THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT 1890-1919

Chapter 6

Industrialization changed American society. Cities were crowded with new immigrants, working conditions were often bad, and the old political system was breaking down. These conditions gave rise to the Progressive movement. Progressives campaigned for both political and social reforms for more than two decades and enjoyed significant successes at the local, state, and national levels.

Section 1 - The Roots of Progressivism

I. The Rise of Progressivism A. Who were the Progressives? 1. They were people with different ideas & activities who wanted to reform US society.

2. They believed industrialism & urbanization had created many social problems.

3. They were from both major political parties. 4. They were often urban, educated middle-class. 5. They were often journalists, social workers,

educators, politicians, or clergy.

B. Beginning of Progressivism1. Reaction against laissez-faire economy2. Belief that government must be fixed before other problems could be fixed.3. Progressives had faith in science & technology.

C. Muckrakers1. Journalists who investigated social

problems & political corruption

2. Ida Tarbell - wrote articles critical of Standard Oil Co.

3. Lincoln Steffen - wrote about urban political machines.

Ida Tarbell

Lincoln Steffen

4. Jacob Riis a. Wrote How the Other

Half Lives b. Described poverty,

disease, crime in NYCity immigrant neighborhoods.

5. Result of muckrakers: voters put pressure on politicians to introduce reform legislation. Jacob Riis

Photographs by Jacob Riis

II. Making City Government Reforms A. Scientific management 1. Described by Frederick Taylor - 1911 2. Believed companies could be more efficient by managing time, breaking tasks into small parts, & using standardized tools. B. Some progressives wanted to apply Taylor’s

theory to city government. Result……* Commission plan a. Divide city govt into several departments,

each under an expert commissioner b. Hire a city manager (w/ expertise in

running cities) & hire dept. specialists.

c. Galveston, Tx - first to adopt commission system after huge hurricane in 1901.

III. State Government Reform A. First - Wisconsin Idea

* Robert La Follette - governor; wanted the people, not political bosses, to select candidates to run in the general election -

direct primary.

Galveston, Tx afterthe 1901 hurricane

B. Other states follow La Follette’s idea.1. Initiative - citizens could introduce legislation & state legislatures would have to vote on it.2. Referendum a. Legislature introduces legislation. b. Voters decide whether to pass it.3. Recall - voters could demand a special election to remove an elected official before his term was up (kick him out of office).

C. Direct election of senators1. Originally, the constitution called for senators to be elected by state legislatures.2. 1913 - 17th Amendment was ratified; senators were now elected directly by voters.

IV. Suffrage Movement - the right to vote (women) A. Early problems

1. Slow start - women suffragists were accused of being unfeminine & immoral.2. Before Civil War - emphasis on abolition.

3. 14th & 15th Amendments concentrated only on African-Americans, not women.

4. Split in the movement over how to achieve suffrage; should it be by: a. Constitutional amendment …or….. b. State laws giving women the vote.

B. Support grows1. Women lobbied lawmakers.2. Marches3. Public speeches4. Alice Paul organized Washington protest march to force Pres. Wilson to act!5. Carrie Chapman Catt - nationwide push!!

Alice Paul

Women’s Suffrage Movement

C. 19th Amendment -1920 - Women’svote went intoeffect.

V. Social Welfare Progressivism A. Child labor

1. 1900- 1.7 million under age 16 worked.2. Dangerous, unhealthy3. Muckrakers were effective

in letting Americans know the scope of the problem.

4. States began to pass laws. a. Minimum age for working. b. Maximum hours to make kids work. c. Compulsory education laws so kids would

have to be in school instead of working.

B. Health & safety codes1. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (NYC) - 1911. a. Almost 150 women

workers died; manyjumped to their deaths.

b. NYC passed strict building codes

dealing with fire hazards, unsafe machinery, & working conditions.

2. Workers compensation laws passed a. Insurance funds were financed by

employers. b. Injured workers received payments.3. Zoning laws - regulated how businesses & land could be used.4. Building codes - for safe & healthy

buildings (ex: fire escapes required)5. Health codes (ex: clean restaurants)

C. Prohibition movement1. Temperance - moderation/ elimination of alcohol.2. Mostly women-led.3. Women’s Christian

Temperance Union.4. Anti-Saloon League5. Later emphasis more on prohibition - laws banning manufacture, sale, consumption.

VI. Progressives vs. Big Business ** Belief that wealth was concentrated in hands

of too few people; esp. trusts (giant corporations that dominated entire industries)

1. Some wanted to “bust up” trusts2. Others wanted government to regulate big

business.3. Some advocated socialism - idea that

government should own & operate business (ex: Eugene Debs - ran for President under the

American Socialist Party)

Section 2 - The Theodore Roosevelt Administration

I. TR’s Beliefs A. Social Darwinist in

international affairs; believed that US was

in competition with other nations & must be the “fittest.”

B. Progressive in domestic affairs - believed that government should balance the needs of different American groups.

C. TR’s Square Deal1. Name that TR gave to his reform programs.2. “Every man must get an equal shot at the

American dream.”

D. TR & the trusts 1. Ordered his attorney general to file anti- trust lawsuit against Northern Securities

(a giant trust) - Northern Securities v. The United States. a. Supreme Court ruled against Northern;

said it was a violation of Sherman Antitrust Act.

b. TR was called a “trustbuster.”

