PROGRESSIVISM

1. Protecting social welfare2. Promoting moral

improvement3. Creating economic reform

4. Fostering eff iciency

4 Goals of Progressives

Aimed to restore economic opportunities and correct

injustices in american life.

Progressive Movement

Protecting Social Welfare

YMCA – opened libraries, sponsored classes, and built swimming pools and handball courts.

Salvation Army fed poor people in soup kitchens, cared for children, and teachers of values to immigrants.

Florence Kelley

Advocate for improving the lives of women and children.

Appointed chief inspector at factories. After she helped win passage of the Illinois Factory Act in 1893.

-it prohibited child labor and limited women’s working hours.

PROHIBITION – THE BANNING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Promoting Moral Improvement

Prohibitionist groups felt that alcohol was undermining American morals.

WCTC – founded in Cleveland in 1874 Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Spearheaded the crusade for prohibition. Members would enter saloons and sing, pray, and

urge saloonkeepers to stop selling alcohol.

FRANCIS WILLARD

Transformed the movement from a small religious group to a national organization.

Largest women’s group in the nation’s history.

Opened kindergartens for immigrants

Visited inmates in prison

Worked for suff rage

WTCU

Trouble

Anti-Saloon League Founded in 1895 Sought to close saloons Immigrants grew angry because they liked alcohol Also, saloons cashed paychecks and served meals.

Creating Economic Reform

Eugene V. Debs –

organized the American Socialist Party in 1901.

Commented on uneven balance among big businesses, government, and ordinary people.

Muckrakers

Journalists who wrote about the corrupt side of business and public life in mass circulation magazines.

Ida B. Tarbell wrote “History of the Standard Oil Company”, an article in McClure’s Magazine.

Fostering Efficiency

Many progressives put faith in experts and scientific principles.

“Brandeis brief” – Oregon lawyer Louis D. Brandeis was defending an Oregon law that limited women factory workers to 10 hour days.

He looked at scientific data that showed the high cost of long hours both to the individual and society.

Frederick Winslow Taylor

IndustryBegan using time and

motion studies to improve efficiency by breaking tasks into simpler parts.

(The assembly line)

Problems?

Not all people can work at the same rate.

High worker turn over – often due to injuries suffered by fatigued workers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZfMjicmnms

Cleaning up Local Government

1900 – Hurricane in Galveston

Local government officials botched the rebuilding job

TX legislature appointed a 5 member commission to take over.

Each expert took charge of a different department.

The city adopted the commission idea as a local government and other cities followed.

1913 – flood in Ohio Led to adoption of the council-manager form of govt.

People elect a city council to make laws.

Reform Mayors

Hazen Pingree of Detroit

- introduced progressive reforms

fairer tax structurelowered fareswork relief for unemployedrooted out corruption

city workers built schools, parks, and a municipal lighting plant.

Tom Johnson of Cleveland, Ohio

Socialist mayor

Dismissed corrupt officials Greedy private owners of utilities Converted utilities to publicly owned enterprises.

believed citizens should play an active role in city government.

Reform at the State Level

Reform governorsRobert M. La Follette – Republican

Governor of Wisconsin – 3 terms “Fighting Bob” Major target was the railroad industry Taxed railroad property same as other business

property Set up a commission to regulate rates State officials – no free passes on rr

Other governors who attacked big business were

Charles B. Aycock

James S. Hogg of Texas

Protecting Working Children

More prone to accidents due to fatigueMany developed health problemsSuffered from stunted growth

1904 National Child Labor Committee sent investigators to gather evidence of children working in harsh conditions. Organized exhibitions – used photographs and

statistics Joined by labor union members

Keating-Owen Act - 1916

Prohibited the transportation across state lines of goods produced with child labor.

2 yrs. Later it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Reformers did succeed in nearly every state by effecting legislation that banned child labor and set a maximum number of hours for laborers.

Efforts to Limit Working Hours

1908 – Case of Muller v. Oregon

Louis Brandeis – (Florence Kelley, Josephine Goldmark) Argued that poor working women were economically

insecure Women required the state’s protection Won 10 hour work day for women

1917 – persuaded the Court to uphold a 10 hour workday for men.

Progressives succeeded in winning worker’s compensation to aid the families of workers who were hurt or killed on the job.

1902 - Maryland was the first state to pass legislation requiring employers to pay benefits in these cases.

Reforming Elections

William S. U’Ren – prompted his state of Oregon to adopt

the secret ballot. Also called the Australian ballot

The initiative The referendum The recall

Initiative – a bill originated by the people rather than lawmakers, on the ballot. Citizens could petition to place one.

Referendum – a way in which voters accepted or rejected the initiative. (Voting on the initiative)

Recall – enabled voters to remove public officials from elected positions by forcing them to fade another election before the end of their term if enough voters asked for it.

1899 – Minnesota passed the first statewide primary system. Enabled voters to elect candidates for public office

through a special popular election.

Direct Election of Senators

17th Amendment – direct primary paved the way.

1912 – ratified in 1913 – made direct election of senators the law of the land.

SECTION 2

Women in Public Life

Women in the Work Force

Farm Women

Women’s roles in the South and Midwest had not changed Household chores Raising livestock Plowed and planted in the fields Harvested crops

Women in Industry

1900 – 1/5 American women held jobs25% working in manufacturing50% garment tradeleast skilled positionspaid about ½ as much as the men they

worked with.

New Jobs for Women Offices Stores Classrooms

All required a high school education 1890 women high school grads outnumbered men.

