THE PROGRESSIVE THE PROGRESSIVE ERAERA

AMERICA SEEKS REFORMS AMERICA SEEKS REFORMS IN THE EARLY 20IN THE EARLY 20THTH CENTURY CENTURY

ORIGINS OF ORIGINS OF PROGRESSIVISMPROGRESSIVISM

• As America entered into As America entered into the 20the 20thth century, middle century, middle class reformers class reformers addressed many social addressed many social problems due to problems due to Laissez Fair Govt.Laissez Fair Govt.

• Working conditions, Working conditions, rights for women and rights for women and children, economic, children, economic, political, environmental political, environmental and social reform were and social reform were a few of these issues a few of these issues

FOUR GOALS OF FOUR GOALS OF REFORMERSREFORMERS

• 1) Protect Social 1) Protect Social WelfareWelfare

• 2) Promote Moral 2) Promote Moral ImprovementImprovement

• 3) Create 3) Create Economic ReformEconomic Reform

• 4) Foster 4) Foster EfficiencyEfficiency

1.PROTECT SOCIAL 1.PROTECT SOCIAL WELFAREWELFARE

• Industrialization in the Industrialization in the late 19late 19thth century was century was largely unregulatedlargely unregulated

• Employers felt little Employers felt little responsibility toward responsibility toward their workerstheir workers

• As a result Settlement As a result Settlement homes and churches homes and churches served the communityserved the community

• Also the Also the YMCA, YWCAYMCA, YWCA and Salvation Army and Salvation Army took on service rolestook on service roles

2. PROMOTE MORAL 2. PROMOTE MORAL DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

• Some reformers felt Some reformers felt that the answer to that the answer to societies problems was societies problems was personal behaviorpersonal behavior

• They proposed such They proposed such reforms as prohibitionreforms as prohibition

• Groups wishing to ban Groups wishing to ban alcohol included the alcohol included the Woman’s Christian Woman’s Christian Temperance UnionTemperance Union (WCTU)(WCTU)

3. CREATE ECONOMIC 3. CREATE ECONOMIC REFORMREFORM

• The Panic of 1893 The Panic of 1893 prompted some prompted some Americans to question Americans to question the capitalist the capitalist economic systemeconomic system

• As a result some As a result some workers embraced workers embraced socialismsocialism

• Eugene DebsEugene Debs organized the organized the American Socialist American Socialist Party in 1901Party in 1901 Debs encouraged workers to reject

American Capitalism

4. FOSTERING 4. FOSTERING EFFICIENCYEFFICIENCY• Many Progressive Many Progressive

leaders put their faith leaders put their faith in scientific principles in scientific principles to make society betterto make society better

• In Industry, Frederick In Industry, Frederick Taylor began using Taylor began using time & motion studies time & motion studies to improve factory to improve factory efficiencyefficiency

• Taylorism became an Taylorism became an Industry fad as Industry fad as factories sought to factories sought to complete each task complete each task quickly quickly

MUCKRAKERS CRITICIZE BIG MUCKRAKERS CRITICIZE BIG BUSINESSBUSINESS

• Though most progressives Though most progressives did not embrace socialism, did not embrace socialism, many writers saw the truth many writers saw the truth in Debs’ criticismin Debs’ criticism

• Journalists known as Journalists known as “Muckrakers” exposed “Muckrakers” exposed corruption in businesscorruption in business

• Ida TarbellIda Tarbell exposed exposed Standard Oil Company’s Standard Oil Company’s cut-throat methods of cut-throat methods of eliminating competitioneliminating competition

Ida Tarbell

Some view Michael Moore as a modern muckraker

“There are, in the body politic, economic and social, many and grave evils, and there is urgent necessity for the sternest war upon them. There should be relentless exposure of and attack upon every evil man whether politician or business man, every evil practice, whether in politics, in business, or in social life. I hail as a benefactor every writer or speaker, every man who, on the platform, or in book, magazine, or newspaper, with merciless severity makes such attack, provided always that he in his turn remembers that the attack is of use only if it is absolutely truthful."

