Progressivism and its Effects Ms Housenick APUSH 2613

Progressivism and its Effects Ms. Housenick APUSH 2/6/13

What was Progressivism? o Massive reform movement in early 1900 s o Waged war on monopolies, corruption, inefficiency, and social injustice o Goal: To strengthen role of government in ensuring human welfare. n No more “laissez-faire”

Where did Progressivism Come From? o Anger at trusts o Anger at division of wealth n n Thorstein Veblen’s Theory of the Leisure Class Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives o Socialism—desire for government to take over private industry and make more equal o Social gospel movement o Feminism

The Muckrakers o Term coined by Roosevelt o Writers who unearthed filth and corruption in society n n Lincoln Steffen’s The Shame of the Cities— corrupt alliance between big business and city government Ida Tarbell expose of Standard Oil o Wrote about other social ills: slums, child labor, industrial accidents, lack of regulations concerning medicine

Progressive Political Goals o Most progressives were white, middle class n n n Felt pressure from above—giant corporations Pressure from below—immigrants and labor unions Wanted to deal with both

Progressive Political Goals ctnd. o Wanted political power given back to people n Initiative—people propose legislation n Referendum—people vote on legislation n Recall—people can remove elected officials o Desire to decrease corruption n Campaign finance reform n Direct election of senators— 17 th Amendment in 1913 n Women’s suffrage in some states, 19 th Amendment in 1920.

Reform in Cities and States o Changes to city government n Commission system, city-manager system— city to be run by experts o Wisconsin—lead by Robert La. Follette—took much power from corporations and gave it to people n Other states follow—Ex. Hiram W. Johnson in California—broke railroad trust

Progressive Women o Didn’t challenge notion of “separate spheres” just wanted more rights for women in those spheres o Women drawn to moral issues like ending child labor or drinking o Special laws to protect women in workforce confirmed in Muller v. Oregon n Actually kept women out of certain “male” jobs

Women’s Reforms o 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory n n n Women locked in 146 killed Women fought for laws regulating conditions and hours in factories o Temperance n Women’s Christian Temperance Union largest organization of women in the world

Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal o Roosevelt was a “progressive” at home o Wanted a square (fair) deal for all groups: business, labor and public n n n Control of corporations Consumer protection Conservation of natural resources

Roosevelt Curbs Big Business o Intervened in coal strike on behalf of workers n n Threatened to seize mines and operate with federal troops if owners didn’t negotiate FIRST TO DO THIS o Established Department of Commerce and Labor

Roosevelt Curbs Big Business ctnd. o 1903 Elkins Act —forbids railroad rebates o 1906 Hepburn Act— expanded Interstate Commerce Commission’s powers to regulate railroad o 1902 -1904: Ordered break-up of Northern Securities Trust o Still Roosevelt was not against all trusts—just wanted regulation

Roosevelt Helps the Consumer o 1906: Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle n People want change in meat-packing industry o 1906 Meat Inspection Act o 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act

Progressivism and Its Effects Pt 2 Mrs. Housenick APUSH 2/7/13

Roosevelt and Conservation o One of first presidents to protect environment o Laws to irrigate deserts, reserve forest land o Part of concern for conservation in America o Roosevelt wanted to use nature “rationally, ” not wastefully n Built a dam in Yosemite at Hetch-Hetchy because necessary o Angered preservationists who wanted to preserve nature from all human use

Roosevelt’s Legacy o Re-elected in 1904 o Hurt by “Roosevelt Panic” of 1907—speculation on Wall Street o In 1908, Roosevelt hand-picked Taft as his successor o Legacies of Roosevelt: n n n Increased power and prestige of presidency Helped shape the progressive movement, and his Square Deal was a precedent to New Deal Showed America they were a new world power

Taft: A Progressive President? o Lack of personality compared to Roosevelt o Really wanted to keep the “status quo” o Did bust more trusts than Roosevelt n Standard Oil in 1911 o Roosevelt became angry with Taft when he increased the tariff (Payne-Aldrich Bill) and dismissed lead conservationist Pinchot after selling public land to private development

The Splitting of the Republican Party o In Election of 1912, Republicans ran Taft again o Roosevelt decided to run again, this time on Progressive (bull moose) ticket o With Republican party divided, Woodrow Wilson was elected in 1912

Wilson the Progressive o Did want to regulate trusts so small business could thrive o Wanted more competition in economy—New Freedom Program o Wilson elected as minority president—called for assault on tariff, banks and trusts

Wilson Tackles the Tariff o Passed Underwood Tariff Bill—dramatic reduction in rates o Also began collecting income tax because of Sixteenth Amendment n n Designed to equalize wealth, make rich fund social programs Tax money now larger source of income than tariff

Wilson Battles Banks Wanted bank to end its monopoly and to be able to put more currency in market when necessary o Wanted decentralized bank in government hands o 1913 Federal Reserve Act o n n n Created Federal Reserve Board—oversees regional reserve districts and banks Each bank empowered to issue paper money if necessary Most important piece of economic legislation between Civil War and New Deal

Wilson Tames the Trusts o 1914 Federal Trade Commission Act— outlawed unfair trade practices o 1914 Clayton Anti-Trust Act strengthened Sherman Anti-Trust Act, made sure labor unions weren’t being prosecuted under it

Other Progressive Reforms Under Wilson o Credits and loans to farmers to deal with o o overproduction Workingmen’s Compensation Acts restricting child labor Adamson Act of 1916— 8 hour day for all employees on trains in interstate commerce Appointed first Jew, Louis Brandeis, to Supreme Court Still, accelerated segregation in federal government!

Election of 1916 and End of Progressive Party o Roosevelt refused to run on Progressive ticket because he didn’t want to split Republican Party o Wilson still won re-election o Progressivism gets overshadowed with start of WWI in 1914

Multiple Choice Practice o The leading progressive organization advocating prohibition of liquor was n n n A) The National Consumers League B) Hull House C) The General Federation of Women’s Clubs D) The Progressive Party E) The Women’s Christian Temperance Union

Multiple Choice Practice ctnd. o Which of the following was NOT among the issues addressed by women in the progressive movement? n n n A) Ending special regulations governing women in the workplace B) Preventing child labor in factories and sweatshops C) Insuring that food products were healthy and safe D) Attacking tuberculosis and other diseases bred in slum tenements E) Creating pensions for mothers with dependent children

Multiple Choice practice ctnd. o Teddy Roosevelt believed that trusts n n n A) Could be destroyed without damage to the American economy B) Were greedy for power and wealth C) Were too powerful to be regulated D) Were here to stay with their efficient means of production E) Should be balanced by strong labor unions.