct election of U.S. senators by popular vote, replacing the previous system where senators were chosen by state legislatures.
Example:
The 17th Amendment was a key Progressive reform aimed at reducing corruption and increasing democratic accountability by giving citizens more direct control over their federal representatives.
19th Amendment
Ratified in 1920, this amendment granted American women the right to vote, culminating decades of activism by the women's suffrage movement.
Example:
The passage of the 19th Amendment marked a monumental victory for women's rights, significantly expanding democratic participation in the United States.
Ashcan School
An artistic movement in the early 20th century that focused on depicting realistic and often gritty scenes of urban life in New York City, including its working-class neighborhoods.
Example:
Artists of the Ashcan School captured the vibrancy and harsh realities of city life, from crowded tenements to bustling street scenes, challenging traditional artistic subjects.
Cardinal James Gibbons
A leading American Catholic clergyman who advocated for the rights of workers and immigrants, helping to bridge the gap between the Catholic Church and American society.
Example:
Cardinal James Gibbons defended the Knights of Labor, arguing that the Church should support the rights of working people to organize.
Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century. He was also a prominent philanthropist.
Example:
Andrew Carnegie built a vast steel empire through vertical integration, becoming one of the wealthiest men in America before dedicating his fortune to libraries and education.
Clayton Antitrust Act
Passed in 1914, this act strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act by clarifying and expanding its provisions, specifically exempting labor unions from antitrust prosecution.
Example:
The Clayton Antitrust Act made it illegal for companies to engage in price discrimination or interlocking directorates, further empowering the government to regulate monopolies.
Dwight Moody
A prominent American evangelist and publisher who conducted large-scale revival meetings and founded the Moody Bible Institute, emphasizing personal salvation over social reform.
Example:
Dwight Moody's powerful sermons drew massive crowds, focusing on individual conversion rather than the broader societal changes advocated by the Social Gospel.
Edward Bellamy
An American author best known for his utopian novel 'Looking Backward,' which envisioned a future socialist society free of poverty and inequality.
Example:
Edward Bellamy's 'Looking Backward' inspired many to consider alternatives to industrial capitalism, influencing socialist and reform movements.
Federal Reserve System
Established in 1913, this is the central banking system of the United States, created to provide a more stable and flexible financial system.
Example:
The Federal Reserve System was designed to prevent financial panics and regulate the nation's money supply, a significant Progressive economic reform.
Gilded Age
A period in U.S. history (c. 1870-1900) characterized by rapid economic growth, particularly in industry, but also by significant social inequality and political corruption.
Example:
Mark Twain coined the term Gilded Age to describe the superficial prosperity that masked deeper societal problems like poverty and political graft.
Ida Tarbell
A prominent muckraker known for her investigative journalism that exposed the monopolistic practices of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company.
Example:
Ida Tarbell's detailed exposé, 'The History of the Standard Oil Company,' revealed the ruthless tactics used by Rockefeller, contributing to public demand for antitrust action.
Initiative
A Progressive political reform that allows citizens to propose new laws directly by gathering signatures on a petition, bypassing the state legislature.
Example:
Through the initiative, citizens can directly place a proposed law on the ballot for a public vote, empowering them beyond their elected representatives.
Laissez-faire
An economic doctrine that opposes government intervention in the economy, advocating for minimal regulation and free markets.
Example:
Proponents of laissez-faire capitalism argued that government interference would hinder economic growth and innovation, even as monopolies flourished.
Mary Baker Eddy
The founder of Christian Science, a religious movement that emphasizes spiritual healing and the power of prayer over physical ailments.
Example:
Mary Baker Eddy's teachings offered a new spiritual perspective that gained a significant following in the late 19th century, challenging traditional medical practices.
McGuffey's readers
A series of widely used textbooks in American schools during the 19th and early 20th centuries, known for promoting literacy, patriotism, and moral values.
Example:
Generations of American children learned to read and absorbed moral lessons from McGuffey's readers, which shaped educational standards for decades.
Meat Inspection Act
Passed in 1906, this federal law mandated federal inspection of meatpacking plants to ensure sanitary conditions and safe products.
Example:
Prompted by Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle,' the Meat Inspection Act brought much-needed government oversight to the previously unregulated meat industry.
Minor v. Happersett
An 1875 Supreme Court case that ruled that the 14th Amendment did not grant women the right to vote, stating that suffrage was not a privilege of citizenship.
Example:
The ruling in Minor v. Happersett forced suffragists to pursue a constitutional amendment rather than relying on the 14th Amendment to secure voting rights.
