Which progressive reform was most important?

Answer 1

In many places women started the progressive movement. The lives of middle class women were changing (college and more time on their hands having fewer children). Maternalism was also popular during this period. Women were the nurturers and caretakers. They were getting out in the community to lobby against alcohol, etc. Some issues they focused on were helping the poor (i.e settlement houses), prohibition (i.e Women's Christian Temperance Movement), voting rights (by 1910 4 western states allowed women to vote because they are pure and won't bring corruption to the system. Birth Control was another focus of the women's issues as well as labor laws (i.e Mueller V Oregon). Under Theodore Roosevelt, the power of presidency grew. Under health regulations he created the Pure Food and Drug act (government had the ability to inspect prescriptions and contents in medications) and the Meat Inspection Act ( gave the government the right to make sure the meat was safe). Roosevelt also created the department of commerce and labor and was known as a trust buster. The Elkins Act of 1903 regulated big business and it was the first time the fed government can impose fines on the Railroad companies. The Hepburn Act gave the ICC the power to set maximum rates the Railroad companies could charge. He also expanded the navy and created the Great White Fleet. Wilson contributed to progressivism by creating the Federal Child labor law which prohibited interstate shipments of goods produced by children under 16. He created the Farm Loans Rural Credit Act which can proved low interest loans from government based on amount of crop they produced. The Adamson Act created an 8 hour workday for all railroad employees and he also created workmen's comp for all federal employees.