The 1880s-1920s
By David Berbel
Industrialization
In the late 1800s most business leaders believed in laissez faire capitalism. This allows companies to conduct business without government intervention.
The NLO was one if the first labor unions and started mainly because in 1877 almost 3,000 people died in an accident which then started the Haymarket affair or Haymarket square riot. This was a series of bombings that took place because of the lack of safety the workers had.
The National Child Labor Committee dedicated to the abolition of child laborers played a big role in passing the fair standard labor act which put limits on child labor.
Immigration
When loyalty of voters was not enough political machines turned to fraud. By tempting immigrants in poverty with jobs in exchange for votes, political bosses ended up running the city.
Machines helped immigrants with naturalization, housing, jobs, and more. The most famous of them, Boss Tweed helped with the fraud and scandal of the $13 million courthouse.
For the first time federal law wouldn't allow entry of a certain ethnic group because it endangered the good of the native people such as the Chinese Exclusion Act.
Urbanization
Political bosses would get elected because they sold votes to immigrants in poverty. This resulted in unfair elections.
Most of the new immigrants come to the big cities where factories supplied good jobs and pay. This helped urbanization greatly.
Urbanization in America in the late 1800's was also driven by the massive influx of unskilled immigrants who also flocked to the industrial cities to start their new life in America, the land of opportunity.
Progressivism
Sherman Antitrust Act
Congress passes the Sherman Antitrust Act that made it illegal to form a trust that interfered with free trade
Monopolies
Most companies did everything they could to stay in control of the competition. Most enterprises used trusts or mergers to have complete control, this resulted in monopolies.
Prohibition
Banning alcohol was a way to try and improve violent behavior but only made crime and city violence worse because of the illegal trafficking of liquor. This is why prohibition was a failure.
Imperialism
Hawaii is annexed and Queen Lilioukalani was overthrown. This hurt many natives and put them out of homes.
US troops rounded up indians and drove them into camps, they then set off on an 800 mile journey called the Trail of Tears which resulted in many Native American casualties. This was in part of the Indian Removal Act.
World War 1
In November 1926 president Wilson won a close presidential election between him and Charles Hughs. He was elected to keep us from war and almost kept his promise until an attack on Americans was performed on the Lisuitania.
The US spent $35 billion on WWI. This was do to war bonds and high taxes on tobacco and liquor, and without war financing like this we couldn't have fought for long.
To help conserve food Wilson implemented a system of rationing. This maintained a steady supply of food for soldiers overseas.