Transformation of American Society – Day 4

1. Transformation of American Society – Day 4 • Describe how reformers tried to improve life in U.S. cities. • Report on how African and American Indians organized to improve their lives. • Explain why immigrants were left out of some progressive reforms, and recognize how they contributed to others.

2. What’s the 16th windiest city in the U.S.? Chicago Why would American’s consider Socialism in the early 1900’s? The poor and marginalized saw the law and the military take the side of the rich time and time again. What was the NAACP and how did it get started? The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was established by civil rights leaders in response to lynching and murderous race riots. “Television has raised writing to a new low.” Samuel Goldwin Time Table Bell Work – 10 min. Lecture Notes – 30 min. Home Work – 5 min. Bell Work 4

3. Reforming Society • Reforming City Life • 1920 was the first time in U.S. history that more than 50% of Americans lived in urban areas. • With soaring populations in cities, what issue might arise? • Garbage collection • Safe and affordable housing • Health care • Police and fire protection • Adequate public education

4. Cleaning up the City • Different organizations pushed to clean up the cities in different ways. • Lawrence Veiller of the New York State Tenement Housing Commission attacked irresponsible tenement owners who sacrificed health and welfare for profits. • New York it was discovered, had the worst housing in the world. • Specifically on the Lower East Side • Veiller passed laws that required: • A bathroom in every apartment • New buildings to have court yards to allow light and air • Other reformers passed laws which required cities with 10,000 or more to vote on a playground • Naturally some middle and upper class objected to spending taxes on recreation for the poor

5. City Planning • Progressives believed a clean city would produce better citizens. • Daniel Burnham designed plans for: • Chicago, Cleveland, San Francisco, Washington DC • Although none were ever fully completed, many ideas and standards were realized as vital. • Examples: • Parks, building codes, sanitation standards and zoning

6. The Hull House • Jane Addams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her development of the Hull House, a run down mansion in an immigrant neighborhood on the west side of Chicago. • The Hull House aided mostly women in education and opportunity to improve living conditions in surrounding neighborhoods for over 20 years.

7. Moral Reform • Progressives also wanted to “clean up” what they considered to be immoral behavior. • They called for prohibition • In the push, some colleges didn’t allow athletes to drink, articles were written, industrialists pushed workers not to drink and textbooks included dangers of alcohol.

8. Organizations like The Anti-Saloon League (ASL) and the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), churches and evangelist Billy Sunday fought for prohibition. • The 18th Amendment was passed in 1919, banning the manufacture, sale and distribution of alcohol. • It was repealed in 1933, too difficult to enforce.

9. Political and Business Reform • Progressives sought to break the power of political bosses by instituting a “direct primary” which allowed people to vote for their parties candidates as opposed to political bosses choosing. • They also led Congress to propose the Seventeenth Amendment which gave voters the power to elect their senators directly. • Theodore Roosevelt moved into the Presidency in 1901 when President McKinley was assassinated. • Roosevelt, a Republican, became very popular with the working man and regulated many businesses to insure the public well-being, including his trust-busting campaign. • Roosevelt’s enduring legacy involved his preservation of national parks.

10. Home Work - • Read Moral Reform on Pg. 560 through the end of the chapter. • Answer part a, b, and c of question 4 to be turned in tomorrow.