Progressive Era (1901-1914)

1. Progressive Era (1901-1914) Chapter 28

2. Objective #1 • Discuss the origins and nature of the progressive movement.

3. Objective #2 • Examine the responses of the Progressives associated with industrialization and urbanization as seen in: • Settlement house movement • Muckraker journalism • Increased regulation • Reform of government.

4. Objective #3 • Explain the critical role that women played in progressive social reform.

5. The “Culture Wars”:The Pendulum of Right v. Left ChristianEvangelicalMovement 2nd Great Awakening Social Gospel 1920s Revivalism 1950sRevivalism CONSERVATIVE REVOLUTION CIVILWAR Antebellum Reforms[1810s-1850s] Progressivism[1890s-1920] New Deal[1930s-1940s] Great Society&1960s SocialMovements Populism[1870s-1890s]

6. Progressivism • Often called the first modern reform movement • Influenced by Social Gospel Movement • Upset over laissez-faire idealists and corruption of government and business • Driven by the “forgotten” middle class stuck between corporations and working class • Progressives in all parties and all levels of government

7. PROGRESSIVISM CivilRights Suffragettes Muckrackers Temperance Labor Unions MidclassWomen Popul ists Environmentalists

8. Environmentalism • Your environment, not your heredity, was most important factor in human development • Improve environment=improve life • Better schools, homes, etc. = better society • Teach middle class values to everyone

9. Strong Government • Progressives wanted strong government regulation • Government should be agents of human welfare • Government should fight trusts • Return power to the people and out of hands of corrupt

10. Progressive Government Reform • 17th Amendment (1913): Direct election of Senators • Referendum • Recall • Election spending reform • Pro-suffrage: women fight corruption • Increase social spending to help poor • Keep them from voting “Socialist”

11. Urban Reform • Rapid urbanization continued to cause problems • Immigration seemed to threaten American way of life to Progressives • Progressives try to wrestle control from Party Bosses • Non-partisan commissioners • City Manager system • Progressives, like Robert LaFollette began to shift control away from corporations back to government (through regulation)

12. Progressive “Muckrakers” • Journalists drove Progressivism • Given nickname by TR due to their investigative zeal • Competed for audiences • American, McClures, Cosmo • Revolutionized journalism and exposed corruption

13. Major Muckraker “Works” • David Phillips: “The Treason of the Senate” • Upton Sinclair: “The Jungle” • Jacob Riis: “How the Other Half Lives” • Ida Tarbell’s expose of John D. Rockefeller

14. Child Labor • Florence Kelley: Illinois’ first chief factory inspector and advocate for improved factor conditions • 1905-1907: 2/3 of states passed child labor law • 1912: Children’s Bureau created by Dept. of Labor • Success limited because wanted cheap labor and poor needed to work • Compulsory school attendance laws increase

15. Working Women • Muller v. Oregon: Supreme Court ruled in favor of 10-hr. work day for women • Took some control of working conditions away from employer • Needed to protect women from disease and danger • Progressives also argued women were weaker than men and needed extra protection

16. Women’s Suffrage • Progressives were pro-women’s suffrage • Needed to offset immigrant vote, protect family, social reform • Will gain suffrage in 1920 (19th Amendment)

17. Progressives and Birth Control • Comstock Law (1873) • Margaret Sanger: opened information centers and fled country • Returned in 1921 to found American Birth Control League (later Planned Parenthood)

18. More Women… • Jane Addams continues settlement house movement • Exposed women to the plight of impoverished, working conditions, etc. • Women form activist organizations and women’s clubs such as Women’s Trade Union League and National Consumers League • Extension of woman’s place in the home, not a rejection of this concept

19. Home and School • Better housing and schools would transform lives of poor • Jacob Riis • John Dewey: Better schools=better citizens

20. Prohibition • Progressives opposed alcohol • It contradicted concept of healthy, educated citizens (some called it sin) • Women’s Christian Temperance Union • Anti-Saloon League • 1906-1912: 7 States passed temperance laws • By WWI: 50% of U.S. territory was dry (usually rural areas) • 1917: 18th Amendment--full Prohibition

21. Brothels and Movie Houses • Progressives believed dance halls and movie houses threatened the morals of people (especially women) • Linked prostitution to movie houses and saloons • Mann Act (1910): Prohibited the interstate transportation of women for immoral purposes • First motion picture: 1889 • First full length motion picture: Birth of a Nation--1915

22. Progressives and Workers • Progressives sympathized with industrial workers but had little understanding of their plight • Supported unions attempt to improve working conditions but opposed strikes • Pushed legislation to protect workers

23. Scientific Management • Many innovations, high supply of workers, laissez-faire government meant low pay, unsafe working conditions, lack of union success • Factories stressed efficiency and profit • Frederick Taylor: Scientific management • Progressives supported efficiency

24. Union Movements • Unions were against Scientific management because it reduced importance of worker • 2 million unionized by 1904 (75% in AFL) • AFL represented skilled craftsmen and ignored unskilled and women • Companies continued to win battles in early 20th c.

25. Danbury Hatters Case (1908) • Supreme Court stated that unions were subject to the Sherman Anti-Trust Act • Unions could be held financially liable to businesses during a strike • Number of strikes dip • Progressives did little to help unions but did help workers • Tried to improve working conditions

26. Women in Workplace • 5 million by 1900, 8.5 million by 1920 • Ignored by most unions (1.5% in unions in 1920) • Women’s Trade Union League founded in 1903

27. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory • Many women in NYC garment industry • 16-25 yrs old, of Italian or Jewish descent • 56-hr weeks • $6/week • Over 600 shirtwaist factories employed 30,000 workers • Stress on scientific management led to overcrowding, women renting machines, paying for electricity, breaks minimized, safety shortcuts due to costs

28. Women strike! • 1909: Women want better pay, working conditions, don’t want to costs • Mass strike in 1909 • Strikers fired, arrested, etc. • Government support of factories meant they did very little to improve working conditions

29. Rosa Schneiderman, Garment Worker

30. Child Labor

31. Typical NYC Sweatshop, 1910

32. Typical NYC Sweatshop, 1910

33. Typical NYC Sweatshop, 1910

34. Typical NYC Sweatshop, 1910

35. Typical NYC Sweatshop, 1910

36. Typical NYC Sweatshop, 1910

37. Women Voting for a Strike!

38. Public Fear of Unions/Anarchists

39. Arresting the Girl Strikersfor Picketing

40. Scabs Hired

41. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, March 25, 1911

42. “The Shirtwaist Kings”Max Blanck and Isaac Harris

43. Triangle Shirtwaist FactoryAsch Building, 8th and 10th Floors

45. Inside the Building After the Fire

46. Most Doors Were Locked

48. Crumpled Fire Escape, 26 Died

49. 10th Floor After the Fire

50. Dead Bodies on the Sidewalk