Theodore Roosevelt-1901-1909
 Twenty-sixth president
 Roosevelt had to deal with ill health and became an advocate for similarly disadvantaged people
 Roosevelt was part of the Rough Rider Regiment during the Spanish-American conflict, where he
became a war hero
 As president, he became a “trust buster”; he used the Sherman Antitrust Act to dissolve trusts that
restrained interstate and foreign trade.
 Won the antitrust case against the Northern Securities Company
 Style of diplomacy was to “speak softly and carry a big stick: protected United States interests by
ensuring the construction of the Panama Canal and United States authority in Latin America
 Served as a middleman in conflicts between Russia and Japan; forged Gentlemen’s Agreement of
1907
 Supported conservation (not preservation) of national resources
Muckrakers-1900-1912
 American journalists, novelists, and critics who exposed corruption, especially in business and
politics
 President Theodore Roosevelt is said to have given the muckrakers their name
 Famous muckrakers include Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, Lincoln Steffens, and Samuel Hopkins
Adams
 Led to increased support for the progressive movement
Insular Cases-1901-1904
 A series of court cases held to determine if the “Constitution followed the flag”
 At stake—whether people in areas controlled by the United States were given rights as citizens
 The court determined that those living in new territories were not automatically granted the rights
of United States citizens
Upton Sinclair-1878-1968
 Novelist and socialist
 Used his writings to expose issues in United States society, such as the need for food inspection
laws, and the oppressive effect of capitalism on education and culture
 His book, The Jungle (1906), a graphic novel about the Chicago stockyards, led to food inspection
reforms and the Meat Inspection Act of 1906
 Lost bid to become governor of California in 1934
 Won Pulitzer Prize in 1942
Muller vs. Oregon-1908
 Oregon established a law that limited women to ten hours of work in factories and laundries
 Muller, a laundry owner, challenged the legality of the law, arguing that it violated the “liberty to
contract”
 Louis Brandeis, one of the attorneys arguing the case, used extensive sociological evidence in his
brief (the Brandeis Brief), which served as a model for later social reforms
 The Supreme Court held that the law was constitutional
Henry Ford-1863-1947
 His Model-T, introduced in 1908, was the first inexpensive, mass-produced automobile
 Use of the moving assembly line strongly influenced American manufacturing
Railroad Strike- 1877
 Pay cuts caused labor strikes to spread through the country.
 Workers of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad went on strike over a second pay cut.
 President Hayes used federal troops to restore order after workers were killed.
Half_Breeds, Stalwarts, and Mugwamps-1880’s
 Factions of the Republican Party in the 1800’s
 Half-Breeds: supported civilian service reform and merit appointments to government
 Stalwarts: opposed civil service reform and supported the protective tariff
 Mugwamps: group that left Republican Party to become Democrats; this group heavily favored
civil service reform and mistrusted James Blaine as the presidential nominee, as the group
suspected his involvement in past corruption
Gilded Age-1870’s-1890’s
 Period of the new industrial era
 Phrase coined by Mark Twain
 America emerged as the world’s leading industrial and agricultural producer
 Profits became increasingly centralized in the hands of fewer people
Social Darwinism-1880s
 Theory that wealth was based on the survival of the fittest; associated with Charles Darwin’s work
 Wealthy industrial leaders used the doctrines to justify vast differences in classes
 Supporters included Herbert Spencer and William Graham Sumner
Captains of Industry or Robber Barons-1880s
 Leaders of large, efficient corporations
 Often gained wealth through questionable business means
 Monopolies by these large companies led to demands by small businessmen and laborers for gov’t
regulation
John D. Rockefeller-1839-1937
 Founder of Standard Oil Company
 Used such business practices as horizontal integration, trusts, and rebates to grow Standard Oil
 Also invested in banks, railroads, and timber
 Focused on philanthropy toward the end of his life, including the Rockefeller Foundation and the
University of Chicago
Andrew Carnegie-1835-1919
 After making money through investments in a sleeping car company and oil, Andrew Carnegie
moved on to work in the War Department
 He went to work in the iron business and then moved into steel after learning of the Bessemer
Process, which formed steel from pig iron
 Grew Carnegie Steel Company through acquisitions
 Wrote the article “Gospel of Wealth,” for the North American Review, which offered the belief
that the wealthy were just trustees of their money and that they must use their efforts to benefit
society
 His philanthropic ventures included Carnegie Hall and public libraries
William Randolph Hearst-(1863-1951)
-Inherited the San Francisco Chronicle
-Built media empire, including newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and movie studios.
-His “Yellow Journalism,” writing that dealt with sensational news, helped lead the
United States into the Spanish-American War.
