American History Chapter 16-1

1. American History Chapter 16-1 Progressivism

2. In the Interest of Fairness: • Progressivism: Reform movement to cure social problems created by industrialization. • Jacob Riis wrote about urban poverty. • Muckrakers: Journalists who exposed the societal ills of America. • Ida Tarbell wrote about Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Co. • Lincoln Steffens exposed corruption in city gov’ts. Steffens Tarbell

3. How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis

4. Areas of Focus of Progressives • Progressives wanted to reform: • Urban poverty. • 1910: 1/3 of U.S. workers lived in poverty. • Practices of big business. • Corrupt and uncaring government. • New labor unions became re-energized: • ILGWU: organized unskilled workers to fight for better working conditions. • Went on strike in 1909 & won a shorter work week & higher wages.

5. IWW Strike in 1912 Industrial Workers of the World

6. Tragedy Led to Reform Postive Effects: Changes in safety laws. Factory inspections. Sanitation standards. • Triangle Shirtwaist Co. Fire: NYC 1911 – led to the death of more than 140 women/men.

7. Progressive Election Reforms • Direct primaries: Voters choose the candidates who will run for election. • 17th Amendment: Direct election of U.S. senators by the voters. • Use of secret ballots in elections. • Initiative: Puts a proposed law on the ballot. • Referendum: Puts a recently passed law on the ballot. • Recall: Citizens can call for a special election to try & remove an elected official before the end of their term.

8. Recent Examples: • Initiative 2008: The wording in the State Constitution "idiot or insane person" was changed to "person adjudged mentally incompetent to vote." • Referendum: 2010 casino referendum votes pass by an average of over 78%. • Recall: Iowa does not hold recall elections. • 2010 - An unprecedented vote to remove three Iowa Supreme Court justices who were part of the unanimous decision that legalized same-sex marriage in the state.

9. HI I AM PAUL THE PROGRESSIVE PANDA