644 Chapter 19

Section 1 Step-by-Step Instruction

Section Focus QuestionHow did reformers try to end government corruption and limit the influence of big business?Before you begin the lesson for the day, write the Section Focus Question on the board. (Lesson focus: Reformers passed laws to limit corruption and give people more direct political power. They also used the press to expose government corruption and the abuses of big business.)

Prepare to Read

Build Background Knowledge L2

In this section, students will read about efforts to reform government and big busi ness. Remind students that they learned in Chapters 17 and 18 about changes caused by industrialization. Write the term gilded on the board and explain that it means “coated with a thin layer of gold paint.” Ask students to suggest problems in gov ernment, industry, and society that might be exposed if the “thin layer” were removed.

Set a Purpose L2

Read each statement in the Reading n

Readiness Guide aloud. Ask students to mark the statements True or False.

Teaching Resources, Unit 6, Reading Readiness Guide, p. 82

Have students discuss the statements in n

pairs or groups of four, then mark their worksheets again. Use the Numbered Heads participation strategy (TE, p. T24) to call on students to share their group’s perspectives. The students will return to these worksheets later.

1SECTION1SECTION

644 Chapter 19 Political Reform and the Progressive Era

The Gilded Age and Progressive Reform

Key Termscivil serviceprimaryrecallinitiative

referendumgraduated income

taxmuckraker

Expensive, Inefficient, and Corrupt“With very few exceptions, the city governments ofthe United States are . . . the most expensive, themost inefficient, and the most corrupt. . . . Such cities,like the decaying spots on ripe fruit, tend to corruptthe whole body politic.”

—Andrew D. White, educator and diplomat,describing government corruption, 1890

Why It Matters In the late 1800s, giant corporations gainedcontrol of much of American business. Some business leadersabused their power and were aided by corrupt governmentofficials. Americans began to protest against the corruption.They urged government to limit the power of the huge trustsand monopolies.

� Poor city children

Objectives• Identify the problems in American politics

during the Gilded Age.

• Describe the political reforms the Progres-sives supported.

• Explain how journalists contributed to reform efforts.

Section Focus Question: How did reformers try to endgovernment corruption and limit the influence of bigbusiness?

Reform in the Gilded AgeThe period after the Civil War came to be known as the

Gilded Age. Gilded means “coated with a thin layer of goldpaint.” It suggests falseness beneath surface glitter. SomeAmericans worried that the glitter of American society washiding serious problems. The Gilded Age lasted from the1870s through the 1890s.

Two concerns shaped politics during the Gilded Age.Many Americans feared that industrialists and other wealthymen were enriching themselves at the expense of the public.The other worry was corruption, or dishonesty in govern-ment. Bribery and voter fraud appeared to be widespread.

Taming the Spoils System Critics said a key sourceof corruption was the spoils system, the practice of reward-ing political supporters with government jobs. The spoilssystem had grown since the Age of Jackson. Whenever a newPresident took office, job seekers swarmed to Washington,demanding rewards for their political support.

Reading Skill

Place Events in a Matrix of Time and Place As you read this textbook, notice that chapters often cover overlapping time periods. History is complex and involves many continuing issues. To gain a better understanding of a period, place events from one chapter in the context of other events from the same time period. Think back to other chapters and to your own knowledge for these connections.

Review and Preview

The Industrial Revolution led to great changes in American life. Students will now read about the growing demand for government control of corruption and ruthless business practices.

Chapter 19 645

Teach

Reform in the Gilded Agep. 644

Instruction L2

Vocabulary Buildern Before teaching this section, preteach the High-Use Words exert and diverse, using the strategy on TE p. T21.

Key Terms Following the instructions on p. 7, have students create a See It–Remember It chart for the key terms in this chapter.

