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The Progressive Era

The Progressive Era. 1900-1920. Today’s Objectives. To describe trust companies and the laws passed to limit them To describe the organization and end of the Populist party To examine the gold standard controversy and how it affected the 1896 presidential election. Laissez-Faire.

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The Progressive Era

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  1. The Progressive Era 1900-1920

  2. Today’s Objectives • To describe trust companies and the laws passed to limit them • To describe the organization and end of the Populist party • To examine the gold standard controversy and how it affected the 1896 presidential election

  3. Laissez-Faire • Non government interference • The Progressive Era: 1900-1920. A period when people focused their attention on correcting the negative effects of Industrialization • Citizens and leaders wanted to change America for the better

  4. Reformers Start A Political Party • Concerned about the growth of big business • Too much power was bad • Citizens were not able to fight it alone • They asked the government to help

  5. How Did Congress Try To Limit Trust Companies? • Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) • Created to controlrailroads • Sherman Anti-Trust Law • Made it illegal for large companies to form monopolies (one person controlling the industry; Remember: Carnegie, Rockefeller!!) • Laws did not work • Often used to persecute unions on strike, opposite of what Congress wanted

  6. What Did the Populist Party Stand For? • Farmers who did not like the big business • Fought for farmers rights • Afraid that democracy would fall • They were losing their farms • They again, asked the government for help

  7. What changes did they want? • Graduated income tax plan. Taxes increase as person’s income increases • Public would own railroad, telegraph, and telephone companies • Senators elected by the people • Government would make more money available • Make silver coins again; would make more money

  8. How did this affect the election of 1896? • McKinley supported the gold standard (gold backed the money supply) (republican), as well as President Cleveland • Democrats wanted gold and silver • Positive- limit supply of money, prices low, help business • Negative- hurt average Americans, only helped big business • Populists candidate, Bryan, lost even though he campaigned more, spoke more • Populist movement ended, but the reform spirit did not

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