A History of the United States: Chapter 22: The Progressive Era

The railroads formed an oligopoly. In an oligopoly, a group of businesses agree to limit competition and raise their prices to make larger profits.

Socialists believed government should own resources and operate major industries on behalf of all the people.

Reporters helped the reformers. They wrote newspaper and magazine stories that told people about problems. Called muckrakers, these reporters "raked"—or exposed—the "muck"—dirt and corruption—in business.

Now food and medicine had to be accurately labeled, and food that might cause harm could not be sold.

The initiative allowed citizens to place an issue on the ballot in a state election.

The referendum gave voters the opportunity to accept or reject laws.

The recall allowed voters to remove incompetent elected officials.

The inspector always stops in at the front office and dawdles around there for a while so us kids have time to hide.

Many professional women were teachers, but some worked in nursing and other fields.

Working with disadvantaged people gave Addams an outlet for her energy and intelligence.

Many of these reformers became suffragists, active supporters of a woman's right to vote.

They also supported prohibition—laws that would ban the making or selling of alcohol in the United States.

President Roosevelt stepped in and asked the union and the owners to accept arbitration, in which both sides agree to accept a settlement offered by a neutral party.

He supported the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act. These gave the government power to visit businesses and inspect products.

Roosevelt had a lifelong interest in the great outdoors. He believed in the need for conservation, the protection and preservation of natural resources.

Roosevelt had won every primary—elections parties hold to help them choose candidates.

Nonwhite, non-Protestant, and non-native residents often faced discrimination—unequal treatment because of their race, religion, ethnic background, or place of birth.

Free from slavery, African Americans were still denied basic rights.

In 1896 the Supreme Court legalized this segregation, or separation of groups, in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson.

In the late 1800s and the early 1900s, many Americans held biased, or prejudiced, views.

Mexican Americans learned to help themselves. Their mutualistas—aid groups—provided insurance and legal help.

In labor camps and Mexican neighborhoods, or barrios, mutualistas worked to address overcrowding and poor public services.