Have students read Reform in the n

Gilded Age using the Structured Silent Reading strategy (TE, p. T22).Ask: n What big concerns did Americans have about government and politics during the Gilded Age? (They feared that industrialists were getting rich at the expense of the public and that there was corruption in government.) How did reformers try to control big business? (Interstate Commerce Act, Sherman Anti trust Act)Ask: n Why do you think many poor city-dwellers supported corrupt politi-cians? (Possible answer: They needed the things politicians gave them in exchange for their votes.)To help students better understand the n

concept of reform, which is important to the understanding of this chapter, use the Concept Lesson Reform. Distribute copies of the Concept Organizer.

Teaching Resources, Unit 6, Concept Lesson, p. 91; Concept Organizer, p. 7

Independent PracticeHave students begin filling in the study guide for this section.

Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide, Chapter 19, Section 1 (Adapted Version also available.)

Monitor Progress

As students fill in the Notetaking Study Guide, circulate to make sure individuals understand the problems that arose during the Gilded Age.

AnswersReading Political Cartoons (a) a U.S. sen ator; stocks (b) preferential treatment in terms of legislation

Use the information below to teach students this section’s high-use words.

High-Use Word Definition and Sample Sentence

exert, p. 645 v. to use; to put into actionTemperance leaders tried to exert pressure on lawmakers to ban alcohol.

diverse, p. 646 adj. different or variedThe population is made up of a large and diverse group of people.

Section 1 The Gilded Age and Progressive Reform 645

The Capitol buildingis where Congressmeets.

This hand is comingout of a windowlabeled “Trusts.”

In 1881, James Garfield became President. He was soon swampedwith people seeking jobs. Four months later, Garfield was shot by adisappointed office seeker. He died two months later. The assassina-tion sparked new efforts to end the spoils system.

Vice President Chester A. Arthur succeeded Garfield. Arthur, aNew York politician, owed his own rise to the spoils system. Yet, heworked with Congress to reform how people got government jobs.

In 1883, Arthur signed the Pendleton Act. It created the CivilService Commission. The civil service is a system that includes mostgovernment jobs, except elected positions, the judiciary, and themilitary. The aim of the Civil Service Commission was to fill jobs onthe basis of merit. Jobs went to those with the highest scores on civilservice examinations. At first, the Commission controlled only a fewjobs. Over time, however, the civil service grew to include more jobs.

Controlling Big Business In the late 1800s, big businessexerted a strong influence over politics. Railroad owners andindustrialists bribed members of Congress in order to secure theirvotes. Outraged by such actions, many Americans demanded thatsomething be done to limit the power of railroads and monopolies.

Under the Constitution, the federal government has the power toregulate interstate commerce, or trade that crosses state lines. In 1887,President Grover Cleveland signed the Interstate Commerce Act. Itforbade practices such as rebates. It also set up the InterstateCommerce Commission to oversee railroads.

Vocabulary Builderexert (ehks ZERT) v. to use; to put into action

The Problem of Corruption

In many cities, illegal businesses often paid “protection” to police in order to avoid arrest. This 1894 cartoon compares this practice to corruption in the federal government.

(a) Interpret Cartoons Who is the man on the right? What is he getting from the man in the window?

(b) Draw Inferences What do you think the giver expects in return?

Differentiated Instruction

646 Chapter 19

Progressives and Political Reformp. 646

Instruction L2

Have students read Progressives and n

Political Reform. Remind students to look for causes and effects.

Ask: n Who was Robert La Follette? (He was a Wisconsin governor who introduced numerous early Progressive reforms called the Wisconsin Idea.)Discuss the reforms instituted in voting. n

(primaries, recalls, initiatives, referendums, direct election of senators) Ask: Why were these reforms important to voters? (Pos sible answer: They gave voters more power through a direct voice in govern-ment.) Ask: How did the Seventeenth Amendment reduce election abuses? (It let people vote for senators directly and so put an end to bribing state lawmakers to vote for certain candidates.)

Independent PracticeHave students continue filling in the study guide for this section.

Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide, Chapter 19, Section 1 (Adapted Version also available.)

Monitor Progress

As students fill in the Notetaking Study Guide, circulate to make sure individuals understand the reason for the Progressive political reforms. Provide assistance as needed.

Answer

It provided jobs on the basis of merit.

L3 Advanced Readers L3 Gifted and Talented

The Right Decisions Robert La Follette and other Progressives believed that peo ple would make the right decisions if given the chance. Their fight for reforms that gave more power to voters was a result of this belief. Have students meet in

groups of four to discuss this idea. Then ask students to defend or disagree with La Follette’s position in a letter to the editor. Tell students to include examples to sup port their position.

646 Chapter 19 Political Reform and the Progressive Era

President Benjamin Harrison signed the Sherman Antitrust Act in1890. It prohibited businesses from trying to limit or destroy competi-tion. The law sounded tough but proved difficult to enforce. Judgessympathetic to business ruled in favor of trusts. Instead of regulatingtrusts, the Sherman Act was used to limit the power of labor unions. Thecourts said strikes blocked free trade and thus threatened competition.

Corruption in the Cities Corruption was a particularly seriousproblem in city governments. As cities grew, they needed to expandservices such as sewers, garbage collection, and roads. Often, politiciansaccepted money to award these jobs to friends. As a result, corruptionbecame a way of life.

In many cities, powerful politicians called bosses controlled workdone locally and demanded payoffs from businesses. City bosseswere popular with the poor, especially immigrants. The bosseshanded out turkeys at Thanksgiving and extra coal in winter. Often,they provided jobs. In return, the poor voted for the boss or hischosen candidate.

William Tweed, commonly known as Boss Tweed, carriedcorruption to new extremes. During the 1860s and 1870s, he cheatedNew York City out of more than $100 million. Journalists exposedTweed’s crimes. Cartoonist Thomas Nast pictured Tweed as a greedygiant and as a vulture feeding on the city. Faced with prison, Tweedfled to Spain. There, local police arrested him when they recognizedhim from Nast’s cartoons. Still, when Tweed died in jail in 1878, thou-sands of poor New Yorkers mourned for him.

How did the civil service system limit corruption?

Progressives and Political ReformOpposition to corruption led to the rise of the Progressive move-

ment. The Progressives were a diverse group of reformers united bya belief in the public interest, or the good of all the people. The publicinterest, they said, must not be sacrificed to the greed of a few hugetrusts and city bosses.

The Wisconsin Idea Wisconsin was one of the first states toadopt Progressive reforms. Wisconsin governor Robert La Follette,known as Battling Bob, introduced various Progressive reforms thatbecame known as the Wisconsin Idea.

La Follette opposed political bosses. He appointed commissionsof experts to solve problems. For example, his railroad commissionrecommended lowering railroad rates. As rates decreased, rail trafficincreased, which helped both railroad owners and customers.

Since the Age of Jackson, party leaders had picked candidates forlocal and state offices. In 1903, Wisconsin was the first state to adopt aprimary run by state government officials. A primary is an election inwhich voters, rather than party leaders, choose their party’s candi-date. By 1917, all but four states had followed Wisconsin’s lead.

Vocabulary Builderdiverse (dih VURS) adj. different or varied

Thomas Nast cartoon of Boss Tweed

Differentiated Instruction

Chapter 19 Section 1 647

The Muckrakersp. 648

Instruction L2

Have students read The Muckrakers. n

Ask them to look for details to answer the reading Checkpoint question.

Discuss the role of the press in exposing n

corruption and other problems. Ask: How did journalists affect reform efforts? (Possible answer: They brought corruption to the attention of readers.)Ask: n How do you think muckrakers got their name? (Possible answer: The corrup tion they exposed was dirty and messy.)Assign students the worksheet Ida n

Tar bell to explore how muckrakers influ enced public thinking.