James Garfield- 1881
-Twentieth President.
-Former Ohio Congressman and Union General.
-Charles Guiteau, a disappointed office seeker, shot and killed Garfield.
-His assassination spurred the passage of the Pendleton Act.
Chester Arthur- (1881-1885)
-Twenty-first President.
-Assumed presidency when Garfield was assassinated by Charles Guiteau. -Worked to
outlaw polygamy in Utah and to strengthen the Navy.
-Supported the Pendleton Act, which established open competitive exams for civil service
jobs and officially ended the Spoils System, which had been popular under Andrew
Jackson.
Chinese Exclusion Act- Date: 1882
-Only legislation passed to limit immigration of any one group of people. -Passed in
response to the Chinese who settled in California after building the railroads.
Modern Navy- Date: 1880’s
-Construction of new steel ships led the United States to take the lead in the world naval
rankings.
-United States Naval War College was established on October 6, 1884.
-Alfred Taylor Mahan (1840-1914) was a U.S. naval officer, President of Newport War
College, and author who pushed for imperialism and growth of the U.S. Navy.
-Repair and coaling stations helped expand the Navy’s effectiveness.
Grover Cleveland:1885-1889 and 1893-1897
-Twenty-second and twenty-fourth President
- The first Democrat elected after the Civil War
- He was the only president elected to two non-consecutive terms
- He vetoed many private pension bills to Civil War veterans who
submitted fraudulent claims
- Signed the Interstate Commerce Act
- Sent in federal troops to enforce an injunction against striking railroad
workers in Chicago
Wabash Case: 1886
-Case challenged legislation made by the State of Illinois against railroads;
the state was trying to appease the demands of farmers for lower railroad rates
- The Supreme Court determined that states had power to regulate interstate
commerce
-Case undid an earlier victory for states established in the Munn v, Illinois case
(1877), which had allowed for regulation
American Federation of Labor (AFL)- 1890
-Combination of national craft unions representing labor interests in wages, hours, and safety.
-Individuals were members of their local unions, which in turn, were members of the AFL
-Rather than revolutionary changes, they sought a better working life; their philosophy was “ pure
and simple unionism”
-First president was Samuel Gompers
Haymarket Square Riot-May 4, 1886
-Large rally in Haymarket Square in Chicago shortly after striking began at McCormik Harvesting
Machine Co.
-Police attempted to disperse the crowd, which was followed by a bomb explosion
-Eleven were killed and over 100 injured
-Eight anarchists were put on trial and for were executed
-Incident was used to discredit the Knights of Labor
Interstate Commerce Act-1887
-Established the Interstate Commerce Commission in part to monitor discrimination within the
railroad industry
-Prohibited rebates and pools and required railroads to publish their rates
-Also prohibited unfair discrimination against shippers and prohibited the practice of the charging
more for short hauls than long hauls
-In general, the Act opened competition, the goal of which was to preserve equality and spur
innovation.
Dawes Severalty Act-1887
-Legislation encouraging the breakup of Native American tribes in hopes of assimilating them into
American society
-Distributed native American reservation lands among individual members of the tribe to form a
system of agriculture more similar to the white man’s
-Gave each head of a Native American family 160 acres of farmland or 320 acres of grazing land
Effect was to nearly destroy the reservation system, as the remaining tribal lands were opened up
for whites
Jane Addams (1860-1935)
-American social reformer
-Provided the services of the Hull house in Chicago (1889) to help poor immigrants settle
-Member of the “Social Gospel” movement, which appied lessons from the bible
to help solve problems of immigration and urbanization
-Won 1931 Nobel peace prize
Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)
-Twenty-third President
-Former senator and lawyer
-He was nominated for the presidency on the eighth ballot at the 1888 Republican
Convention
-Defeated Grover Cleveland, despite receiving fewer popular votes
-Submitted to the Senate a treaty to annex Hawaii, although President Cleveland
later withdrew it
-Signed many appropriations bills for naval improvement and internal
improvements
Battle of Wounded Knee-1890
-Sioux natives wished to practice a dance that they believed would free their
lands, rid them of whites, and lead to prosperity; this frightened white settlers
-The federal army believed Chief Sitting Bull was planning a rebellion; acting
on the settlers’ fear and their suspicions, the army captured the chief
-In a sudden exchange of gunfire between the tribe and army, Chief Sitting Bull
and others were killed; the remainder of the tribe fled to a camp near Wounded
Knee Creek
-When the army reached this camp, a shot was fired, and in reaction, the army
killed two hundred men, women, and children in what is considered the last
battle of the Indian Wars
Progressivism (1890-1914)
-Social, political, and economic reform that came as an American response to
problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, and immigration
-Democratic reforms were made throughout states and the national government
-Reforms helped develop the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Nineteenth Amendmens
Sherman Antitrust Act-1890
