Progressive Era 189095 1920 1900 1917 Introduction A

Progressive Era 1890/95 -1920 1900 -1917

Introduction A middle-class movement-mostly urban Some upper classbusiness leaders who were committed to social justice Response to challenges of industrialization, urbanization and immigration

Beliefs/Issues New ideas and honest, efficient govt. can bring about social justice; get rid of corrupt govt. officials/organizations and make govt. responsive to the people’s needs Industrialization and urbanization have created troubling problems-wretched living conditions, harsh conditions for laborers Eliminate the abuses of big business; create opportunities for small businesses Reduce the gap between rich and poor (enter Socialist party)

Socialism Socialists wanted a complete change of the system, not merely reform, but, socialism and progressivism did overlap on some issues Reduce the gap between rich and poor Socialist Eugene V. Debs won 400, 000 votes in 1904 and nearly a million in 1912 as presidential candidate U. Sinclair was a Socialist

Muckrakers/Literature Sensational investigative reporters/stories-expose many issues at the time Jacob Riis, “How the other half lives”-about NYC tenements Ida Tarbell-”History of the Standard Oil Company”-1904; ruthless practices of monopoly Upton Sinclair-”The Jungle”-1906 -industry conditions in Chicago’s meatpacking industry

Municipal Level Reform Reforms begin in the cities, as they work to eliminate the corruption of machine/boss politics In the 1890 s, many bosses were replaced with city managers or other forms of govt. 1900 -a massive hurricane hit Galveston, TX. ; left it in ruins-killed more than 8000; as an emergency measure, Galveston replaced its mayor with a commission form of govt. (dividing the govt. into several departments-more efficient)

Electoral Reform Robert M. Lafollette: direct primary-citizens themselves vote to select nominees for upcoming elections 17 th amendment (1913)-direct election of senators Initiative-gave people the power to put a proposed new law on the ballot; voters could pass laws Referendum-allow citizens to approve or reject laws passed by a legislature Recall-voters the power to remove public servants from office before their terms end By and large, these reforms failed to oust party bosses and special interests who learned to control the new mechanisms

(Why we need the 17 th; note people’s entrance “closed”)

Labor Reform Early 1900 s-U. S. had the highest rate of industrial accidents (long hours, poor ventilation, fumes, unsafe machinery, etc. ) Early year some 30, 000 workers died on the job; another half a million were injured Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (March 1911)-NYC, kills 146, many young women, little chance of escaping as managers had locked most of the exits; many jump in desperation Leads to workplace safety laws and workers compensation laws Many attempts to limit workday (to 10 hours), especially with women Child labor reform-min. age for employment (12 -16) and max. hours (10); Keating-Owens Act-bans child labor, but 2 years later will be ruled unconstituional Not until 1938 that child labor will be banned for good

Conservation Businesses felt they should be allowed to do as they wish with public lands Environmentalists, like John Muir, believed nature was sacred and humans were intruders, humans needed to have a minimal impact on nature and preserve it in its more desirable form Others believed it should be used responsibly, but also protected (Teddy Roosevelt) Roosevelt creates the National Forest Service, 5 new national parks, 18 U. S. monuments, bird preserves, game preserves and 150 national forests

Business Reform Trust-busting-break up big companies/monopolies and restore competition Strengthening the ICCInterstate Commerce Commission (organization originally designed to look at the railroad industry) Utilizing the Sherman Anti. Trust Act

Social Reform-Assistance Est. of settlement houses-community centers that provided social services to the urban poor (gave working mothers classes in day care, taught English to immigrants, etc. ) Jane Addams-founder of the settlement house movement, started the Hull House-in Chicago, played a huge role in improving lives for the urban poor, grew to 13 buildings and inspired other college-educated, middleclass women to become social workers

Social Reform-Education A number of states passed laws requiring a child attend school until a certain age

Social Reform-Morals Several states set up censorship boards to control movies Prostitution-Red-light districts like New Orleans “Storyville” were shut down Legislation passed to make it illegal to transport a woman across state lines for “immoral purposes” Theda Bara (1885 -1955)-the original vamp (sex symbol); sensuality in movies deeply troubled moral reformers Near rail line; only surviving building-was a saloon where famous jazz artist played; note blue book

Social Reform-Prohibition The temperance movement was one of the oldest and strongest reform movements 1893 -Anti-Saloon League-run by full time professionals, had a national office, printed campaign material By 1900, 25% of Americans lived in “dry” counties or states, but, total per capita alcohol consumption was on the rise Protestant rural native born reformers vs. Catholic urban immigrants 18 th amendment (1919)-prohibitionoutlawed manufacture, sale and transport of alcoholic beverages

Social Reform-Women Education helped women achieve their goals Worked for prohibition movement, education, workplaces (safer and for children’s rights) and attacks on racism Boldest goal=suffrage; voting would allow them to make changes in these areas 19 th amendment (1920)-cannot deny right to vote based on gender

Struggle vs. Discrimination Booker T. vs. W. E. B. Du. Bois NAACP-formed to protect lives, secure the right to vote and basic civil rights (era of voting restrictions, Jim Crow laws, lynching, etc. ) Anti-Defamation League-goal to defend Jews and others vs. physical and verbal attacks, and to secure justice and fair treatment for all

Immigration Issue Some believed only fewer and “better” immigrants could reduce the social problems of the city Immigration restrictions encouraged, some restrictions were already in place (Chinese Exclusion Act), but more will follow WWI (ex. 1921 Emergency Quota Act-3%)

The Presidents Theodore Roosevelt-1901 -1909 William Howard Taft-1909 -1913 Woodrow Wilson-1913 -1921

Teddy Roosevelt 1901 -1909 Republican Square Deal-keep the wealthy and powerful from taking advantage of the poor Industry Labor Conservation Trustbuster-broke apart a major rr trust at the time Known as the great conservationist-set aside 150 million acres of federal land Food-Meat Inspection Actrequires inspection of meat and meatpacking plants National Reclamation Act-federal govt. will decide where and how water will be distributed (manage dams, build reservoirs, hydroelectric power, etc. ) Pure Food and Drug Actinspects food/drugs and their processing plants 1906 -FDA Worked to oversee utilities, regulate rail rates

Taft 1909 -1913 Republican Industry The Trustbuster-broke up U. S. Steel and Standard Oil (previously approved by T. R. ) Labor Conservation Fires leaders T. R. put in charge of land areas Proposes income tax Works to regulate utilities and adjust tariffs • Teddy had endorsed Taft in 1908, but tensions arose during Taft’s term in office • Election of 1912 Republican-Taft Democrat-Wilson Socialist-Eugene V. Debs *Progressive Party-”Bull Moose Party”-Teddy Roosevelt

Wilson 1913 -1921 Democrat New Freedom-strict govt. controls on corporations to provide more opportunities (or freedoms) for small businesses Industry Labor Conservation Federal Reserve Act-provide stability and flexibility in the financial system Workers comp. coming out of the March 1911 fire 1916 -National Park Service Federal Trade Commissionmonitor businesses and “unfair practices) Keating-Owens Act-1916 -attempt to ban child labor Substantially lowered tariffs for the first time in 50 years-to offset it, the 16 th amendment (income tax) was passed and moved it from 1 to 6% Worked against trusts some, but not like the previous two, he also exempted unions from being declared as trusts 16 th, 17 th, 18 th and 19 th amendments are all passed while Wilson is in office