Unit 10 Lesson 2: Progressive Reforms

Question 1

Democratic reform was an important part of what cuase

Answer 1

Democratic reform was an important progressive cause.

Question 2

Reformers were convinced Americans should have more say in government. Whar did reforms do in response

Answer 2

To place more power in the hands of citizens, reformers worked at the grassroots level to pass reforms within their states.

Question 2

Many were dissatisfied that the senatorial candidate voters could vote on was picked by delegates to each political party’s convention. What was the response to this

Answer 2

To give more power to citizens, the direct primary was created.

Question 3

What was the direct primary

Answer 3

The direct primary allowed all of the members of a political party to vote for all of that party’s candidates before the general election. The candidate with the most votes then won the primary and became the party’s senatorial candidate in the general election.

Question 4

Other state-level reforms included three new types of votes:

Answer 4

initiative, referendum, and recall votes.

Question 5

What is initiative

Answer 5

The initiative allowed voters to impact legislation by collectively proposing a new idea or initiative on the ballot.

Question 6

How did initiative work

Answer 6

If a certain number of people signed a petition to ask for new legislation, the state was required to submit it for a vote.

Question 7

What is referendum

Answer 7

A referendum, on the other hand, allowed voters to vote for or against a proposed law on a ballot.

Question 8

How did referendums work

Answer 8

Referendums could be called on laws proposed through the initiative process or by the state legislature.

Question 9

What is the recall

Answer 9

Finally, the recall allowed voters to remove public officials from office through a process of petition and vote similar to the initiative and referendum.

Question 10

Whas the importance of initiative, referendum, and recall votes

Answer 10

Many states implemented these reforms, and they still help voters impact their governments today.

Question 11

Who was Rober La Follette

Answer 11

Robert La Follette was a strong supporter of progressive government.

Question 12

When was La Follette active in politics

Answer 12

La Follette was active in politics from 1901 until 1925, first as governor of Wisconsin, and then as a senator.

Question 13

What did La Follette do as governor

Answer 13

. As governor, La Follette supported numerous progressive causes.

Question 14

What did La Follette advocate for

Answer 14

He advocated for women’s right to vote and the direct election of U.S. senators. He also supported minimum wages and workers’ compensation laws for workers.

Question 15

Ho did La Follette reshape Wisconsin

Answer 15

La Follette made Wisconsin an ideal of democratic reform where people had the power to change laws that were not working for them.

Question 16

How did the direct primary give citizens more say in government?

Answer 16

Prior to the direct primary, senatorial candidates were selected by delegates at each political party’s convention. The direct primary allowed citizens to vote on nominees for Senate for the first time. When direct primaries became state law, citizens were able to vote on all of the candidates for their party. Only the candidate with the most votes advanced to the general election.

Question 17

Why was Wisconsin an ideal of democratic reform during the Progressive Era?

Answer 17

Wisconsin was the home of Robert La Follette. La Follette was an advocate of progressive reform. During his time in office, La Follette supported women’s right to vote, passed a minimum wage law, and passed a worker’s compensation law. People were given more power to enact change.

Question 18

Political corruption and government inefficiency were rampant during the Progressive Era. Elaborate

Answer 18

Politicians like William Tweed lined their pockets with taxpayer funds.

Question 19

How did actvists respond to the corruption system

Answer 19

Activists worked to change the corrupt system while improving efficiency

Question 20

In 1900, a devastating hurricane hit Galveston, Texas. More than 8,000 people died. Why did this incident drive a need for reform

Answer 20

The inefficient and corrupt government was not up to handling the recovery effort. Problems like these inspired people to act to reform their governments.

Question 21

After the 1900 hurricane, Progressives pressed city officials in Galveston to adopt a commission system of government. What would this sytem do

Answer 21

his system provided for the election of officials to run specific city operations. Commissioners were elected to run the police department, the water department, and the fire department.

Question 22

Why was the previous commission system so prone to corruption

Answer 22

Previously, just one person had been in charge of all of these city departments. This made it easy to bribe that person to do what a small group of people wanted instead of the majority of people

Question 23

Why did the reform of sharing power among commissioners lad to less corruption

Answer 23

Sharing power among many commissioners made each person less powerful, and getting away with accepting bribes more difficult. This helped reduce corruption in government and better served the needs of the people.

Question 24

Another reform implemented to improve efficiency and limit corruption was the city manager system. What was the city manger system?

Answer 24

Under this new system, city council members were elected by voters. These elected officials then hired a city manager.

Question 25

What did city managers do

Answer 25

City managers had experience in an area like business, and would actually run the day-to-day operations of the city.

Question 26

Why were city mangers less prone to corruption

Answer 26

Since city managers were not elected officials, they were less influenced by political parties. Adopting city manager systems made managing cities more professional and efficient.

Question 27

How did the hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas in 1900 inspire progressive reforms?

Answer 27

When a hurricane hit Galveston in 1900, thousands of people died and property was destroyed. The corrupt government was not prepared to lead the recovery. As a result, reformers pushed for the adoption of a commission form of government. The commission form of government kept power from being consolidated under one political leader. Commissioners were hired to run different parts of the government, like the police or fire departments.

Question 28

How does the city manager system reduce corruption and improve efficiency?

Answer 28

Under the city manager system, an individual with business or other relevant experience is hired to run the day-to-day operations of a city. City managers are not elected officials, so they are less influenced by political bosses or parties. Additionally, they are more likely to have the professional experience needed to run a city efficiently.

Question 29

While progressives pushed for change, most were content with moderate reforms. What were moderate reforms

Answer 29

Moderate reformers had less extreme views about what changes were needed in America. Moderates sought to improve efficiency and limit corruption in government. They also wanted to address social justice concerns.

Question 30

What was radical erform where was it rooted in

Answer 30

Another arm of the movement believed in more radical reform. Radical progressivism was rooted in the labor movement.

Question 31

Who was Eugene Debs

Answer 31

Eugene Debs was a labor leader dissatisfied with the pace of the labor movement.

Question 32

Eugene Debs was dissatfied with the pace of the labot movement what was his response

Answer 32

As a result, he founded the Socialist Party of America (SPA).

Question 33

What was the Socialist Party of America (SPA), what did it do

Answer 33

The SPA worked to elect Socialists to positions at the federal, state, and local levels of government. Debs and the SPA pushed for change from within the government. The SPA was successful in electing several candidates to important offices.

Question 34

What weakened the SPA party

Answer 34

However, a number of factions within the party weakened it and limited its effectiveness.

Question 35

Who was William Haywood

Answer 35

William Haywood was a member of the SPA who favored more radical approaches.

Question 36

What did Haywood establish

Answer 36

Haywood established the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

Question 37

What was the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

Answer 37

The IWW, also known as the Wobblies, tried to overthrow the capitalist system through direct actions like strikes.

Question 38

Why were memeber of IWW targeted by the government

Answer 38

As a result of their strike activities, members of the IWW were targeted by the government, and some were arrested.

Question 39

What were the roots of the radical Progressive movement?

Answer 39

Radical Progressivism was rooted in the labor movement. Leaders of the radicals were Eugene Debs and Bill Haywood. Both Debs and Haywood were active labor leaders.

Question 40

How did the SPA attempt to produce change?

Answer 40

The SPA attempted to initiate change by electing Socialists to important federal, state, and local offices. This would allow the SPA to influence change from within the government.

Question 41

What IWW tactics were considered radical?

Answer 41

The IWW advocated for direct action to produce change. The most important tactic was the general strike. These tactics made members of the IWW targets of arrest by government officials.

Question 42

The working poor faced a number of disadvantages at the end of the nineteenth century. Elaborate

Answer 42

The working poor faced a number of disadvantages at the end of the nineteenth century, like low wages, long hours, and unsafe working conditions. Women and children faced especially deplorable conditions.

Question 43

A fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was a turning point in the labor movement. Elaborate

Answer 43

Due to unsafe conditions in the factory, the fire claimed the lives of 146 people. Most of the victims were young immigrant women. The tragedy caught the attention of the American public, who began clamoring for change.

Question 44

What did muckrakers do

Answer 44

muckrakers exposed the conditions workers in factories and mills faced, including what happened at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Muckrakers wrote articles and books focused on the unfair living and working conditions of the poor.

Question 45

What did Debs and Haywood try to do

Answer 45

Leaders like Debs and Haywood tried to influence laws by electing pro-labor candidates or taking direct action.

Question 46

The labor movement had a number of important outcomes. What were the outcomes

Answer 46

New regulations improved the safety and health of factory workers. New child labor laws kept industries from exploiting children though low wages, long hours, and unsafe conditions. The eight-hour work day movement began during the late nineteenth century.

Question 47

How did muckrakers influence the labor movement?

Answer 47

Muckrakers wrote stories about the deplorable conditions faced by workers in factories. Their work brought to light the unsafe, unfair conditions faced by the working poor.

Question 48

What progressive reforms did Robert La Follette support?

Answer 48

La Follette supported women’s right to vote, the direct election of senators, a minimum wage for workers, and a workers’ compensation law.

Question 49

What were the causes of the labor movement?

Answer 49

Rapid urbanization and industrialization led to a number of problems in the United States. Working conditions were often unsafe for workers. Additionally, workers had long hours without a minimum wage. As a result, labor leaders organized to improve working conditions.

Question 50

Who founded the Socialist Party of America (SPA)?

Answer 50

Eugene Debs