1 / 15

Progressivism

Progressivism. A movement to improve American life by expanding democracy and achieving economic and social justice. Sources of Progressive Strength. Farmers Workers Writers Political Leaders But most of all, the Urban Middle Class. The Muckrakers. Writers exposing the ills of society

bairn
Download Presentation

Progressivism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Progressivism A movement to improve American life by expanding democracy and achieving economic and social justice

  2. Sources of Progressive Strength • Farmers • Workers • Writers • Political Leaders • But most of all, the Urban Middle Class

  3. The Muckrakers • Writers exposing the ills of society • They did so through popular magazines and novels • Ida Tarbell - History of Standard Oil • Lincoln Steffens - Shame of the Cities • Upton Sinclair - The Jungle

  4. Reforming Society • By 1920, ½ of all Americans live in cities • Cities unable to provide services • Housing • Tenement Act of 1901 • Landlords to install lighting in public hallways

  5. Reforming the Workplace • Expanding the fight to include the rights of women and children • 1904 – National Child Labor Comm. • Workday limited to 10 then 8 hrs. in some states • The fight for minimum wage (40% of workers lived in poverty) • 1912- Mass. Passed min. wage law

  6. Court Cases on Labor • Lochner v. New York (1905) • Ruled in favor of business. Law limiting workday of bakers to 10 hrs. violated their ability to enter into a contract • Muller v. Oregon (1908) • Ruled in favor of workers claiming that a law limiting women to 10 hrs. protected their health

  7. Unions expand • International Workers of the World • Founded in 1905 and made up of unskilled labor • Known as the “Wobblies” • Connection to violence and socialism

  8. Reforming Government • City Govt. • Commission System • Council-manager system • State Govt. • Wisconsin – “lab of democracy” under Robert La Follette • Campaign spending

  9. Cont. • Election reforms • Direct primary • 17th Amendment • Secret ballot • Initiative • Referendum • Recall

  10. Opportunities for Women • Women were moving out of the “caring professions” and into the business world • Since many women were denied access to traditional education and certain professions, they turned to reform movements

  11. Women and politics • Very active in the Prohibition movement and Suffrage • Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the Anti-Saloon League • 1917 – Congress passed the 18th Amendment (ratified in 1919) • 1869 – NWSA forms

  12. Legacy of the Progressives • Promoted the belief that govt. has the responsibility to act for the people’s welfare • Marked the transition from laissez-faire to govt. regulation of the economy • Demonstrated the ability of democracy to deal with problems

More Related