The Progressive Era

1. The Progressive Era Fixing the problems created by the Gilded Age

2. Progressivism • Progressivism: A collection of views on how to fix the problems that existed in American society and improve the human condition. • Most believed that government should take a larger role in solving the problems created by immigration and industrialization. • Progressives were usually urban, middle-class Americans.

3. Fixing Politics and Voting

4. Civil Service Reform • The Republican Party was split during the Election of 1880 • Stalwarts: Supported traditional machine politics and the spoils system • Half-Breeds: Supported civil service reform

5. Mudslinging in ‘84 • Mugwumps: Half-Breed Republicans who did not agree with the nomination of Stalwart James G. Blaine in 1884, and voted for Democrat Grover Cleveland • Election was full of mudslinging, focusing on Cleveland’s illegitimate child. • “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?” • “Gone to the White House, ha-ha-ha!” • Pendleton Civil Service Act: Required Merritt to receive government positions

6. Rise of Populism • Better technology = more crops  lower prices & excess crops  higher debt for farmers • High tariffs • Farmers felt victimized by banks and railroads • Failure of labor unions • Rise in immigration

7. Rise of Populism • The Grange: An association of farmers promoting the economic and political well-being of the community and agriculture. • Farmers Alliance: An organization of farmers seeking regulation of the railroads, and reform the nation’s banking system to help farmers. • Developed the People’s Party (Populists) – made up of farmers and industrial workers.

8. Goals of the Populist Movement • Government control of the railroads • Limits on immigration • A shortened workweek • Free coinage of silver

9. Election of 1896 William Jennings Bryan William McKinley

10. City Reforms • Some Progressives believed most issues could be solved if government worked more efficiently. • Required experts, not politicians. • Mayor-Council Form • Council-Manager Form • Commission Form

11. State Reforms • Robert LaFollette (WI): Proposed that candidates be nominated through a direct primary • Initiative: Citizens could initiate or introduce new legislation • Referendum: Allowed legislation to be submitted to the voters approval (e.g. Prop 55) • Recall: Allowed voters to demand a special election to remove an elected official from office before their term had ended (e.g. Governor Gray Davis)

12. National Reform • Under the Constitution, senators were elected by state legislatures • Allowed for nepotism and corruption • "a sort of aristocratic body – too far removed from the people, beyond their reach, and with no special interest in their welfare" • 17th Amendment: Provided for the direct election of senators by the people

13. Rebecca West • “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute.”

14. Fighting for Women’s Suffrage

15. Fight for Women’s Suffrage • Made up mostly of urban, middle class women • Seneca Falls Convention (1848) • Harriet Beecher Stowe and Lucretia Mott • Declaration of Sentiments • Gained popularity as a result of the abolitionist movement • A few states gave women the right to vote (WY, 1869)

16. Fight for Women’s Suffrage • Difficulty was convincing men it was a good idea • The women who supported suffrage were seen as unfeminine and immoral. • Women argued they were needed to act as a moral compass for the nation. • Movement split over how to accomplish change • National amendment • State-by-state adoption

17. Fight for Women’s Suffrage National American Women’s Suffrage Association (NAWSA): Created to convince both state and national governments to acknowledge women’s right to vote.

18. NAWSA carrying the signatures of 1 million women who supported suffrage

19. Fighting for Women’s Suffrage • Alice Paul created the National Women’s Party, using a more public method to gain suffrage • After the US joined WWI, the NWP began picketing the White House • Alice Paul was jailed three times for demonstrating for women’s suffrage. • November 1917 – The Night of Terror

22. 19th Amendment: Women are given the right to vote (1920)

23. National Reform 16th • 16th Amendment: Income Tax • 17th Amendment: Direct election of senators • 18th Amendment: Prohibition • 19th Amendment: Women’s suffrage 17th 19th 18th

24. Women’s Rights DBQ (Left) What were women fighting for and why? What were some methods they used?

25. Business and Economic Reform

26. Early Business Reform • Frederick Taylor’s scientific management • Interstate Commerce Commission • Sherman Anti-Trust Act and Clayton Anti-Trust Act • Labor unions emerge

27. Child Labor Reform • In 1900 over 1.7 million children under the age of 16 were working in factories. • The Bitter Cry of the Children – John Spargo • Children’s Bureau – Tackled a variety of issues that affected children (labor, health, safety, etc.) • Compulsory education was created as an alternative occupation for children, instead of work.

