The Progressive Movement

1. The Progressive Movement Chapter 12

2. Labor Unions • Labor Unionsare organizations of workers who put pressure on the employers in an industry in order to improve working conditions and wages. • If employers to not wish to cooperate, the unions organize a strike. • In a strike, workers refuse to work until a set of conditions are met. • Unions gained power in the US during the Industrial Age as a result of the lack of safe guards in the work place.

4. National Labor Union(NLU)1866 • First union to achieve national importance. • In 1866 the NLU united labor organizations nationally and locally. • Had up to 600,000 members. • Became increasingly involved in politics, so many unions left feeling that unions should be economic, not political.

5. Knights of Labor 1869 • Came into prominence after the NLU. • Dedicated to advancing the rights of the worker. • It was was the first labor organization to admit members regardless of trade, skill, national origin, color, or creed. • The first organization to press for eight hour workdays, the end of child and convict labor, and equal opportunities and wages for women in industry. • Opposition from other labor organizations caused them to lose power/effectiveness.

6. American Federation of Labor (AFL) 1881 • Made up of members of the Knights of Labor as well other unions. • Members from skilled trades • Shorter hours, higher wages • Organized strikes in entire industries, like car manufacturing. • Joined with the Congress of Industrialized Organizations (CIO)to form the largest union organization to date AFL-CIO • Largest union to date • Laws about the 40 hour workweek, minimum age requirement for working, and workplace safety standards.

7. Progressivism • A social and political movement which developed in the 1890s. • Response to growing corruption of politicians by the forces of big business. • Progressives championed the cause of whoever was oppressed in society. • Fought to bring down big city bosses. • Used bribery and corruption to gain enormous wealth and power • Their corruption often hurt poor and immigrants the most.

8. Muckrakers • Journalists who wrote stories concerning the abuses of big business on workers and on consumers. • Most famous example: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

9. The Jungle • Exposed the miserable working conditions and dangerous food quality in Chicago’s meat processing plants. • Prompted Congress to pass pure food laws. • The History of the Standard Oil Company • exposed the ruthless practices of Standard Oil Company in its quest to gain a monopoly in the oil business. Raised the public’s awareness of abuses occurring in trusted services and companies.

10. Legislation • Laws were passed during this time to target abuses caused by lack of competition in industries. • Interstate Commerce Act • Sherman Antitrust Act: Allowed the government to regulate unfair practices in industries

11. Public Education • Progressives believed in the right to a free education. • Education instrumental to a democratic society where citizens were required to make informed decisions. • Progressives at this time secured at least an elementary education for most Americans. • The US entrusted local school districts with educational decisions.

12. Civil Service Reform • Corruption filled the federal government at this time. • Pendleton Civil Service Reform Actrequired rigorous testing of applicants for government positions. • Civil Service Commission oversaw the testing to ensure that government appointments were based on skill, not politics. • Spurred by President Garfield’s assassination.

13. Important Amendments to the Constitution • 16th Amendment – Congress now had the power to collect taxes on businesses and individuals. Allowed the federal government to access vast amounts of money to be used in social programs and defense. Income tax. • 17th Amendment – This law provided that the people of a state elect their senators instead of the state legislatures. • 18th Amendment- prohibited the making, selling, or transporting of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition. • 19th Amendment – Women received the right to vote. • 20th Amendment – The government clarified the length of term of those elected to public office, established the president’s successor in event of death, and stated how often Congress would meet.

14. President Theodore Roosevelt • Progressive president • National Park System • Protected huge portions of land from development • Concerned with the rights of workers and small businesses. • Pure Food and Drug Act • Promoted the passage of after reading The Jungle. • Aimed to protect the health of United States consumers. • Meat Inspection Act • Broad measures to be taken with regards to cleanliness in the way meat was processed and packaged • Gave inspectors the right to visit any time to ensure proper sanitary.

15. President Woodrow Wilson • Another progressive president • New Freedom: goal to ensure there was competition in the marketplace. • Federal Trade Commission: had the power to investigate companies for unfair business practices. • Clayton Antitrust Act: businesses could not use antitrust laws to break up labor unions.

16. Race Relations after Reconstruction • After reconstruction, the plight of African-Americans steadily got worse. • Prevented from voting, therefore many Southern states passed laws denying many freedoms. • Ku Klux Klan – very active in in terrorizing • Many African-Americans left the south to go to cities in the North And West known as Black Exodus. • Two reformers that provided blacks with hope: Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois.

17. Booker T. Washington • Former slave • Founded the Tuskegee Institute • Provided training in industrial and agricultural fields • Important center for technical education in the South • Philosophy of maintaining a separation of the races. • Taught that if blacks excelled educationally and occupationally in blue collar fields they would receive full rights. • Ideas appealed to many blacks and whites. • Compromising, non-confrontational approach to race relations.

18. George Washington Carver • One of Washington’s student at Tuskeegee • Famous for his agricultural experimentations with peanuts, soybeans, and cotton. • Contributions enabled Southern farmers to grow different crops profitably besides cotton.

19. W.E.B. Dubois • First black Ph.D graduate from Harvard University • Wrote several important papers attacking the philosophy of Booker T. Washington. • Argued that blacks would be selling out their freedoms to whites if they didn’t pursue jobs in white collar fields • Believed that Washington’s work