Conquer It
Thus far, you have learned about some of the political and economic problems progressive reformers worked to correct. Next, you will read about the lasting impact of their work. As you read the paragraph below, think about the meaning of the underlined words. Once you have finished reading the paragraph, do the assessment activity that follows. Remember, you can always go back and reread the paragraph in order to increase your understanding.
Political reforms during the Progressive Era are still in place today at the state and national levels.
Read the following paragraph and answer the questions below.
At the state and national levels, political reforms during the Progressive Era are still in place today. In Wisconsin, the governor targeted corrupt business practices and expanded democracy by introducing the direct primary election, allowing voters to select their party candidates rather than political bosses. Reformers in other states would soon copy this "Wisconsin idea." In Oregon, political reform included giving even more power to the voters through the power of initiative, referendum and recall. This gave voters the power to originate laws or statutes and have them placed on the ballot for citizens to vote on. The power of referendum gave voters the ability to approve or repeal laws passed by the state legislature. If a government official performed his services poorly or was corrupt, the voters had the power to remove him through a recall election. Soon other states adopted these political reforms known as the "Oregon System." At the national level, Congress further expanded democracy by passing the Seventh Amendment allowing the direct election of senators by voters, rather than selection by state legislatures. Eight years later, Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment granting women suffrage, or the right to vote.
