The Progressive Era

1. The Progressive Era 1890-1920

2. TEKS you will master • History 3A—analyze political issues such as civil service reform, Populism • History 3C—analyze social issues affecting women, and the Social Gospel • History 5A—evaluate the impact of Progressive Era reforms, including initiative, referendum, recall, and the passage of the 16th, 17th, and 19th amendments • History 5B—evaluate the impact of muckrakers and reform leaders such as Upton Sinclair, Susan B. Anthony, Ida B. Wells, and W.E.B. DuBois on American society • History 5C—evaluate the impact of third parties, including the Populist and Progressive parties • History 9A—trace the historical development of the civil rights movement in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, including the 19th amendment • Geography 14B—identify the roles of governmental entities and private citizens in managing the environment, such as the establishment of the National Park System • Economics 15B—describe the changing relationship between the federal government and private business, including the costs/benefits of laissez-faire, anti-trust acts, the Interstate Commerce Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act • Economics 15E—describe the emergence of monetary policy in the US, including the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 • Citizenship 23B—evaluate various means of achieving equality of political rights, including the 19th amendment • Culture 25A—describe how the characteristics and issues in US history have been reflected in various genres of art and literature • Culture 26A—explain actions taken by people to expand economic opportunities and political rights, including those for racial, ethnic, and religious minorities as well as women, in US society • Culture 26D—Identify the political, social, and economic contributions of women such as Jane Addams to US society

3. Key Terms and People

4. In a nutshell… • In this chapter, you will learn how Americans adopted important reforms to meet the new problems posed by industrialization and urbanization. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson introduced Progressive reforms at the national level.

5. Essential Questions • How did farmers respond to the problems they faced in the late 19th century? • How did muckrakers and other Progressives reform American society? • What has been the legacy of the Progressive Party? • How was the move toward realism reflected in American art and literature?

6. The Agrarian Movement • Farmers economic problems: 1870-1900 • Agricultural overproduction • More land under cultivation; new machinery/techniques increased productivity; prices fell as more crops were produced • High costs • Lack of competition on local routes led to higher shipping rates for shorter distances the farmers used most • Debt • Farmers borrowed money for machinery and for survival; farms used as security; considered a poor credit risk and charged higher interest • Natural disasters • Droughts, insects, floods; one bad year could wipe out savings from may good years

8. The Grange Movement • 1867, a way for farmers to overcome isolation and spread information about farming techniques; 1 ½ million members by 1877 • Farmers pooled money to buy machinery, fertilizer, factory goods at a discount • The Granger Laws • farmers used large numbers to elect state candidates • Munn c. Illinois (1877) Supreme Court upheld the right of a state to regulate business that affected to public interest • Interstate Commerce Act (1887) prohibited RR from charging more for short haul • The Interstate Commerce Commission created to enforce act; 1st change from laissez-fair

10. The Populist Party: 1891-1896 • Farmers united into a new national political party supporting the “common man” against big business; women played prominent role • Platform • Unlimited silver coinage—loans easier to repay, farm prices up • Direct election of senators • Term limits for President (1) • Secret ballot • Government ownership of railroads, telegraphs, telephones • Graduated income tax • Immigration restrictions • Shorter work day (8hrs)

12. Campaigns • 1892 • 5 Senators; over 1 million votes for presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan • 1893 economic collapse; blamed scarcity of currency • 1896 • Bryan nominated by Democrats and Populists • “Cross of Gold Speech” condemned bankers/big business • Lost to Republican/pro-business William McKinley • 1900 • Bryan lost again to McKinley • New gold discoveries, higher farm prices, rural migration all brought an end to the Populist party

14. Legacy: The role of Third Parties • 3rd parties provide an outlet for minorities to voice grievances and generate new ideas • Often force 2 dominant parties to address grievances; many of their proposals have been passed into law • Populists: direct election of senators, graduated income tax

15. The Progressive Movement1900-1920 Believed in “progress” Influenced by Populists/labor movement Middle-class, urban Led by writers, lawyers, ministers, professors Primary goal: correct political/economic injustices that resulted from industrialization Wanted to use power of government to ensure all Americans could enjoy better lives

17. Roots of the Progressive Movement • Social Gospel Movement • Protestant ministers emphasized it was the Christian duty to help less fortunate (poor, child labor, factory safety) • Strongly supported Temperance (anti-alcohol) movement

18. Socialism • Government should take over basic industries • Muckrakers • Magazines/newspapers had huge audiences • Reporters exposed abuses by industry and government corruption, life for the poor • Raked up “muck” or dirt of American life

19. Famous Muckrakers • Upton Sinclair, The Jungle • Described unsanitary practices of meatpacking industry • Ida Tarbell, History of the Standard Oil Co. • exposed Rockefeller’s ruthless business practices • Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives • Examined conditions for poor urban Americans

21. Accomplishments of the Early Progressives • Social reformers • Jane Addams—Settlement House Movement • Settlement house: all-purpose community center for the poor in crowded cities • Actually lived in Hull House among the people they were trying to help • “help the foreign born conserve the value of their past life and to bring them into contact with a better class of Americans”

22. Ida B. Wells • Nationwide anti-lynching campaign • Lynching (murder by hanging) by mobs was one of the main tactics used to terrorize African Americans, especially in the South WEB DuBois • 1st African American to earn a PhD from Harvard, historian • Help found the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) • Favored immediate racial equality Booker T. Washington • Prominent African American leader • Favored gradual equality, focus on job/vocational training • Conflict with WEB DuBois

