The Progressive MovementChapter 8

The Rise of Progressivism● Reaction against laissez-faire● New problems with urbanization (poverty of working class, filth,

crime)● Group developed wanting to solve these problems

Progressive Beliefs:

1. Industrialization/Urbanization created social problems

2. Free market unable to fix those problems3. Government should address social

problems4. Government needs to be reformed5. Businesses should be regulated6. Scientific principles useful in fixing social

problems

Muckrakers

● Journalists who investigated social conditions and political corruption!○ Unfair practices in corporations○ Government and social problems

■ Stealing■ Corrupt politicians

○ Social problems■ Poverty■ Disease■ crime

Jacob Riis● Muckraker● Took photographs of the

poverty● Conveyed the hardships of

poverty

Ending corruption in the Government:● Gave the people more power● More checks and balances

○ Direct Primary - Law passed by La Follette where party members vote for 1 candidate to run in the election■ We still do this today! Primaries and Caucuses!

○ Initiative - permitted citizens to introduce legislation and politicians have to vote on it

○ Referendum - allowed citizens to vote on proposed laws directly (e.g., marijuana recently)

○ Recall - voters can demand a special election to remove someone from office

Amendments15th● Gave African Americans (men) the right to vote

○ Through the use of poll taxes, literacy tests and other means, Southern states were able to effectively disenfranchise African Americans

16th

● Income tax!

17th

● The direct election of senators by the voters instead of their election by state legislatures.

Closer:

Get U.S. History book from the shelf

Suffrage● Women did not have the right to vote still

○ Women progressives fought for it○ Previously African Americans (men) were given the right to vote,

but still not women○ Eventually, after a lot of protesting and fighting for equal rights,

women won!● 19th Amendment - Suffrage - Women got the right to vote!

Child Labor● Children were forced to do hard labor for very little money● Caused permanent injuries and illnesses● In 1900, 18% of children were employed● Progressives fought for Child Labor laws to reduce working time and

increase age requirements

Health and Safety Codes

● No compensation for workers injured on the job - Conditions were harsh!○ Progressives fought for compensation laws

● Building codes set minimum standards for light, air, room size, and sanitation in buildings○ Also required fire escapes

● Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act○ Laws that required the federal government to regulate the

cleanliness of factories producing and shipping food and required proper labeling of food

Prohibition● Prohibited the buy or sale of alcohol - 18th Amendment● Happened in 1919 partially because of the temperance movement

○ Repealed with 21st Amendment - Allowed alcohol again

Section 2: Roosevelt and Taft

President Teddy Roosevelt Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt

26th President (at 43 years old)

Grew up in New York City

Was part of the Rough Rider Regiment during the Spanish-American War

Nobel Peace Prize winner

Fun Fact: He was shot in the chest in Milwaukee while campaigning for a third term

for the Progressive Party but survived.

What did he do for the nation?Square Deal

● Term used to describe Roosevelt’s policies○ One goal was to make sure trust did not abuse power○ Created Department of Commerce and Labor to help regulate big

business○ Set railroad rates through the government, not through businesses○ Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act○ Environmental Conservation

■ Bring water to places where it was scarce■ Save the forests and manage timber usage

The Jungle By: Upton SinclairPublished novel based on his observations of the slaughterhouses

of Chicago

The Jungle:

1. What issues with the food are described in this chapter?

2. Where does your food come from?3. What role should the government play in the

production of our food?4. What role should corporations play in the

production of our food?5. Why is understanding where our food comes from

important?

Concept Circle: Write a paragraph on

how all of these connect.

Add evidence from notes/

readings/book.

Roosevelt The Jungle

Muckraker Square Deal

President Taft● Continued progressive reforms

○ A. Children's Bureau

■ An agency that investigated problems with

child labor

○ B. Conservation

■ Monitored activities of mining, protected

national forests and waterpower sites from

private development

○ C. The “Trustbuster”

■ Fought monopolies and brought twice as

many antitrust cases than Roosevelt

Section 3: The Wilson Years

Election of 1912:

Income Tax● A direct tax on the earnings of individuals in a country based on how much

money they make

● Constitution originally prohibited direct taxes but the 16th amendment

changed it

● What are our taxes used for?

○ Major health programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid○ Social security○ Defense and security

Federal ReserveWhy was it created?

1. National supervision of the banking industry

2. Decentralized banking institutions and access to credit

3. Prevent recurring “panics”

4. Allow the demands of business to control the expanding and contracting

of currency

Federal Trade CommissionWhy was it created?

1. Advise business people on

the legality of their actions

2. Protect consumers from

false advertising

3. Investigate unfair trade

practices

NAACP● National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

● Created in 1909

● Goals:

○ Full voting rights for African Americans

○ End lynching and racial discrimination