Muckrakers
Investigative journalists and writers who exposed corruption, social injustices, and corporate abuses in American society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Example:
The work of muckrakers like Lincoln Steffens, who exposed municipal corruption, helped galvanize public support for Progressive reforms.
NAWSA
The National American Woman Suffrage Association, formed in 1890, was a leading organization in the women's suffrage movement, advocating for women's right to vote.
Example:
NAWSA employed various strategies, including lobbying and peaceful protests, to build support for a constitutional amendment granting women suffrage.
Pragmatism
A philosophical movement, prominent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, that emphasizes the practical consequences and usefulness of ideas as the measure of their truth and meaning.
Example:
Progressive reformers often embraced pragmatism, seeking practical solutions to social problems rather than adhering strictly to abstract ideologies.
Progressive Era
A period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States from the 1890s to the 1920s, aimed at addressing problems caused by industrialization and urbanization.
Example:
During the Progressive Era, reformers sought to use government power to regulate big business and improve living conditions for the urban poor.
Pure Food and Drug Act
Passed in 1906, this federal law prohibited the sale of misbranded or adulterated food and drugs, leading to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Example:
Following public outrage fueled by muckraking exposés, the Pure Food and Drug Act ensured that consumers received safer and more accurately labeled products.
Recall
A Progressive political reform that allows citizens to remove an elected official from office before their term expires through a direct vote.
Example:
If a mayor is widely seen as corrupt or ineffective, citizens in some states can organize a recall election to remove them from office.
Referendum
A Progressive political reform that allows citizens to approve or reject laws passed by the legislature through a popular vote.
Example:
A state legislature might pass a controversial tax increase, but citizens could force a referendum to vote on whether to approve or reject it.
Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller was an American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Standard Oil Company, dominating the oil industry and becoming the richest person in modern history.
Example:
John D. Rockefeller used trusts and ruthless business practices to gain a near-monopoly over the oil refining industry, leading to calls for antitrust legislation.
Settlement houses
Community centers established in urban areas, primarily by middle-class women, to provide social services, education, and cultural activities to immigrants and the poor.
Example:
Jane Addams's Hull House in Chicago was a famous settlement house that offered kindergarten classes, vocational training, and healthcare to its neighborhood.
Sherman Antitrust Act
Passed in 1890, this was the first federal law to outlaw monopolistic business practices, though it was initially weak and often used against labor unions.
Example:
While the Sherman Antitrust Act was initially ineffective against large corporations, it laid the groundwork for future government efforts to break up trusts.
Social Gospel Movement
A Protestant intellectual movement that applied Christian ethics to social problems, advocating for social justice, charity, and reforms to alleviate poverty and inequality.
Example:
The Social Gospel Movement inspired many religious leaders to establish settlement houses and other charitable organizations to serve the urban poor.
Tammany Hall
A powerful Democratic political machine in New York City that played a major role in controlling city and state politics from the 18th century to the 20th century, often through corrupt means.
Example:
Boss Tweed's control over Tammany Hall exemplified the widespread political corruption and patronage that characterized urban politics during the Gilded Age.
The Anti-Saloon League (ASL)
A leading organization in the temperance movement, founded in 1893, that effectively lobbied for the prohibition of alcohol through political pressure and public campaigns.
Example:
The Anti-Saloon League became a highly influential political force, successfully pushing for local and state prohibition laws before the national 18th Amendment.
Theodore Roosevelt
The 26th U.S. President (1901-1909), a prominent Progressive leader known for his trust-busting, conservation efforts, and 'Square Deal' domestic policies.
Example:
As president, Theodore Roosevelt used the power of the federal government to break up monopolies and protect natural resources, embodying the Progressive spirit.
Upton Sinclair
A muckraker and socialist writer whose novel 'The Jungle' exposed the unsanitary conditions and horrific practices of the meatpacking industry.
Example:
Upton Sinclair's shocking descriptions in 'The Jungle' directly led to public outcry and the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.
Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. He was a prominent figure in the Gilded Age's industrial expansion.
Example:
Cornelius Vanderbilt consolidated several smaller railroad lines into a powerful network, demonstrating the immense power and influence of Gilded Age industrialists.
W.E.B. DuBois
A prominent African American civil rights activist, sociologist, and writer who co-founded the NAACP and advocated for immediate civil and political rights for Black Americans.
Example:
W.E.B. DuBois challenged Booker T. Washington's gradualist approach, arguing for aggressive action to achieve racial equality and end segregation.
WCTU
The Women's Christian Temperance Union, a powerful organization founded in 1874, that advocated for the prohibition of alcohol and other social reforms.
Example:
The WCTU mobilized thousands of women across the country, arguing that alcohol consumption was a major cause of poverty and social ills.