The Progressive Reform Era (1900-1920)

1. The Progressive Reform Era (1900-1920) ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: Do all reform movements improve American society and politics? Were the Progressives successful in making government more responsive to the will of the people? Does government have a responsibility to help the needy?

3. Origins of Progressivism • Definition: those who favor progress towards better conditions in government and society • A diverse group of reformers united by a belief in the public interest • Grew out of Populist group • Major difference:Populists focused on farmers and Progressives focused on cities • New reformers were reacting to effects: 1. rapid industrial growth 2. immigration 3. urbanization

4. The 4 Basic Goals • Government should be accountable to its citizens • Government should reduce power and influence of wealthy interests • Government should have more powers to improve the lives of its citizens • Government should become more efficient and less corrupt.

5. Writers as Reformers • Henry George – To combat the problem of poverty, the government should put single tax on landowners, prevents land speculation • Edward Bellamy – A utopian country where government has taken over big business to get rid of poverty

6. Muckrakers Name given by Teddy Roosevelt: those who muck or Rake manure and dirt --- expose the wrongdoings Upton Sinclair: Exposed the dangers of the meatpacking industry

7. Lincoln Stephens The Shame of Cities exposed political corruption Ida Tarbell Exposed abuses committed by Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company Famous Muckrakers

8. Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives Journalist/Photographer – exposed the dangerous conditions of tenements and slums to New York upper and middle class

11. Progressive Reform Organizations“Middle-class,” and “Women” • Labor Movement • Grew slowly • Work for better wages, conditions, etc. • Socialist Party • End capitalism, redistribute wealth, government control of industries • Women’s Groups • Winning the vote was essential.

12. Jane Addams – Hull House Community centers set up to help newly arrived immigrants http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/urbanexp/main.cgi?file=img/show_gallery.ptt&gallery=5 Florence Kelley Laws protecting child labor, Better working conditions Mother Jones Organized unions in the coal mines Some Resistance though from very people Progressives trying to help. Why? Women Reformers – workplace reform

14. 146 workers died Doors were locked from outside many women jumped to their deaths Aftermath: New workplace protections were put in place Sprinklers, fire drills, unlock exits Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

17. Attacking city bosses – Boss Tweed Setting up a Commission form of Gov’t Five appointed administrators, no mayor Hurricane disaster in Texas, 6000 dead City ownership of Utilities – gas, water, electric Welfare Services – parks, playground, Municipal Reforms

18. State reforms

19. Robert LaFollette, “Fighting Bob” Clean up gov’t Wisconsin Idea Using public and academic experts to help draft reform legislation Wisconsin – The Great Laboratory of Reform

20. Progressive Presidents

21. Phrase coined by Teddy Roosevelt The Presidency was a bully pulpit, a terrific platform to advocate an agenda The Bully Pulpit

22. Youngest President to take office at 42 Domestic Program consisting of: 1. control of corporations 2. Consumer Protection 3. conservation of natural resources Teddy’s Square Deal

23. Teddy as a Progressive • Believed there were good and bad trusts – regulate them • Pure Food and Drug Act – accurate labeling and handling of foods • Labor Department added in 1913 • Take care to protect nation’s natural resources • National Forest Service

24. New Constitutional Amendments • 16th: federal income tax • 17th: direct election of senators • 18th: Prohibition of alcohol • 19th: women’s right to vote

25. Teddy Roosevelt did not run for 3rd term Happily passed policies over to Taft as successor Election of 1908

26. More cautious, quiet, unwilling to compromise Made enemies with many progressives Payne-Aldrich Tariff Taft appointed Richard Ballinger as Sec of Interior and Ballinger fired Gifford Pinchot William Taft

27. William Taft and Progressive Reform • A Trust Buster – broke up more trusts, monopolies than Roosevelt had • Reserved more public land for parks • Supported passage of 16th and 17th amendments • Mann-Elkins Act: gov’t regulate telephone and telegraph lines reducing monopolies

28. The Election of 1912 • Roosevelt challenged Taft under a new idea – New Nationalism • walked out of convention - “Bull Moose” party • Woodrow Wilson – New Freedom • Fair competition and protection against monopolies • Eugene V. Debs – Socialist Party • Woodrow Wilson wins bc Republicans split the Vote, Roosevelt v. Taft

31. Reduces tariffs Clayton Anti-trust Act FTC – gave federal gov’t power to regulate unfair business practices Federal Reserve Divided country into 12 federal district banks Regulates currency and circulation Woodrow Wilson and Progressive Reform

32. 1stJewish Supreme Court Justice is appointed, William Brandeis Won 1916 election under slogan, “He kept us out of the war” Wilson’s Second Term

33. The Limits of Progressivism • No help for Women Rights • No help for Ethnic minorities • Japanese, Chinese, Mexicans • Religious minorities (Catholics and Jews) • No help for ending Jim Crow • Plessy v. Ferguson: held that separate but equal facilities was okay • racial discrimination continues US entrance into WWI ends America’s interest in reform!

34. Black Leaders and reform Booker T. Washington W.E.B. DuBois NAACP Tuskagee Institute of Alabama

35. Ida B. Wells – Anti-lynching campaign 1892 – 230 lynchings

36. 1848 Seneca Falls Convention Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony AWSA – worked on state level to get vote Susan B. Anthony arrested – civil disobedience Two Paths for Suffrage: votes at state level Federal amendment Original Leaders of Women’s Suffrage

37. Suffrage in 20th Century • National American Women’s Suffrage Association (1890) • Younger generation replaces Anthony and Stanton • Carrie Chapman Catt - NAWSA • Alice Paul – more aggressive, CU • Catt felt CU’s plan was too aggressive, mightalienate moderate supporters

39. Women very patriotic Went to work in factories and in volunteer army corps Hypocritical World War One’s effect on Women’s Suffrage 19th Amendment Women’s Right to Vote