-Based on Congress’ power to regulate interstate commerce
-Declared every contract, combination, or conspiracy in restraint of interstate to
be illegal
-Corporate monopolies were exposed to federal prosecution if found to conspire
in restraining trade
-The Supreme Court applied the act to both labor unions and corporations
Populist Party-1890
-Consisted mostly of farmers
-Members who me in Nebraska wrote their “Omaha Platform”
-The demands of the platform included free and unlimited coinage of silver, a
graduated income tax, and government ownership of the telephone, telegraph, and
railroad industries
-Many of these ideas were later adopted by the Progressive Party
Homestead Strike-1892
-Iron and steel workers’ strike against Carnegie Steel Company in Pittsburgh to
protest salary reductions
-Henry Clay Frick hired Pinkerton security guards to protect Carnegie’s plant, but
fighting began and several deaths resulted on both sides
-Pennsylvania state militia was brought in to take control
Eugene V. Debs- (1855-1926)
-Became president of American Railway Union in 1893
-Led successful strikes against the Great Northern Railway and against the
Pullman Palace Car Company
-Was a founder of the Social Democratic Party
-Ran for president as a Socialist candidate five times between 1900 and 1920
Hawaii-Republic founded in 1894
-American sugar planters worked in Hawaii and expanded American-Hawaiian
sugar trade
-Queen Liliuokalani opposed foreigners, alienating Americans
-Revolution against the queen came about in 1893 and was encouraged by
American leaders
-Feeling that most islanders did not support this revolution, Grover Cleveland
unsuccessfully attempted to restore Queen Liliuokalani
-Sandford Dole, son of American missionaries in Hawaii, shepherded the
annexation process
-Dole became Hawaii’s first governor when the United States annexed it on July
7, 1898
Frederick Winslow Taylor-(1856-1915)
Created the basis for the scientific management of business in a quest for
efficiency
-Used shops and large plants as models and succeeded in spreading his ideas on
efficiency to several industries
-Wrote books on the subject of scientific management
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 (Published 1890)
-Written by Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914), a naval officer and historian
-Further encouraged those in favor of American imperialism and seaward
expansion
-Themes in the book were used as partial justification for the United States’
taking of the Philippines
Plessy v. Ferguson-1896
-Homer Plessy refused to leave a railroad car restricted only to whites
-The Supreme Court upheld the Louisiana state law that required “separate but
equal” facilities
-The majority stated that the Fourteenth Amendment protected only political
equality, not social equality
-Justice Harlan’s dissent argued that “…all citizens are equal before law,” laying
the foundation for Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which overturned
“separate but equal”
W.E.B. DuBois-(1868-1963)
-Civil rights leader and author
-Called for equality of African-Americans, which included social, civil, political,
and economic equality
-Opposed Booker T. Washington’s “gradual approach” to equality
-Through higher education, DuBois wanted to develop leaders from the most able
10 percent of African-Americans (“The Talented Teeth”)
-Co-founded the Niagara Movement, which became the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Cross of Gold Speech-1896
-Address given by William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic presidential nominee,
during the national convention of the Democratic Party
-The speech criticized the gold standard and supported the coinage of silver
-Bryan’s beliefs were popular with debt-ridden farmers
-The last words of his speech, and the most famous, were “You shall not press
down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind
upon a cross of gold”
William McKinley (1897-1901)
-Twenty-fifth President
-Former Republican congressman from Ohio
-Business rallied to his support against William Jennings Bryan
-While Bryan toured the country, McKinley stayed home and hosted important
visitors, building an honest, “presidential” image
-Defeated William Jennings Bryan for office in 1896
-McKinley’s election over Bryan influenced future political races by setting up
interest groups and alliances that lasted over a decade
-McKinley re-elected in 1900; Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, assassinated McKinley
one year into his second term
Marcus Alonzo Hanna- (1837-1904)
-American capitalist dealing in coal, shipping, shipbuilding, banking, and
newspapers
-He was active in the Ohio Republican Party, having William McKinley elected
governor in 1891 and 1893
-As Chairman of the Republican National Committee, he helped McKinley win
the presidential election of 1896
Teller Amendment-1898
-The Amendment promised that when the United States overthrew Spanish rule in
Cuba, the United States would give Cubans their independence
-Later, the Platt Amendment would override the Teller Amendment as Cuba
would come under United States control after the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War-1898
-Cuba resented Spain’s control, which led to rebellion
-Spain responded with the dispatch of General Valeriano Weyler, who confined
civilians to brutal camps
-The U.S. “yellow press” labeled him “Butcher Weyler”, increasing American
support against Spain
-The United States sent the battleship Maine to Havana to protect American