28. Health and Safety Reform March 25, 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in NYC. 146 female garment workers died from the fire or jumped to their deaths.

29. Remnants of the Factory

33. Some of the bodies were so grotesque that they were covered up. A brief description was written on the outside of the coffin.

34. Results of the Fire • Regulations on hours and conditions in factories: • Worker’s compensation • Fire safety equipment • Health and safety procedures • Zoning laws passed to organize cities’ business and residential needs.

35. Economic Reform • Solution: The creation of a new central banking system of the United States (Federal Reserve System) • Maintains the stability of the financial system for private banks and the U.S. government • Problem: Financial panics, fluctuating currency value, and extremely high interest rates

36. Gospel of Wealth • Gospel of Wealth – Andrew Carnegie • Stated that the rich have a moral obligation to give away their fortunes to benefit the community. • Established public libraries and public concert halls • During his lifetime, Carnegie gave away over $350 million.

37. Modern-day Gospel of Wealth • The Giving Pledge: The wealthiest individuals and families in the United States committing to giving the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. As of April 28, 2012, 69 billionaires in the US have joined this campaign and pledged to give 50% or more of their wealth to charity • Warren Buffett • Bill Gates • Mark Zuckerberg • Ted Turner • George Lucas • David Rockefeller • Diane von Furstenberg

38. Bell Ringer Why were Progressives so concerned with changing the government? What would be the result?

39. Social Reform

40. Muckrakers Muckrakers: reform-minded journalists and authors who investigated and brought attention to social conditions and political corruption. Muckraker Journalists Bad parts of society

41. Muckrakers in Action • Jacob Riis - “How the Other Half Lives” • Illustrated the destitution of the tenements, which led to a rise in social reform. • Lincoln Steffens – “The Shame of the Cities” • Sought to expose public corruption (political machines) in many major cities • Ida Tarbell – The History of the Standard Oil Company • An exposé of the Standard Oil Company; is credited with hastening the breakup of Standard Oil.

42. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle • Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle in 1906, in which he details the plight of the immigrant working class in the meat-packing district of Chicago. • The goal was to draw attention to the horrible treatment of the working class. • The reaction was quite different…

43. Effects of The Jungle • Instead of focusing on the plight of the workers as Sinclair intended, readers were grossed out by the mishandling of the meat. • Meat Inspection Act (1906): Meat would be inspected and graded by the U.S.D.A. • Pure Food and Drug Act: Goal was to ensure proper labeling of food and drugs, and to prevent tampering.

45. Social Gospel • A movement that strove to improve conditions in cities according to the biblical ideals of charity and justice. • YMCA - Young Men’s Christian Association; Dwight L. Moody (American organizer) • Tried to help industrial workers and the urban poor by organizing Bible studies, prayer meetings, citizenship training, and fitness activities.

46. Jane Addams and Settlement Houses • Settlement houses were homes where middle class residents lived with and helped poor residents, by providing them with medical care, English classes, hot lunches, etc. • Jane Addams: Opened the famous Hull House in Chicago in 1889

47. Presidential Progressivism Making Progress at the Top

48. Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal Break up trusts that drove up prices and hurt labor (e.g. creation of the Dept. of Commerce and Labor) Control of Corporations Ensure that products were made safely for the consumer (e.g. Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act) Conservation of Nature Consumer Protection Ensure the protection and conservation of natural resources and landscapes

49. TR the Trust Buster • Roosevelt got the nickname of the “Trust Buster” from his dedication to the elimination of powerful trusts. • Believed there were “good trusts” that made things better for consumers and “bad trusts” which made things worse. • “Good”: US Steel (Carnegie) • “Bad”: Northern Securities Co. (Morgan)

50. TR the Naturalist • TR’s outdoor childhood adventures led to his devoted conservationism. • Naturalist John Muir became a great friend of TR, and guided him in his naturalist ideals • Newlands Act: began irrigation projects in the West to bring life to the arid desert • Roosevelt set aside 125 million acres of forest land (that would later become Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks)