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"waving the bloody shirt"

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A term of ridicule used in the 1880s and 1890s to refer to politicians — especially Republicans — who, according to critics, whipped up old animosities from the Civil War era that ought to be set aside.

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Gilded Age

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A term invented in the 1920s describing the late nineteenth century as a period of ostentatious displays of wealth, growing poverty, and government inaction in the face of income inequality. Commentators suggested that this era had been followed by a "Progressive Era" in which citizens mobilized for reform. The chronological line between the "Gilded Age" and the "Progressive Era" remains unclear, since the 1870s and 1880s witnessed mass movements of farmers, industrial laborers, and middle-class women for reform. Historians generally agree, however, that the era after 1900 brought about more laws to address industrial poverty, working conditions, and the power of monopolies and trusts.

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Pendleton Act

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An 1883 law establishing a nonpartisan Civil Service Commission to fill federal jobs by examination. The Pendleton Act dealt a major blow to the "spoils system" and sought to ensure that government positions were filled by trained, professional employees

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Mugwumps

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A late-nineteenth-century branch of reform-minded Republicans who left their party in 1884 to support Democratic presidential candidate Grover Cleveland. Many Mugwumps were classical liberals who denounced corruption and advocated a reduction in government powers and civil service reform.

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Interstate Commerce Act

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An 1887 act that created the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), a federal regulatory agency designed to oversee the railroad industry and prevent collusion and unfair rates.

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Sherman Antitrust Act

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Landmark 1890 act that forbade anticompetitive business activities, requiring the federal government to investigate trusts and any companies operating in violation of the act.

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Lodge Bill

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Also known as the Federal Elections Bill of 1890, a bill proposing that whenever 100 citizens in any district appealed for intervention, a bipartisan federal board could investigate and seat the rightful winner. The defeat of the bill was a blow to those seeking to defend African American voting rights and to ensure full participation in politics.

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Omaha Platform

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An 1892 statement by the Populists calling for stronger government to protect ordinary Americans.

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free silver

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A policy of loosening the money supply by expanding federal coinage to include silver as well as gold. Advocates of the policy thought it would encourage borrowing and stimulate industry, but the defeat of Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan ended the "free silver" movement and gave Republicans power to retain the gold standard.

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Williams v. Mississippi

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An 1898 Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to impose poll taxes and literacy tests. By 1908, every southern state had adopted such measures

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Solid South

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The post-Reconstruction goal — achieved by the early twentieth century — of almost complete electoral control of the South by the Democratic Party.

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Lochner v. New York

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A 1905 Supreme Court ruling that New York State could not limit bakers' workday to ten hours because that violated bakers' rights to make contracts.

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Newlands Reclamation Act

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A 1902 law, supported by President Theodore Roosevelt, that allowed the federal government to sell public lands to raise money for irrigation projects that expanded agriculture on arid lands.

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Wisconsin Idea

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A policy promoted by Republican governor Robert La Follette of Wisconsin for greater government intervention in the economy, with reliance on experts, particularly progressive economists, for policy recommendations.

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referendum

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The process of voting directly on a proposed policy measure rather than leaving it in the hands of elected legislators; a progressive reform.

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recall

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A pioneering progressive idea, enacted in Wisconsin, Oregon, California, and other states, that gave citizens the right to remove unpopular politicians from office through a vote.

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National Child Labor Committee

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A reform organization that worked (unsuccessfully) to win a federal law banning child labor. The NCLC hired photographer Lewis Hine to record brutal conditions in mines and mills where thousands of children worked

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Muller v. Oregon

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A 1908 Supreme Court case that upheld an Oregon law limiting women's workday to ten hours, based on the need to protect women's health for motherhood. Muller complicated the earlier decision in Lochner v. New York, laying out grounds on which states could intervene to protect workers. It divided women's rights activists, however, because some saw its provisions as discriminatory.

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talented tenth

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A term used by Harvard-educated sociologist W. E. B. Du Bois for the top 10 percent of educated African Americans, whom he called on to develop new strategies to advocate for civil rights.

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NAACP

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National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - An organization founded in 1910 by leading African American reformers and white allies as a vehicle for advocating equal rights for African Americans, especially through the courts.

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Industrial Workers of the World

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An umbrella union and radical political group founded in 1905, dedicated to organizing unskilled workers to oppose capitalism. Nicknamed the Wobblies, it advocated direct action by workers, including sabotage and general strikes.

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Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

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A devastating fire that quickly spread through the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York City on March 25, 1911, killing 146 people. In the wake of the tragedy, fifty-six state laws were passed dealing with such issues as fire hazards, unsafe machines, and wages and working hours for women and children. The fire also provided a national impetus for industrial reform.

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New Nationalism

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In a 1910 speech, Theodore Roosevelt called for a "New Nationalism" that promoted government intervention to enhance public welfare, including a federal child labor law, more recognition of labor rights, a national minimum wage for women, women's suffrage, and curbs on the power of federal courts to stop reform.

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Federal Reserve Act

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The central bank system of the United States, created in 1913. The Federal Reserve helps set the money supply level, thus influencing the rate of growth of the U.S. economy, and seeks to ensure the stability of the U.S. monetary system.

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Clayton Antitrust Act

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A 1914 law that strengthened federal definitions of "monopoly" and gave more power to the Justice Department to pursue antitrust cases; it also specified that labor unions could not generally be prosecuted for "restraint of trade," ensuring that antitrust laws would apply to corporations rather than unions.

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William Jennings Bryan

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"The Boy Orator of the Platte." Nebraskan Congressman who spoke for the cause of free silver, advocating against the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. Later, 1896, he gained a Democratic nomination after his famed "Cross of Gold" speech. His platform wanted the unlimited coinage of silver at a 16 to 1 ounce ratio of silver to gold.

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Jacob S. Coxey

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Wealthy Ohio quarry owner who marched on Washington in 1894, demanding that government relieve unemployment by an inflationary public works program. His "Commonwealth Army" was arrested for walking on the grass of the capital.

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Eugene V. Debs

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Head of the American Railway Union and director of the Pullman strike; he was imprisoned along with his associates for ignoring a federal court injunction to stop striking. While in prison, he read Socialist literature and emerged as a Socialist leader in America.

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Pullman strike

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1894 strike against a rail car company after wages were depleted by 1/3 but company town rent was not correspondingly lowered. Strike led by Eugene V. Debs, leader of American Railway Union. Cars were overturned from Chicago to the Pacific Coast, halting rail traffic. Federal troops were brought in on the excuse that the workers were interfering with transit of mail.

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Sixteenth Amendment

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This constitutional amendment instated in 1913 the income tax, which had been struck down out of the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act.

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William McKinley

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Ohio ex-congressman who ran for the Republican party in 1896; he was supported by Marcus Alonzo Hanna, who gave him financial support and promoted his campaign. Though he supported silver, the Republican campaign was for the gold standard. It gained a bit more support when it introduced the concept of international bimetallism.

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16 to 1

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The ratio of silver to gold promoted by Bryan's Democratic political platform in 1896.

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Theodore Roosevelt

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26th President of the United States, hero of the Spanish-American War; Panama Canal was built during his administration; said 'Speak softly but carry a big stick' (1858-1919)

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Treaty of Paris

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Signed by the United States and Spain in December 1898, this treaty ended the Spanish-American War. Under its terms, Spain recognized Cuba's independence and assumed the Cuban debt; it also ceded Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States. At the insistence of the U.S. representatives, Spain also ceded the Phillipines. The Senate ratified the treaty on February 6, 1899.

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Robert M. La Follette

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Gov of Wis. most militant of progresive GOP leaders. helped break the power of the Wisconsin political machine and persuaded legislatures to levy heavier taxes on rr's and other public utilities. Commissions created to regulate companies with a public interest and begin conservation movement in Wis.

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Woodrow Wilson

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The Republicab party was split betweeen Taft and Roosevelt so the Democrats had a chance of winning for the first time in 16 years. Woodrow Wilson was a once mild conservative who was now a militant progressive. He taught at princeton, was governer of new jersey and he attacked trusts and passed liberal means. Very strong minded and idealistic. When he thought he was right he would break before bending. He appointed some conservatives to the Federal Reserve and Treade commisions to satisy businesses. Most of his focus was on progressives however.

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New Freedom

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Wilson's system. Supported NO trusts and supported small businesses, but he basically shunned social welfare programs. Included many progressive reforms. Specifically attacked the banks, trusts, and tarriffs

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Louis D Brandeis

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Wrote the book Other People's Money and How the Bankers Use it. Further showed the problems of the American banking system. Wilson nominated him to the supreme court making him the first jew in that position.

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The Federal Reserve Board

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watched over the the nationwide system of 12 regional banking districts each with its own central bank and had the power to issue paper money

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Seamen's Act

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Required good treatemnt of America's sailors buit it sent merchant freight rates soaring as a result the cost to maintain a sailor's health

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Elkins Act

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A 1903 United States federal law that amended the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. Authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission to impose heavy fines on railroads that offered rebates, and upon the shippers that accepted these rebates. The railroad companies were not permitted to offer rebates. Railroad corporations, their officers and employees were all made liable for discriminatory practices.

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