interests; it was blown up
-The United States fought Spain in the Philippines and in Cuba
-Treaty of Paris allowed for Cuban independence; United States gained Puerto
Rico, Guam, and the Philippines while Spain received $20 million from thee
United States for the Philippines
Puerto Rico and the United States-1900 (Foraker) and 1917 (citizenship)
-In 1900, Congress passed the Foraker Act, which gave Puerto Rico limited
popular government
-In 1917, American citizenship was granted to Puerto Ricans
Platt Amendment-1901
-Rider attached to Army appropriations bil
-It was written into the constitution of Cuba by the United States and, in effect,
made Cuba a United States protectorate
-The United States could intervene to preserve Cuba’s “independence”; in
reality, the United States could act to protect its own interests
-The United States kept land for naval bases on Cuba; Guantanamo Bay would
play a part in later Cuba-United States conflicts
William Howard Taft-1909-1913
 Twenty-seventh President
 After serving as Secretary of War under Theodore Roosevelt, he was elected over William
Jennings Bryan
 Prosecuted trusts under the Sherman Antitrust Act
 His policy of “Dollar Diplomacy: called for acting in foreign affairs to achieve a financial result
on behalf of one’s country
 His administration created the Department of Labor and established the parcel-post system
 President Theodore Roosevelt’s relationship with Taft deteriorated, leading to Roosevelt’s
opposition of Taft’s re-election
 Became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after serving as president
Aschan School (New York Realists)-early 1900’s
 Group of artists who painted realistic scenes
 Focused on subjects of everyday life; titles such as The Wrestlers and Sixth Avenue
 Members included George Luks, George Bellows, John Sloan, Robert Henri, Everett Shinn, and
Arthur B. Davies.
Radio-early 1900’s
 First human voice was broadcast in 1906 and first musical broadcast was in 1910
 Woodrow Wilson was the first president to broadcast
 KDKA was first radio station in the US (Pittsburgh), commencing broadcast in 1920
 Broke down regionalism and provided news and entertainment
The Great Migration-1910s-1940s
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The movement of African Americans from the South to the industrial centers of the Northeast and
Midwest
Causes for the migration included decreased cotton prices, the lack of immigrant workers in the
North, increased manufacturing as a result of the war, and a growth of the KKK
The African American population in such cities as Detroit, Chicago, and New York grew during
this period
The migration led to higher wages, more educational opportunities, and better standards of life for
many African Americans.
Seventeenth Amendment-ratified 1913
 A progressive initiative that allowed for each state to elect two senators for six-year terms by
popular vote
 Restated the first paragraph of Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution by replacing “chosen by
Legislature thereof” with “elected by the people thereof”
 Allowed citizens to have a more active participation in government
Woodrow Wilson-1913-1921
 Twenty-eighth president
 Before presidency and political work, he served as a n academic and President of Princeton
University
 His legislation lowered tariffs, created a graduated federal income tax, and established the Federal
Trade Commission to control unfair business practices
 Initiated progressive reform that prohibited child labor and limited railroad workers to and eighthour day
 Led the United States into World War 1
 His “Fourteen Points” outlined the settlement of World War 1
 He was a noted racist who segregated the federal government and praised Birth of a Nation, a
controversial movie negatively depicting African Americans
Federal Reserve Act of 1913-1913
 Response to the Panic of 1907 and concerns of business
 Need for a stable currency supply that could grow and shrink with business demands
 Several measures competed for designing this central reserve, each offering control to a different
group
 President Wilson worked diligently to create and secure passage of the act
 Divided the nation into separate regions with federal reserve banks in each that would serve as
“banker’s banks”
 The Federal Reserve Board oversaw the system and regulated it by raising or lowering the interest
rates that each federal reserve bank would charge
Watchful Waiting-1913-1914
 Policy by Woodrow Wilson of rejecting alliances with leaders who took control through force
until a determination of their interests could be made
 Wilson implemented this policy by refusing to accept the leadership of Victoriano Huerta when he
took control of Mexico through violent revolution
 Policy ended when the United States sent forces to retaliate against Mexico, which had arrested
American sailors in its borders
Clayton Antitrust Act-1914
 Further outlined regulations against monopolies and other unfair business practices
 Meant as update for the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890
 Price discrimination that was destructive to competition was declared illegal
 Declared interlocking board of directors of direct competitors illegal
 Established Federal Trade commission to investigate and prosecute instances of unfair competition
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Served as the grounds for many suits against big corporations
Exempted labor unions engaged in legal activities