Teaching Resources, Unit 6, Ida Tarbell, p. 87

Independent PracticeHave students continue filling in the study guide for this section.

Monitor Progress

As students complete the Notetaking n

Study Guide, circulate and make sure individuals understand how the muck­rakers helped Progressive reformers.

Tell students to fill in the last column of n

the Reading Readiness Guide. Probe for what they learned that confirms or invalidates each statement.

Teaching Resources, Unit 6, Reading Readiness Guide, p. 82

AnswersReading Charts (a) The recall is a process that allows voters to remove an elected official; indirect initiative (b) Voters, not party leaders, choose their party’s candi­dates. (c) Answers will vary.

Reading Skill Populism began in rural areas; Progressive movement was a reaction to problems caused by the rise of industry.

Possible answers: the pri mary, recall, initiative, referendum, and Seventeenth Amendment.

L1 English Language Learners L1 Less Proficient Readers L1 Special Needs

The Muckraker Students will read about muckrakers on p. 648. To better under­stand the role of muckrakers in the Pro­gressive Era and to learn more about Ida Tarbell, have students complete The Muck raker worksheet. Ask students to tell

the class about Tarbell’s feelings regarding Rockefeller and Standard Oil.

Teaching Resources, Unit 6, The Muckraker, p. 86

Section 1 The Gilded Age and Progressive Reform 647

Before After

PRIMARYPRIMARYVoters select their party candidates

Voters can propose bills to the legislature

Voters can vote on bills directly

Voters can remove elected officials from office

Only members of state legislature can introduce bills

Party leaders pick candidates for state and local offices

Only legislators pass laws

Only courts or legislature can remove corrupt officials

RECALLRECALL

INITIATIVEINITIATIVE

REFERENDUMREFERENDUM

More Power to Voters Some states instituted reforms to putmore power in the hands of voters. One such reform was the recall,a process by which people may vote to remove an elected officialfrom office. The recall made it easier to get rid of corrupt officials.

Other reforms gave voters a direct say in the lawmaking process.The initiative is a process that allows voters to put a bill before a statelegislature. In order to propose an initiative, voters must collect acertain number of signatures on a petition. The referendum is a wayfor people to vote directly on a proposed new law.

Two Constitutional Amendments Many Progressive reformersbacked a graduated income tax, a method of taxation that taxespeople at different rates depending on income. The wealthy paytaxes at a higher rate than the poor or the middle class. When theSupreme Court ruled that a federal income tax was unconstitutional,Progressives called for a constitutional amendment. The SixteenthAmendment, which gave Congress the power to pass an income tax,was ratified in 1913.

Since 1789, United States senators had been elected by state legis-latures. Powerful interest groups often bribed lawmakers to vote forcertain candidates. Progressives wanted to end this abuse by havingpeople vote for senators directly. The Seventeenth Amendment, rati-fied in 1913, required the direct election of senators.

What reforms put more power in the hands of voters?

Place Events in a Matrix of Time and PlaceIn the 1890s, the Populists

had also supported an income tax. How did the roots of Populism dif-fer from the roots of Progressivism?

During the Progressive Era, reforms put more power in the hands of voters.(a) Read a Chart What was

the recall? Which reform allowed voters to pro-pose laws?

(b) Identify Benefits What were the benefits of the primary system?

(c) Draw Conclusions Which of these reforms would you say is most important? Why?

Progressive Political Reforms

648 Chapter 19

Assess and Reteach

Assess Progress L2

Have students complete Check Your Progress. Administer the Section Quiz.

Teaching Resources, Unit 6, Section Quiz, p. 92

To further assess student understanding, use the Progress Monitoring Transparency.

Progress Monitoring Transparencies, Chapter 19, Section 1Reteach L1

If students need more instruction, have them read this section in the Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide.

Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide, Chapter 19, Section 1 (Adapted Version also available.)

