Progressive Reforms

The Problems and Solutions

What is a progressive?

•Someone who works to reform or change parts of society

Typical Characteristics

• Young• Unmarried• Educated• White• Females

What is a Muckraker?

•A journalist who worked to expose corruption in government and society

Workplace Problems

• Low Wages• Poor Work Conditions• Child Labor• Long Hours

Workplace Problems

• Triangle Shirtwaist Fire- 140 women/men workers died in fire

• Doors were Locked • No Fire Escapes

Solutions

• Minimum Wage first in Massachusetts in 1912

• Child Labor Laws• 8 Hour Work Day

What is a ghetto?

•A place where people of the same ethnicity, race, or religion live

What is a Slum?

•A Place where there tends to be a great deal of Crime and Poverty

What is a Suburb?

•A Place where there tend to be Single Family Homes

What is the Difference Between Urban and Rural?

•Urban-City

•Rural-Farms

City Problems

• Overcrowding in Tenements

• Crime

• Dirt/Disease from garbage

• Tenements Unsafe

City Solutions

• Police/Fire Departments

• Sewage System

• Garbage Collection

• Electric and Water Companies

• Transportation System

Social Welfare Problems

• No Healthcare

• Alcoholism

• Poverty

Social Welfare Solutions

• 1. Restrict Immigration-Quotas

• 2. Force Assimilation• A. Social Welfare Programs/Charities• B. Settlement Houses-Hull House Jane

Adams-Teach Child Care, English, Job Skills

Social Welfare Solutions

• Social Gospel Movement-Religious Organizations teach how to live a religious life

• Comstock Law-Can Not Send “Bad” Items through Mail

Social Welfare Solutions

• 18th Amendment-Women’s Temperance Movement tries to push for the ban on selling and manufacturing of alcohol

Political Problems

• Political Machines-Unofficial party designed to keep a party in office

Political Problems

• Political Boss-Sometimes Held Office, Sometimes just Help their Party Win

• Gave People Jobs to Vote• Immigrants Vote for Them to

Receive Aid

Political Problems

• Spoils System-Government Officials gave jobs to Friends and Family

Political Solutions

• Secret Ballot-No one knows who you vote for

• Direct Primary-Voters cast ballots to select Nominees for office

Political Solutions

• Initiative-Allows Citizens to Propose New Laws

• Recall-Voters can Remove Official From office

Political Solutions

• Referendum-Citizens Can Vote to Propose Laws or on Existing Laws

• 17th Amendment-Voters Directly Elect Their Senators

Conflicts

• Immigrants Do Not Want to be told How to Live

• Many Can Not Use Services-Always Working

• Example-Parks