1. Working toward Suffrage
1.1. Problem: Many women were active in the struggle for woman suffrage- or the right to vote. American women fought longer for the right to vote than they did for any other reform.
1.1.1. Reformer: Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony came together and made their first focus on getting states to allow women to vote
1.1.1.1. Solution: In 1896 only four states gave women this right-Wyoming, Utah, idaho, and Colorado. From 1896 to 1910, more western states began extending voting rights to women.
1.1.2. Reformer: Carrie Chapman Catt, president of NAWSA in 1917, argued to President Woodrow Wilson that women were vital to help the war effort for a country that denied them the right to vote.
1.1.2.1. Solution: Wilson backed the idea of national woman suffrage as a vital part of winning WWI. In 1920, Congress finally passed the 19th Amendment, which gave women full voting rights.
2. Working towards Worker's Rights
2.1. Problem: Factory workers were usually paid very low wages and Long work days in unsafe and unsanitary conditions
2.1.1. Reformer: Samuel Gompers started working in factories when he was 13 and eventually became a union leader. He fought for laws that would limit the work day to eight hours.
2.1.1.1. Solution: In 1886 Gompers helped start the American Federation of Labor (AFL).Slowly American workers began to see Laws that limited work hours and increased wages.
3. Working towards Health & Safety
3.1. Problem: In the 1900's no one knew if they were eating contaminated food or if the medicines they took were safe. There were no laws or regulations on what was sold to the American Public.
3.1.1. Reformer: Upton Sinclair wrote a novel called The Jungle exposing the lack of safety and sanitation for workers in the meatpacking industry
3.1.1.1. Solution: Got passed the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act
3.1.2. Reformer: Alice Hamilton was a doctor who helped factory workers. She noticed many workers were getting weak and sometimes even dying
3.1.2.1. Solution: She taught factory owners how to make their factory safer and keep their air clean for the workers
3.1.3. Reformer: Lillian Wald was a nurse who had the idea of sending nurses to people who were too sick or poor to go to a hospital.
3.1.3.1. Solution: She started a visiting nurse program in New York City so that many nurses could help sick people at home, as well as got nurses into schools (specifically New York)
4. Working towards Conservation
4.1. Problem: Gradual reduction and loss of natural resources
4.1.1. Reformer: Theodore Roosevelt was a strong crusader for conservation of natural resources. He camped out with a naturalist and loved the Yosemite so much he decided to turn it to a nature reserve
4.1.1.1. Solution: Federal laws that said businesses and companies had to obey laws regarding natural resources especially, and they couldn't just cut down trees wherever they wanted
4.1.2. Reformer: John Muir is a naturalist that took Theodore Roosevelt to the Yosemite
4.1.2.1. Solution: the first wildlife refuge at Pelican Island, Florida. He doubled the number of national parks to the United States.
5. Working to end Racism
5.1. Problem: When reconstruction ended in the south, many southerners started restricting the rights of African Americans all over again
5.1.1. Reformer: Ida B. Wells was one of many African Americans who had to flee North to escape violence and threats based off of their skin color
5.1.1.1. Solution: She was an African American journalist who worked to fight against black lynchings in the south
5.1.2. Reformer: W.E.B. Du Bois helped to form an organization known as the "National Association for the Advancement of Colored People"
5.1.2.1. Solution: The N.A.A.C.P worked hard to end discrimination against African Americans in the United States
5.1.3. Reformer: Booker T. Washington was an early leader in the effort to achieve equality
5.1.3.1. Solution: He became a teacher after the civil war and founded the Tuskegee Institute. The school helped African Americans learn trades and gain economic strengths
6. Working to end Child Labor
6.1. Problem: By 1915 almost two million children were working in unsafe condition with little pay and long hours
6.1.1. Reformer: Lewis Hine was a photographer that wanted to help the children in factories
6.1.1.1. Solution: Lewis Hine took pictures of the working condition that the kids were in and it inspired support for child labor laws and compulsory education.
7. Working towards Prohibition
7.1. Problem: Many people believed alcoholism was connected to insanity, violence, and led to poverty. They preached that alcohol Led to other immorality in society like gambling and the destruction of families.
7.1.1. Reformer: Carrie Nation was a prohibition advocate and would take an axe into saloons with her while she preached the evils of alcohol.
7.1.1.1. Solution: January 16, 1920, the 18th Amendment went into effect. It banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol in the United States. Saloons were forced to close.
7.1.2. Reformer: Al Capone was the most ruthless crime boss of the prohibition era in chicago. He had a private army of over 700 criminals and they seized control of the cities 10,000 speakeasies. By the late 1920's, most Americans realized that the 18th amendment had failed.
7.1.2.1. Solution: In 1933, The 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition, but unfortunately, the organized crime that it had created did not end with it.
8. Working to end Corruption
8.1. Problem: Federal and local government became more corrupt, often bribed people for support, and break rules to win elections
8.1.1. Reformer: William M. Tweed stole large amounts of money from the city
8.1.1.1. Solution: Some political machines worked to help immigrants get settled and find jobs
8.1.2. Reformer: Robert M. La Follette made Wisconsin the first state to establish direct primary
8.1.2.1. Solution: Allowed voters to choose candidates for the parties to run in elections
8.1.3. Reformer: William S. Uren was an Oregon newspaper editor that promoted three government reforms
8.1.3.1. Solution: Initiatives allowed voters to propose laws. Referendums allowed citizens to vote on proposed laws. Recalls allowed people to vote a government official out of office
9. Working to end Poverty
9.1. Problem: Tenements were poorly designed, unsafe, no running water, electricity and lacked sanitation, as well as rundown and over-crowded
9.1.1. Reformer: Jacob Riis photography exposed the poor condition of lower class
9.1.1.1. Solution: By the poor living conditions being exposed it inspired the wealthier people to reform laws and improve living
9.1.2. Reformer: Jane Addams and her friend bought a house and turned it into a settlement to help poor people
9.1.2.1. Solution: Settlement houses were established in other areas and offered opportunities like english classes, child care, and work raining for community residence