Progressive Reforms

1. Progressive Reforms 1890-1920

2. Background • Homestead Act of 1862—160 acres of public land • Oklahoma, April 22, 1889 • 1000s of “boomers” gathered along the border. When the signal was given, they charged in to stake their claims. • Much to their chagrin, much of the best land had already been taken by the “sooners,” who had sneaked into the territory and staked their claims before the official opening • 1890 census concluded US no longer had a frontier (uninhabited wilderness where no white people lived)

3. National Identity Crisis • Who were we? • From the earliest days of colonization, Americans had defined themselves as pioneers

4. Economic Depression • Panic of 1873—a public loss of confidence in the financial structure. Panics are characterized by a general rush of investors to convert their assets into cash, with runs on banks and a rapid fall of the securities market. Bank failures and bankruptcies naturally follow.  • Post-Civil War inflation • Rampant speculative investments • Railroads • Large property losses in the Chicago (1871) and (Boston) 1872 fires put a massive strain on bank reserves--the currency deposits which are not lent out to the bank's clients. A small fraction of the total deposits is held internally by the bank or deposited with the central bank. Minimum reserve requirements are established by central banks in order to ensure that the financial institutions will be able to provide clients with cash upon request

5. Economic Depression • The Panic of 1893—worst to date • Similar to the Panic of 1873 • Collapse of railroad overbuilding (the Bubble) • Shaky railroad financing

6. Progressivism • Progressivism is a general political philosophybased on the idea of progress that asserts that advances in science, technology, economic development, and social organization, can improve the human condition • Progressives came from many walks of life • All political parties • Growing middle-class • Dissatisfied industrial workers • Wealthy Americans with the desire and means to help • Use Government to improve society

7. Muckrakers • Lincoln Steffens: • Wrote The Shame of the Cities, which exposed political corruption such as cities like Philadelphia allowing utility companies to over charge customers • Jacob Riis: • Photographer for the New York Evening Sun • Published How the Other Half Lives, shining light on the filth and overcrowding of tenements • Ida Tarbell: • Published The History of Standard Oil, exposing the ruthless business practices of John D. Rockefeller

8. Jacob Riis Photographs

9. Novelists • Upton Sinclair- • Published The Jungle, which highlighted the unsanitary conditions of stockyards and the Chicago meat packing industry “There was never the least attention paid to what was cut up for sausage…there would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in the dirt and sawdust, where the workers had tramped and spit uncounted billions of consumption germs…” -The Jungle Upton Sinclair

10. Social Gospel Role • Walter Rauschenbush- believed Christianity should be the basis of social reform • Published a book called Christianity and the Social Crisis • Outlined his Social Gospel, which called for charity and justice • This led people to push for the end of child labor, shorter work weeks, and limit corporations and trusts.

11. Settlement Houses • Community houses/ Settlement houses: • Provided services such as parenting classes, English classes, nursery school, kindergarten, and arts classes • Jane Addams: • Led the Progressive movement to establish more settlement houses • Hull House in Chicago operated by Addams was praised for their success • Inspired many middle-class women to become social workers

12. Child Labor • Florence Kelley led the fight against Child labor • Formed National Child Labor Committee which lobbied for the US Children’s Bureau in 1912 • Keating-Owens Act- Banned child Labor, but was ruled unconstitutional • Child labor was not officially ended until 1938 • John Dewey pushed for Educational Reform • Wanted schools to incorporate history, geography, carpentry,etc.

13. Industrial Reform • Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire: • March 25, 1911 • Fire killed 146 workers due to locked doors, and broken fire escapes • Reforms were pushed through to create safer work places for factory workers • Workers’ Compensation Funds • Limit work day to 10 hours • Supreme Court Case Lochner vs. New York ruled that many of the new laws were unconstitutional

14. Political Machines A corrupt organization, headed by an authoritative boss, that controlled the activities of political parties

15. Government Reform 1900 hurricane left Galveston, TX in ruins “greatest national calamity in American history” Killed more than 8,000 people City commission formed to rebuild Galveston It worked very well

16. Galveston Plan • Elected a 5 person Commission to replace mayors and other city officials to help in rebuilding their city • Many other cities saw the success and followed suit • Helped get rid of corruption and bosses • Many cities bought utility (electric, gas, water) to stop overcharging • By 1918, 500 cities had adopted some form of this plan

17. Government Reform • Initiative, Referendum, and Recall • Initiative gave people the right to propose new laws directly on the ballot • Referendum gave people the right to approve or reject laws proposed by legislature • Recall allowed voters to remove elected officials from office • Robert La Follette: established direct primaries • Election where citizens choose the nominees for upcoming elections

18. Women Enter the Workforce • In 1900s growing number of women wanted to do more than just fulfill their roles as wives and mothers • Wanted to expand their roles in the community • Education the key • Women’s colleges established—Bryn Mar College • Teachers, Nurses, Community Activists

19. Women and Working Conditions • But for most women, working meant long hours away from home, dangerous working conditions, and low wages • Factories making clothing • Factories rolling cigars by hand • Laundresses • Domestic servants • And even if they earned the money, it was managed by their husbands

20. Women’s Reforms • Florence Kelly- thought that women were hurt by high prices on needed goods • Formed the National Consumers League which labeled products “goods produced under fair, safe, and healthy working conditions” • She also fought for the Women’s Trade Union which wanted shorter work days and minimum wages

21. Improving Family Life • Temperance Movement (never drinking alcohol) • Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was formed in the 1870s • Men spent their earnings on alcohol, neglected their children and abused their wives • Carrie Nation • 18th Amendments—Prohibition • The Volstead Act, Jan, 17, 1920

22. Family Life & Health • Margaret Sanger: • Fought for women to be informed on family planning and birth control practices • Jailed many times for her public speaking • In 1916 she opened the first birth control clinic • In 1921 she founded the American birth control league • Ida B. Wells: • Established the National Association for Colored Women • Provided day care and education for black children while mothers worked

23. Suffrage • Carrie Chapman Catt: • Traveled around the country encouraging women to join the National American Suffrage Association • Introduced the Society Plan which recruited wealthy, well-educated women who became known as “suffragettes” to fight for the vote • Alice Paul: • Worked to build the National Women’s Party • Which held protest marches (first group to march with picket signs outside the White House) • Both women led the NWP to support the war effort during World War I which led Congress to support their cause • 19th Amendment was passed in 1919 allowing women to vote.

24. Discrimination • The Progressive Era was not progressive for all • Nonwhites were discriminated against • Booker T. Washington • Suggested that African Americans move slowly toward racial progress • He thought eventually African Americans would receive full citizenship and voting rights promised by law • W.E.B Du Bois • Suggested that African Americans demand immediate change and their rights

25. NAACP • After numerous cases of violence against blacks (1908 Springfield Riot), African American leaders and white progressives alike formed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909 • Helped to get jobs for African Americans • Helped African Americans get higher education • Worked toward social and political justice

26. Other Ethnicities • Anti-Defamation League- • This group worked to defend Jewish citizens against physical and verbal attacks. Wanted to secure justice and fair treatment for all citizens. • Mutualistas- • Groups that aided Mexican Americans with financial issues, and legal assistance. These groups offered insurance programs as well • Society of American Indians • Worked to protest federal Indian policies, and urged Native Americans to retain their culture and avoid dependency on the government