23. Municipal (city) reform • Get rid of political machines/corruption; city-manager plan replaced mayors • Deal with urban problems; some cities took control of utilities

24. Reform of state government • Robert LaFollette, governor of Wisconsin • End corruption and make state government more directly accountable to the citizens • Secret ballot—reduced intimidation • Initiative—voters directly introduce bills to legislature • Referendum—voters could put a bill on the ballot to be voted on • Recall—elected officials could be removed from office by voters in a direct election • Direct primary—election held to determine who would be the candidate in the general election • Direct election of Senators (17th Amendment)—elected by state voters, not state legislatures

26. Social legislation • Regulated urban housing • Abolished child labor • Safety/health conditions in factories • Civil service reform—federal and state • “spoils system”—government jobs used to reward people who helped politicians get elected • President Garfield assassinated by (mentally ill) disappointed office seeker; calls for reform • 1883 Pendleton Act—jobs based on merit • Created Civil Service Commission; created tests office seekers had to pass

28. The Progressive Presidents • Theodore Roosevelt, The Square Deal, 1901-1909 • Background • Wealthy New York family • Active despite health issues • Family tragedies; lived on cattle ranch in West • Police Commissioner, Asst. Sect. of Navy, Governor/NY, McKinley’s VP

30. Views on the Presidency • Vigorous leadership to represent all Americans • Coal Miner’s Strike—threatened to use troops to open the mines when owners wouldn’t negotiate • Protect the public interest • Trust buster • Wanted “fair play”; against monopolies that raised prices, or businesses acting as a group driving up prices • Used Sherman Anti-Trust Act against “bad” trusts • Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust

31. Square Deal Legislation • Protecting the Public Health • Meat Inspection Act 1906 inspired by Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle • Pure Food and Drug Act 1906 regulated the preparation of foods and the sale of medicine • Regulating Transportation and Communication • Increased the power of Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroads, and gave it authority over telegraph/telephone • Conserving the Nation’s Resources • TR brought attention to need to conserve forests, wildlife, resources • Stopped selling public lands for development • Added millions of acres to national forests/parks

34. The Taft Presidency, 1909-1912 • TR refused to run for 3rd term, helped Taft win Republican nomination • Conservative Progressive • Continued many of TR’s policies, even more trust-busting • Not a skilled politician, alienated Progressives (promised lower tariffs, but didn’t get it passed; sold some public lands TR had set aside to protect) • Disappointed TR

36. Wilson and the New Freedom, 1913-1921 • 1912 election • Roosevelt decided to run again, but Republicans nominated Taft • Roosevelt becomes “Bull Moose” Party (Progressive) candidate—a third party • Woodrow Wilson—Democrat candidate • Government professor, President of Princeton, Governor of New Jersey • Won the election (helped that the Republicans had split)

40. Wilson’s New Freedom • Like TR, believed in strong Presidency • “New Freedom” platform would tame big business, encourage competition, eliminate special privileges; Legislative Record • Underwood Tariff (1913)—lowered tariff by 25% • Graduated Income Tax (16th Amendment)—the more you make, the more you pay • Direct Election of Senators (17th Amendment) • Prohibition (18th Amendment)—alcohol illegal • Woman Suffrage (19th Amendment)—women get to vote • The Federal Reserve Act—created 12 regional “banker’s banks”; regulated the amount of $ in circulation by controlling how much banks could lend • Anti-trust • Clayton Anti-trust Act—increased federal government’s power to prevent unfair business practices • Federal Trade Commission—created to protect consumers against unfair corporate practices

42. National Parks • Wilson supported legislation to establish National Park Service to conserve the natural scenery, historic objects, wildlife • Labor • Public attitudes changing about unions • Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire 1911; 146 workers killed in a building with no sprinklers, one fire escape and doors locked from outside

44. Department of Labor • Progressives called for cabinet level power; promote welfare of workers, improve conditions • Clayton Anti-trust Act • Law could not be applied to unions • Child Labor Act • Prohibited the interstate sale of goods created by child labor—overturned 2 years later by Supreme Court

45. Women’s Suffrage Movement • Many women had participated in Progressive Movement, especially temperance (anti-alcohol) movement • One thing female reformers came to agree on was the need for women’s suffrage—the right to vote

46. The Traditional Role of Women • Early 19th century women were excluded from public life, left in charge of home and children; in most states, once a woman married, she lost control of her property and wages to her husband • 1848 Seneca Falls Convention—proclaimed women equal to men and deserved the right to vote • Susan B. Anthony • Arrested 1872 for attempting vote; defense: she was a citizen and that right under 14th Amendment; 1874, Supreme Court says women are citizens but don’t get all “privileges” of citizenship • Women were given right to vote by many western states, but couldn’t succeed in getting a constitutional amendment introduced • SBA led National American Woman Suffrage Association

48. Nineteenth Amendment (1920) • During WWI, women contributed to US success, made it hard to deny women were equal to men • Odd that war for democracy in world, denied at home • Amendment introduced/passed; no citizen could be denied right to vote based on gender • Impact of 19thAmendment • US more democratic; failed to bring more women into office or to create economic equality • End of the Progressive Movement • 19th Amendment last reform of era; US poised to make huge economic progress again after WWI

50. American Literature and Art • Late 19th century • Increased literacy rates, growing population, growing middle class, big market for literary works