-Teddy Roosevelt

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGIQJSq_vHU

““THE JUNGLE”THE JUNGLE” LEADS TO LEADS TO FOOD REGULATIONFOOD REGULATION

• After reading After reading The The JungleJungle by Upton by Upton Sinclair, Roosevelt Sinclair, Roosevelt pushed for passage pushed for passage of the Meat of the Meat Inspection Act of Inspection Act of 19061906

• The Act mandated The Act mandated cleaner conditions for cleaner conditions for meatpacking plantsmeatpacking plants

CLEANING UP LOCAL CLEANING UP LOCAL GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

• Efforts at reforming Efforts at reforming local governmentlocal government stemmed from the stemmed from the desire to make desire to make government more government more efficient and efficient and responsive to responsive to citizenscitizens

• Some believe it also Some believe it also was meant to limit was meant to limit immigrants influence immigrants influence in local governmentsin local governments

REGULATING BIG REGULATING BIG BUSINESSBUSINESS

• Under the Under the progressive progressive Republican Republican leadership of leadership of Robert La Follette, Robert La Follette, aka “Fighting aka “Fighting Bob”Bob” Wisconsin led the Wisconsin led the way in regulating way in regulating big businessbig business

Robert La Follette

MugwumpsMugwumps

PROTECTING WORKING PROTECTING WORKING CHILDRENCHILDREN

• As the number of As the number of child workers rose, child workers rose, reformers worked to reformers worked to end end child laborchild labor

• Children were more Children were more prone to accidents prone to accidents caused by fatiguecaused by fatigue

• Nearly every state Nearly every state limited or banned limited or banned child labor by 1918child labor by 1918

EFFORTS TO LIMIT EFFORTS TO LIMIT HOURSHOURS• The Supreme Court and The Supreme Court and the states enacted or the states enacted or strengthened laws strengthened laws reducing women’s reducing women’s hours of workhours of work

• 8 hours labor, 8 hours 8 hours labor, 8 hours sleep, 8 hours leisure sleep, 8 hours leisure

• Progressives also Progressives also succeeded in winning succeeded in winning worker’s compensationworker’s compensation to aid families of to aid families of injured workersinjured workers

ELECTION REFORMELECTION REFORM• Citizens fought for, Citizens fought for,

and won, such and won, such measures as secret measures as secret ballots, referendum ballots, referendum votes, and the votes, and the recallrecall

• Citizens could petition Citizens could petition and get and get initiativesinitiatives onon the ballotthe ballot

• In 1899, Minnesota In 1899, Minnesota passed the first passed the first statewide primary statewide primary systemsystem

DIRECT ELECTION OF DIRECT ELECTION OF SENATORSSENATORS• Before 1913, each Before 1913, each

state’s legislature had state’s legislature had chosen its own U.S. chosen its own U.S. senatorssenators

• To force senators to be To force senators to be more responsive to the more responsive to the public, progressives public, progressives pushed for the popular pushed for the popular election of senatorselection of senators

• As a result, Congress As a result, Congress passed the passed the 1717thth Amendment Amendment (1913(1913))

WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFEWOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE• Before the Civil War, Before the Civil War,

American women American women were expected to were expected to devote their time to devote their time to home and familyhome and family

• By the late 19By the late 19thth and and early 20early 20thth century, century, women were visible women were visible in the workforcein the workforce

DOMESTIC WORKERSDOMESTIC WORKERS• Before the turn-of-Before the turn-of-

the-century women the-century women without formal without formal education education contributed to the contributed to the economic welfare of economic welfare of their families by their families by doing domestic doing domestic workwork

• Altogether, 70% of Altogether, 70% of women employed in women employed in 1870 were servants1870 were servants

WOMEN IN THE WORK WOMEN IN THE WORK FORCEFORCE

• Opportunities for Opportunities for women increased women increased especially in the citiesespecially in the cities

• By 1900, one out of By 1900, one out of five women workedfive women worked

• The The garment tradegarment trade was popular as was was popular as was office work, office work, department stores department stores and classroomsand classrooms

WOMEN AND REFORMWOMEN AND REFORM• Women reformers Women reformers

strove to improve strove to improve conditions at work and conditions at work and homehome

• In 1896, black women In 1896, black women formed the National formed the National Association of Colored Association of Colored Women (NACW)Women (NACW)

• Suffrage was another Suffrage was another important issue for important issue for womenwomen

THREE-PART STRATEGY THREE-PART STRATEGY FOR WINNING SUFFRAGEFOR WINNING SUFFRAGE

• Suffragists tried three Suffragists tried three approaches to winning approaches to winning the votethe vote

• 1) Convince state 1) Convince state legislatures to adopt vote legislatures to adopt vote (Succeeded in Wyoming, (Succeeded in Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Colorado)Utah, Idaho, Colorado)

• 2) Pursue court cases to 2) Pursue court cases to test 14test 14thth Amendment Amendment

• 3) Push for national 3) Push for national constitutional Amendment constitutional Amendment

TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S SQUARE DEALSQUARE DEAL

• When President When President William McKinley William McKinley was assassinated was assassinated 6 months into his 6 months into his second term, second term, Theodore Theodore Roosevelt Roosevelt became the became the nations 26nations 26thth presidentpresidentMcKinley was assassinated by an

anarchist in Buffalo in September of 1901

ROOSEVELT AND THE ROOSEVELT AND THE ROUGH RIDERSROUGH RIDERS

• Roosevelt grabbed Roosevelt grabbed national attention by national attention by advocating war with advocating war with Spain in 1898Spain in 1898

• His volunteer cavalry His volunteer cavalry brigade, brigade, the Rough the Rough Riders,Riders, won public won public acclaim for its role in the acclaim for its role in the battle at San Juan Hill in battle at San Juan Hill in CubaCuba

• Roosevelt returned a Roosevelt returned a hero and was soon hero and was soon elected governor of NY elected governor of NY and later McKinley’s and later McKinley’s vice-president vice-president

Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

THE MODERN THE MODERN PRESIDENTPRESIDENT

• When Roosevelt was When Roosevelt was thrust into the thrust into the presidency in 1901, he presidency in 1901, he became the youngest became the youngest president ever at age president ever at age 4242

• He quickly established He quickly established himself as a himself as a modern modern presidentpresident who could who could influence the media influence the media and shape legislationand shape legislation

TRUSTBUSTINGTRUSTBUSTING• By 1900, By 1900, Trusts Trusts – –

legal bodies created legal bodies created to hold stock in many to hold stock in many companies – companies – controlled 80% of U.S. controlled 80% of U.S. industriesindustries

• Roosevelt filed 44 Roosevelt filed 44 antitrust suits under antitrust suits under the Sherman Antitrust the Sherman Antitrust ActAct

1902 COAL STRIKE1902 COAL STRIKE • In 1902 140,000 In 1902 140,000 coal minerscoal miners

in Pennsylvania went on in Pennsylvania went on strike for increased wages, strike for increased wages, a 9-hour work day, and the a 9-hour work day, and the right to unionizeright to unionize

• Mine owners refused to Mine owners refused to bargainbargain

• Roosevelt called in both Roosevelt called in both sides and settled the sides and settled the disputedispute

• Thereafter, when a strike Thereafter, when a strike threatened public welfare, threatened public welfare, the federal government was the federal government was expected to step in and expected to step in and helphelp

PURE FOOD AND DRUG PURE FOOD AND DRUG ACTACT

• In response to In response to unregulated claims unregulated claims and unhealthy and unhealthy products, Congress products, Congress passed the passed the Pure Food Pure Food and Drug Actand Drug Act in 1906 in 1906

• The Act halted the The Act halted the sale of contaminated sale of contaminated foods and medicines foods and medicines and called for truth and called for truth in labelingin labeling

The Pure Food and Drug Act took medicines with cocaine and other

harmful ingredients off the market

ROOSEVELT AND THE ROOSEVELT AND THE ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT• Before Roosevelt’s Before Roosevelt’s

presidency, the presidency, the federal government federal government paid very little paid very little attention to the attention to the nation’s natural nation’s natural resourcesresources

• Roosevelt made Roosevelt made conservation a conservation a primary concern of primary concern of his administrationhis administration Roosevelt, left, was an avid

outdoorsman – here he is with author John Muir at Yosemite Park

ROOSEVELT’S ENVIROMENTAL ROOSEVELT’S ENVIROMENTAL ACCOMPLISHMENTSACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Roosevelt set aside Roosevelt set aside 148 million acres of 148 million acres of forest reservesforest reserves

• He also set aside 1.5 He also set aside 1.5 million acres of water-million acres of water-power sites and he power sites and he established 50 wildlife established 50 wildlife sanctuaries and sanctuaries and several several national parksnational parksYellowstone National

Park, Wyoming

ROOSEVELT AND CIVIL ROOSEVELT AND CIVIL RIGHTSRIGHTS• Roosevelt failed to Roosevelt failed to

support Civil Rights support Civil Rights for African for African AmericansAmericans

• He did, however, He did, however, support a few support a few individuals such as individuals such as Booker T. Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, and Ida B. DuBois, and Ida B. Wells Wells

NAACP FORMED TO PROMOTE NAACP FORMED TO PROMOTE RIGHTSRIGHTS

• In 1909 a number of In 1909 a number of African Americans and African Americans and prominent white prominent white reformers formed the reformers formed the National Association for National Association for the Advancement of the Advancement of Colored PeopleColored People

