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