During the Gilded Age, the Era between 1900-1920 many Americans feared that the wealthy population were benefiting themselves at the cost of the poor. They also worried about corruption in the government. The progressives and the Federal Government was very effective at bringing reform against corporations and helping the poor. However even through all the work prejudice still continued on.
Success in reform really started when Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901 he was known as the first progressive president. He got that name by taking action against the corporations and breaking them up or controlling them. From that he acquired the name of a “Trustbuster” or a person who works to destroy trust. He can be seen as one in (Doc. A) it shows Teddy killing bears labeled “bad Trust” Teddy said himself that he is not against big business. However he sees as “bad Trust” deceitful and cheated the public. He also supported the idea of people’s direct nomination (Doc. D). Roosevelt also took action in preserving natural resources .
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He adopted the idea of a primary ran by state government officials. Primaries being elections which voters vote for their candidates. All states, but four followed this ideology of more power to the voters. recall , referendum, and initiative were other procedures of more power to the voters in electing bills, laws, or officials in or out of government. Also reformers backed a graduated income tax which taxes people on their income payment. Muckraker was a name given to describe campaign journalist, some targeted big business others corruption. On June 4, 1906 a Neill Reynolds report described how meat packing conditions are insufficient to be clean (Doc. B). Others who focused on corruption in city government affecting city services like police and sanitation