• The The NAACPNAACP had 6,000 had 6,000 members by 1914 members by 1914

• The goal of the The goal of the organization was full organization was full equality among the racesequality among the races

• The means to achieve The means to achieve this was the court systemthis was the court system

1964 Application

SECTION 4: PROGRESSIVISM SECTION 4: PROGRESSIVISM UNDER PRESIDENT TAFTUNDER PRESIDENT TAFT• Republican William Republican William

Howard TaftHoward Taft easily easily defeated Democrat defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan to William Jennings Bryan to win the 1908 presidential win the 1908 presidential electionelection

• Among his Among his accomplishments, Taft accomplishments, Taft “busted” 90 trusts during “busted” 90 trusts during his 4 years in officehis 4 years in office

Taft, right, was Roosevelt’s War Secretary

TAFT LOSES POWERTAFT LOSES POWER• Taft was not Taft was not

popular with the popular with the American public nor American public nor reform minded reform minded RepublicansRepublicans

• By 1910, Democrats By 1910, Democrats had regained had regained control of the control of the House of House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

Taft called the Presidency, “The lonesomest job in the world”

1912 ELECTION1912 ELECTION • Republicans split in 1912 Republicans split in 1912

between Taft and Teddy between Taft and Teddy Roosevelt (who returned Roosevelt (who returned after a long trip to Africa)after a long trip to Africa)

• Convention delegates Convention delegates nominated Taft nominated Taft

• Some Republicans formed Some Republicans formed a third party – a third party – The Bull The Bull Moose PartyMoose Party and and nominated Rooseveltnominated Roosevelt

• The Democrats put The Democrats put forward a reform - forward a reform - minded New Jersey minded New Jersey Governor, Woodrow Governor, Woodrow WilsonWilson

Republicans split in 1912

WILSON’S NEW WILSON’S NEW FREEDOMFREEDOM

• As America’s newly As America’s newly elected president, elected president, Wilson moved to Wilson moved to enact his program, enact his program, the “New Freedom”the “New Freedom”

• He planned his He planned his attack on what he attack on what he called the triple wall called the triple wall of privilege: of privilege: trusts, trusts, tariffs, and high tariffs, and high financefinanceW. Wilson U.S. President

1912-1920

CLAYTON ANTITRUST CLAYTON ANTITRUST ACTACT

• In 1914 Congress In 1914 Congress enacted the Clayton enacted the Clayton Antitrust Act which Antitrust Act which strengthened the strengthened the Sherman ActSherman Act

• The Clayton Act The Clayton Act prevented companies prevented companies from acquiring stock from acquiring stock from another company from another company (Anti-monopoly)(Anti-monopoly)

• The Act also The Act also supported workers supported workers unionsunions

FEDERAL TRADE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FORMEDCOMMISSION FORMED

• The FTC was formed The FTC was formed in 1914 to serve as a in 1914 to serve as a “watchdog” agency “watchdog” agency to end to end unfair unfair business practicesbusiness practices

• The FTC protects The FTC protects consumers from consumers from business fraud business fraud

Today the FTC has been working on protecting consumers from ID theft

FEDERAL INCOME TAX FEDERAL INCOME TAX ARRIVESARRIVES

• Wilson worked hard Wilson worked hard to lower tariffs, to lower tariffs, however that lost however that lost revenue had to be revenue had to be made up made up

• Ratified in 1916, the Ratified in 1916, the 1616thth Amendment Amendment legalized a graduated legalized a graduated federal income taxfederal income tax

WOMEN WIN SUFFRAGEWOMEN WIN SUFFRAGE• Native-born, educated, Native-born, educated,

middle-class women middle-class women grew more and more grew more and more impatient impatient

• Through local, state and Through local, state and national organization, national organization, vigorous protests and vigorous protests and World War I, women World War I, women finally realized their finally realized their dream in 1920dream in 1920

The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote in 1920

LIMITS OF LIMITS OF PROGRESSIVISMPROGRESSIVISM

• While the While the Progressive era was Progressive era was responsible for many responsible for many important reforms, it important reforms, it failed to make gains failed to make gains for African Americansfor African Americans

• Like Roosevelt and Like Roosevelt and Taft, Wilson Taft, Wilson retreated on Civil retreated on Civil Rights once in officeRights once in office

• Segregationists are Segregationists are promoted into promoted into government jobs government jobs under Wilson under Wilson

The KKK reached a membership of 4.5 million in the 1920s