The Teddy Bear was named after the gruff and rugged Theodore (“Teddy”) Roosevelt. The idea for the toy stemmed from a hunting trip Roosevelt took to Mississippi in 1902. On the trip, the president refused to kill a defenseless bear cub. Cartoonist Clifford Berryman drew a whimsical reenactment of the scene for the Washington Post, which in turn inspired Morris Michtom, a toy shop owner in Brooklyn, to create the “teddy bear.” The toy became a runaway success in the United States and abroad.

Michtom’s wife hand-stitched the first bears. After they sold quickly, Michtom sent a bear to the president and asked for permission to name the bears “Teddy.” After getting a positive response, Michtom made arrangements for mass production.

2. Coal strike of 1902 a. United Mine Workers called a strike for

150,000 workers. b. Coal prices rose as a result of the strike. c. TR urged the parties (owners & workers)

into arbitration (settlement by a thirdparty); threatened to used US Army torun the mines - caused mine owners togive in.

d. Significance: US govt was used to brokeragreement between powerful groups insociety. (This was something new.)

E. More of TR’s progressivism1. Dept. of Commerce & Labor was formed (to regulate business & working conditions.)2. Congress (urged by TR) passed the Hepburn Act to strengthen Interstate Commerce

Commission…..BUT…. by 1920, the ICC had become more interested in protecting the RR’s profits.

III. TR’s Social Welfare Action ** Problems & Solutions A. Medicines & potions that were fake or actually

harmful to consumers; need better labeling.

B. Food supply1. Dangerous preservatives in meat.2. Upton Sinclair - wrote The Jungle - about horrible conditions in Chicago’s slaughterhouses.

C. Results1. Pure Food & Drug Act2. Meat Inspection Act

Upton Sinclair

III. Conservation - protection of natural resources ** Most important part of TR’s first term. 1. Reclamation Act - used federal funds to

protect public lands (esp. in the West)2. Gifford Pinchot a. Head of US Forest Service b. Regulation of lumber

companies on federal land. c. National parks & wildlife

preserves were set aside.Gifford Pinchot

d. Yellowstone - first national park.

TR created 16 national monuments, 51 wildlife refuges and 5 new national parks

Yellowstone - the nation’s first national park.

Section 3 - The Taft Administration

I. Taft Becomes President A. Hand-picked by TR as his successor. B. Hated politics C. Looked at issues from a

strictly legal standpoint. D. Not as personable as TR. E. Angered progressives (they

thought he wasn’t doing enough).

William Howard Taft

Pres. Taft weighed approximately 350 lbs. He had to have acustom-made bathtub for the White House.

F. Payne-Aldrich Tariff - pro-business tariff (higher tariffs on some goods); progressives were angry!

II. Taft’s Progressive Reforms A. TR was called “trustbuster,” but Taft actually

filed more lawsuits against big business thanTR did.

B. Created the Children’s Bureau to helpprotect America’s children.

C. Mann-Elkins Act - increased the power ofthe Interstate Commerce Commission.

D. Conservation - Taft was actually stronger than TR had been on this.

1. Regulated mining companies.2. More national forests.3. Protected waterpower

sites. E. TR was angry at Taft; thought he was not following TR’s programs; publicly criticized his old friend.

Section 4 - The Wilson Administration

I. Election of 1912 A. GOP splits

1. Conservative GOPs for Taft.

2. Progressive GOPs

for TR - Taft’s supporters had more votes at the National GOP convention, so he got the Republican nomination.

3. TR leaves the GOP, forms the Progressive Party, aka the Bull Moose Party (TR said he was “fit as a bull moose” and ready to run for President again.)

B. Woodrow Wilson1. Democrat candidate2. NJ Governor; former head of Princeton University.3. He was a progressive.

C. The Campaign1. TR’s progressive plan was called New Nationalism.2. Wilson’s progressive plan was called New Freedom.

Woodrow Wilson

The Election of 1912 was about these issues:

･ Should America be capitalist or socialist? ･ Should government protect the social welfare of citizens? ･ Should women vote? ･ Should government exercise more control over businesses? ･ Should government try to solve the conflict between "capital" and "labor?” ･ Should the government work vigorously for the conservation of natural resources?

ELECTION OF 1912

D. Wilson is elected* TR & Taft split the GOP vote; Wilson won the Electoral College; only received 42% of the popular vote.

II. Wilson & Regulating the Economy A. Reforming tariffs

1. He wanted lower tariffs; thought that the resulting competition would force

American manufacturing to improve their products & lower their prices.

2. Underwood Tariff passed - 1913 a. 1/2 the rate of the 1890s. b. Included provision for an income tax to

be paid by the states. B. Reforming banks

1. Established the Federal Reserve System - banks had to keep a portion of their deposits in a regional bank.2. Federal Reserve Board a. Appointed by the Pres. b. Set interest rates

C. Antitrust Action* Federal Trade Commission formed a. To monitor business b. Could regulate business against unfair business practices.

III. Federal Aid & Social Welfare A. Child labor laws B. 8-hour workday for RR workers C. Federal Farm Loan Act - low cost, long-term

loans to farmers.

IV. Legacy of Progressivism A. Americans now expected the government to

regulate the economy & solve social problems….BUT…

B. African-American issues were largely ignored….however….

* The NAACP was formed in 1909 by a group of black &

white progressives. C. Progressivism expanded democracy D. Progressivism improved quality of life for millions of Americans.