Unit 4 Learning Guide: Progressivism
Learning Targets
1. We will Identify changes that occurred as the United States shifted from an agrarian to an industrial society
2. We will Analyze the way European immigrants in the east and Asian immigrants in the west were treated,
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such as discrimination in housing and employment.
Evaluate the importance of social change and reform, such as settlement houses and churches that
helped the poor during the early 1900s.
Examine the ways powerful groups (political machines) in United States cities controlled the
government, such as having enough votes to maintain control of the city and giving jobs or contracts
only to people who supported them.
Explain the ways organizations and people have shaped public policy and corrected injustices in
American life, such as the NAACP, the YMCA, Theodore Roosevelt, and Booker T. Washington.
Dissect and Measure the success of the attempts of women to try and again suffrage through political
movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Vocabulary Words 1-15
1. Progressivism: A political philosophy that favored gradual social, political, and economic reform to
make the U.S. better and more equal.
2. Urbanization: a shift of physical population growth from rural small towns to large urban cities.
3. Immigrate: to enter a new country after leaving another.
4. Emigrate: to leave a country and go to another.
5. Cultural Mosaic: A mix of cultures, languages, and ethnic groups that coexist in a society.
6. Nativism: favoritism towards native-born citizens as opposed to immigrants. Extreme dislike of
foreigners
7. Tenement: a multi-family, poorly built and run-down apartment that the low class lived in.
8. Political Machine: an organization that is run by a party boss who keeps controls of cities by giving
specific rewards to voters.
9. Party Boss: Leader of the political machine who controls votes and decides on how government is run.
10. Patronage: Political candidates rewarding their supporters with jobs whether they are qualified or not.
11. Settlement Houses: a center in an under-privileged area that provides community services such as
education, and medical help.
12. Racial Segregation: separation of humans based on racial groups.
13. Muckraker: Someone who investigates and exposes misconduct and problems in the public life.
14. Prohibition/Temperance Movement: The movement to ban all manufacturing, selling, and using of
alcohol in the United States.
15. Trust-busting: Government activities seeking to break-up and destroy corporate trusts and monopolies.
Main Industrial Figures, Places Events & Organizations
Ellis Island: The place where European immigrants landed and were processed before entering the U.S.
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Angel Island: The place where Asian Immigrants landed and were processed before entering the U.S.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): Banned Chinese Immigration to the United States. It would be originally only
for 10 years, but every 10 years it would be renewed until 1943.
Jane Addams: A settlement worker who established the Hull House in Chicago. She helped mothers and
children in low income areas. She is considered a prominent figure of the Progressive movement.
Jacob Riis: He wrote How the Other Half Lives (1890), a photographic book which exposed the poor side of
cities and the way they have to live in tenement housing.
Upton Sinclair- He wrote The Jungle, which exposed the Meat and food industry in the United State and lead
to the passing of the Pure Food and Drug act and the Meat Inspection Act.
Boss Tweed: A notorious party boss in NYC who famously overpaid contractors for work but he was
eventually convicted of corruption.
James Garfield: 20th President of the U.S. who was assassinated by Charles Guiteau because Guiteau,
delusional, thought he deserved a job via patronage after Garfield was elected.
Chester Arthur: 21st President who took over when Garfield was assassinated. He signed the Pendleton Act to
prevent future problems with patronage.
Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act (1883): A law that was established that required government jobs should
be awarded based on merit after a candidate took an exam
Jim Crow Laws: State and local laws that forced segregation amongst races in public facilities.
Plessy vs. Ferguson: A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld the legality of segregation and coined a new
phrase “Separate but Equal” meaning public places can keep their businesses separate from races but must be
equal.
Booker T Washington: African-American leader who pushed for African-Americans to prove their worth to
white America by working really hard and learning how to do certain specific vocational work skills. He helped
found the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
WEB Dubois: African-American leader who led the Niagara Movement, and he insisted that AfricanAmericans become well-educated in the liberal arts and demand equality now rather than working towards
equality later. He was the founder of the idea of the Talented Tenth, where the top 10% of blacks would be
successful and help the others.
Grover Cleveland- was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States who fought against political
corruption and patronage during his two terms.
A. Pure Food and Drug Act and B. Meat Inspection Act (1906)- A. Required accurate labeling of food
and drugs. B. Evaluated the quality of meat to make sure it was safe to eat.
16th Amendment (1913): Allowed congress to levy(collect) an Income Tax
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17th Amendment (1913): The citizens’ right to directly elect U.S. Senators to office.
18th Amendment (1920): The prohibition of Alcohol in the United States.
Benjamin Harrison: 23rd President of the United States who passed the Sherman Anti-trust Act and advocated
to protect the voting rights of African-Americans unsuccessfully.
William McKinley(1897-1901)- 25th President who raised tariffs and kept the country on the Gold Standard.
He led the country to success in the Spanish-American War. He was assassinated by Leon Czolgosz, an
unemployed anarchist.
Theodore Roosevelt-(1901-1909) 26th President who had a rough and tumble personality but was a leader of
the early 20th Century progressive movement in the White House. He believed in Trust-Busting, government
regulation, cleaning up the food industry, helping everyone have a “Square Deal” and protecting the
environment thought his conservation movement.
William Taft-27th President who believed in trust-Busting, Civil Service reform, passing the 16th Amendment,
allowing Income Taxes.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Nation, Alice Paul, Carrie Chapman Catt- Major
figures in the Women’s Rights movement of the 19th and early 20th century.
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