Progressive Era

American History

Rise of Progressive Reform

People need to combat the impact of industrialism, urbanization, and immigration.

Reform begins in the middle class, especially with women.

Government changes from being the oppressor to a protector.

Darwinism

Society is currently evolving, however survival of the fittest doesn’t apply to different groups of society.

Idea changes from the bad in people to the potential for good.

Society was still in bad shape though.

Behaviorism

The environment shapes the individual. Causes of evil/sin – living conditions,

working conditions, bad parents, etc…

Progressive Journalists

Many books and magazines tackled social reform and social decay. McClure’s Magazine exposed the Tweed Ring and

Standard Oil Jack London wrote The Iron Heel – about a bloody

revolution coming without changes to society Others like Jacob Riis, and Upton Sinclair Teddy Roosevelt calls these journalists Muckrakers

Birth of Social Work

Russell Sage Foundation – 1908-1914 – six volume work on the urban cycle Poor children were likely to grow up to be poor

themselves, not because of heredity but because of deprivation.

Jane Adams – Hull House – Chicago – kids Margaret Sanger – N.Y. – chronic pregnancy –

birth control

Progressive Demands

Better working conditions for children Better hours and pay for everyone else Workplace safety

After the Shirtwaist tragedy the courts had to respond.

Courts Response

At first the courts were not willing to change. Freedom contracts – can’t limit work hours Life, liberty, … social change would limit this for

business. Changes with the “Brandies Brief” a 102 page

legal document with facts about the workplace. Brings about the 10 hour workday.

City Reform

Clean-up of the city is job one = city sanitation. Lawrence Veiller – housing reform

New buildings need a courtyard for light and air One bathroom per apartment or per three rooms

Jane Adams – playgrounds, parks, hospitals Daniel Burnham – city planning (like D.C.)

Urban Moral Reform

Two chief outcomes of unemployment = crime, break-up of families

Theory – prohibit alcohol those things decrease. Alcohol is the downfall of society. By 1900 avg. person consumed over 2

gallons of alcohol a year. +50% of Chicago and Boston visited a bar at

least once a day.

Anti-Saloon League and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union pushed for reform. (This is a male vs. female thing)

By 1917 ¾ of the population live in dry counties and 2/3 of states prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol.

18th Amendment - Prohibition

Passes in 1917 ratified by states in 1919 Saloons were the social center of town,

this didn’t change.

Why?

Why? Answered.

Bootlegging, gambling, prostitution, and organized crime all increased due to prohibition.

Prostitution – social evil of the cities Chicago had almost 15,000 Birth of the “red-light” district Poverty causes prostitution

Movies

Movies were forced to clean up their act. No kissing on TV till the 50’s, twin beds

etc…

Women’s Suffrage

Suffrage = voting rights Began in the west where women were

seen as equals. 19th Amendment proposed in 1919, ratified

in 1920.

Limits of Progressivism

The U.S. is still extremely racist. Help the poor usually only applied to help the white poor.

Eugenics – immigrants were biologically inferior. Nativism – a preference for native born citizens. Madison Grant wrote and popularized the idea of

the “lesser breeds” are threatening to “mongolize” America. Very popular idea, convinced Margaret Sanger.

Jane Adams wasn’t quite convinced = Melting Pot = America. Education the only key to helping people.

Native Americans

Progressives supported the Dawes Act of 1887. This act was to help Native Americans become private land owners and end reservation life.

The act was a failure for Native Americans. The next step was just as bad…assimilation –

try to mold into a different culture.

Immigration

Split the progressives…to help or not. After all the immigrants were the ones causing the social problems. (drinking, gambling, gangs, political machines)

Americanization was the answer – viewed as similar to breaking a horse…painful but necessary

Progressivism in the States

Rural states felt like they couldn’t help reform. Robert Lafollette Gov. of WI comes up with the

“Wisconsin Idea” – regulate RR’s, control corruption, expand civil service, and a direct primary.

This leads to state income tax, a commission of safety and sanitation.

Also leads to the 17th Amendment – the direct election of Senators.

Progressivism goes to Washington

9/6/1901 – President McKinley was assassinated by Leon Czolgosz who was unemployed and upset.

The two bullets took 8 days to kill the President. Teddy Roosevelt takes over, although a

conservative he supports reform. FYI – Lincoln 1865, Garfield 1881, McKinley

1901, TR 1912 – but he finished his speech.

Teddy Roosevelt

Wealthy family in NY. Born very sick = became physically fit

Rodeo, judo, Mt. climber, hunter, explorer etc.. Rough Rider hero of the Spanish-American War Named the White House, the first Prez. to ride in

a car, fly, and be in a submarine. Environmentalist Trustbuster – “Speak softly and carry a big stick” Teddy Bear

Square Deal

Regulate Big Business – not destroy it, just clean it up.

Government job is to mediate and find solutions

Anthracite Coal Strike – workers agreed with owners, owners change mind. TR leaks info to Wall St. that he’d have the army take over…owners caved right away.

Conservation

TR sets up National Parks – Yellowstone and many others.

This is mainly because of his love of nature and because of John Muir

John Muir- Sierra Club – Yosemite National Park