What did the Progressive Movement Accomplish?

 

Three Progressive Presidents:

    Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909

    William Howard Taft 1909-1913

    Woodrow Wilson 1913-1921

 

Political Reforms:

 

Began Direct Primaries

 

Laws that regulated political contributions and campaign finances

 

Initiative and Referendum gave voter more voice in making law at the local level

 

Recall which gave voters the power to get rid of public officials

 

State level Civil Service exams reduced the number of jobs that could be used for patronage by political machines

 

Seventeenth Amendment 1913: direct election of Senators

 

Nineteenth Amendment 1920: women’s suffrage

 

Social and Economic Reforms:

 

18th Amendment: Prohibition

 

State regulation of railroads (intrastate) and public utilities

 

Creation of the Federal Reserve System 1913

 

Consumer Protection laws:

    Meat Inspection Act 1906

    Pure Food and Drug Act 1906

 

Graduated income tax to reduce burdens on property owners: Income Tax (Amendment 16) 1913

 

Lower tariffs (Underwood Tariff 1913)

 

Child and Women Labor Laws

 

Welfare Benefits for dependent children, widows, and elderly

 

Factory inspection laws

 

Worker’s Compensation laws

 

Federal Regulation of railroads, banks, and corporations: Hepburn Act 1906, Federal Trade Commission Act 1914

 

Conservation Laws to preserve natural resources (Newlands Act 1902)

 

Legitimate Union Activities were exempted from anti-Trust prosecution: (Clayton Anti-trust Act 1913)

 

Federal low interest loans to farmers

    Federal Farm Loan Act 1916

 

What legacy did the Progressives Leave?

 

Change in government policy from “laissez-faire” to government regulation

 

Showed the ability of democracy to tackle issues and problems from urbanization and industrialization

 

Showed the need for government action on all levels to solve problems

 

President should provide strong and effective leadership at the national level