Extend L3

Have students use the Internet to research William Marcy “Boss” Tweed. Then, have them write an article in the style of the muckrakers denouncing Tweed’s corrup­tion. Ask students to share their articles with the class. Provide students with the Web Code below.

Web Code: mye­0253

Progress Monitoring Online

Students may check their comprehension of this section by completing the Prog­ress Monitoring Online graphic orga­nizer and self­quiz.

Answer

They published articles, books, and photographs exposing corrup­tion, poverty, and other problems.

wrote The Jungle about the meatpacking industry.(b) Possible answer: The legislation and reforms that resulted from their efforts help prevent those conditions today.

3. Possible answer: Standard Oil used its control over large areas of business to unfairly drive out competition. It formed a trust that gave control to a central board. As a result, many other businesses formed trusts and gained monopolies.

4. Most federal government jobs are part of the civil service system.

5. Voters choose their party’s candidate for an election.

6. Muckrakers tried to expose corruption and other problems.

7. People vote directly to pass a new law.

8. The wealthy pay taxes at a higher rate than people with a lower income.

9. Questions should relate to position stated.

648 Chapter 19 Political Reform and the Progressive Era

Section 1 Check Your Progress

The MuckrakersThe press played an important role in exposing corruption and

other problems. President Theodore Roosevelt compared reporterswho uncovered problems to men who raked up dirt, or muck, instables. Muckraker became a term for a crusading journalist.

Some muckrakers targeted big business. Ida Tarbell’s work led todemands for more controls on trusts. She accused oil baron John D.Rockefeller of unfair business methods. Tarbell wrote:

“Every great campaign against rival interests which the Standard Oil Company has carried on has been inaugurated . . . to build up and sustain a monopoly in the oil industry.”

—Ida M. Tarbell, History of the Standard Oil Company

Others described how corruption in city government led to inad-equate fire, police, and sanitation services. Jacob Riis (REES), a photog-rapher and writer, provided shocking images of slum life.

In 1906, Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle told grisly details aboutthe meatpacking industry. Sinclair described how packers used meatfrom sick animals and how rats often got ground up in the meat.

How did muckrakers stir public opinion?

Looking Back and Ahead The Progressive movementbegan at local and state levels. In the next section, you will see howthree Presidents brought Progressive ideas into the White House.

For: Self-test with instant helpVisit: PHSchool.comWeb Code: mya-6151

Comprehension and Critical Thinking1. (a) Recall How was the spoils

system reformed during the Gilded Age?(b) Analyze Cause and Effect What abuses do you think were occurring under the spoils system that made reform necessary?

2. (a) Identify Who were some of the principal muckrakers during the Progressive Era, and what did each try to do?(b) Link Past and Present What impact do you think their efforts had on life in the United States today?

Reading Skill3. Place Events in a Matrix of

Time and Place Ida Tarbell wrote muckraking articles about the Standard Oil Company. Why did she think this was necessary? How had Standard Oil’s business practices changed American industry? Think back to the previous chapter to answer these questions.

Key TermsAnswer the following questions in complete sentences that show your understanding of the key terms.4. Which jobs are civil service

positions?

5. What happens in a primary election?

6. What did muckrakers try to do?7. What happens in a successful

referendum?8. How are tax rates structured

under the graduated income tax?

Writing9. Write a statement supporting the

work of the muckrakers. Then, write a statement opposing their work. For each statement, write one question to ask the muckrak-ers about their methods and their goals.

To further explore the topics in this chapter, complete the activity in the Historian’s Apprentice Activity Pack to answer this essential question:

How did industrialization affect the United States?

Section 1 Check Your Progress

1. (a) Legislation such as the Pendleton Act was passed, awarding civil service jobs on the basis of merit.(b) Possible answer: People who were not qualified held government jobs.

2. (a) Ida Tarbell wrote articles exposing the practices of Standard Oil; Jacob Riis took photographs showing shocking images of slum life; Upton Sinclair