Business Schools

Bookkeepers

Stenographers

typists

Domestic Workers

Required no formal educationCleaned for other familiesCooksLaundressesScrubwomenMaids

Many were former slaves or immigrants1870 – 70% of women employed were

servants.

Women Lead Reform

Reasons for reform: Dangerous conditions Low wages Long hours

Female industrial workers pushed for reform, especially after the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in 1911.

Women’s Clubs Upper and middle class women Discussed art or literature ½ million members by 1910 Sometimes grew into reform groups addressing issues

such as temperance or child labor.

Women in Higher Education

Vassar College – Many women activists had attended here Opened in 1865

Smith and Wesley Colleges - 1875

Columbia, Brown, and Harvard refused to admit women, but established separate colleges for them.

Options for Women Marriage was no longer their only option

work College

Many college educated women in the late 1800’s never married, choosing to keep their independence.

Many of them applied their skills to social reform.

Women and Reform

Women either strengthened existing reform groups or formed new ones.

Sought to improve conditions at home and work. Workplace reform Housing reform Educational improvement Food and drug laws

NACW National Association of Colored Women

Formed 1896 by African American women

Merged 2 earlier organizations

Managed nurseries, reading rooms, and kindergartens.

Seneca Falls convention in 1848

Women split over the 14th and 15th amendments

Granted equal rights to African American men, but excluded women.

Susan B. Anthony

Leading proponent of women’s suffrage.

NWSA

Founded in 1869 by Anthony and Cady Stanton.

1890 united with another group to become the NAWSA. National Woman

Suffrage Association

Other leaders – Lucy Stone and Julia Ward Howe

3-Part Strategy for Suffrage

1. tried to convince state legislatures to grant women the right to vote. Wyoming – 1869 1st state to allow women voters

Utah, Colorado, and Idaho followed. After 1869, efforts in other states failed.

2. pursued court cases to test the 14th Amendment.

14th – declares that states denying their male citizens the right to vote would lose congressional representation.

1872 – Susan B. Anthony and other women attempted to vote at least 150 times in ten states and the District of Columbia.

1875 – the Supreme Court ruled that women were citizens, but that did not give them the right to vote.

3. pushed for a national constitutional amendment to grant women the vote.

It was introduced in California and was killed later 41 yrs. This cycle continued.

SECTION 3

Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal

Upton Sinclair

Wrote The Jungle Novel about the human

condition of the stockyards in Chicago.

Instead of Americans feeling pity for the workers, they were repulsed by the conditions of the meatpacking industry.

Roosevelt was also repulsed by the conditions.

Rough Riding President

1900 – gov. of NY Ran as McKinley’s VP City bosses of NY

wanted to get rid of him.

McKinley served 6 months of his second term and was assassinated.

Roosevelt’s Rise

Born into a wealthy family in NY.

Attended HarvardBoxed and wrestled3 terms in NY State

AssemblyNY city’s police

commissionerAssistant Sec. of the U.S.

NavyGrabbed national

attention when he advocated war against Spain in 1898.

Roughriders

Spanish/American War

Volunteer cavalry brigade

Won public acclaim for its role in the battle at San Juan Hill in Cuba.

Roosevelt became a hero and was elected gov. of NY and later VP.

The Modern Presidency

1901 – at 42 he became the youngest president ever.

Still enjoyed boxing, horseback riding, etc.

Acted boldlyUsed his personality

and popularity to advance his programs

Became the model by which all future presidents would be measured.

Thought the federal govt. should assume control when states could not deal with problems.

Saw the presidency as a “bully pulpit” in which he could influence news media and shape legislation.

Square Deal

If big business victimized workers, he would see to it that the common people received what he called a Square Deal.

Square Deal – term used to describe the various progressive reforms sponsored by the Roosevelt administration.

Using Federal Power

His knowledge of history convinced him that America required a powerful government.

Trustbusting – He did not believe all trusts were harmful Wanted to curb actions of those that weren’t fair 1902 – he ordered the Justice Department to sue the

Northern Securities Company, which had established a monopoly over the nw railroads. 1904 the Supreme Court dissolved the company

He filed 44 antitrust suits and won many of them Broke up some of the trusts

1902 Coal Strike – 140,000 coal miners went on strike in Pennsylvania Demanded 20% raise, 9 hr. work day, right to organize

a union. Lasted 5 months – coal reserves were running low Roosevelt called both sides to the White House to talk.

He threatened to take over the mine. Arbitration commission listened to both sides Miners won 10% pay hike and a 9 hr. work day. Could not strike or form a union for 3 yrs.

2 results –

Citizens now expect the govt. to intervene when a strike threatens public welfare.

Citizens believe that disputes can be settled in an orderly way with the help of experts.

Railroad Regulation

Roosevelt wanted federal regulationInterstate Commerce Act, ICCRoosevelt urged Congress to move and the

Elkins Act was passed.Elkins Act – 1903 made it illegal for rr

officials to give, and shippers to receive, rebates for using particular rr. Railroads could not change set rates without notifying

the public.

Hepburn Act – 1906

Limited the distribution of free railroad passes Gave ICC power to set maximum railroad rates. Its passage boosted the government’s power to

regulate railroads.

Health and the Environment

Regulating Foods and Drugs

Roosevelt read Sinclair’s The Jungle and appointed a commission of experts to investigate the meatpacking industry.

The commission issued a report that supported Sinclair’s account.

1906 – Roosevelt pushed for passage of the Meat Inspection Act. It dictated strict cleanliness requirements for

meatpackers

Created the program of federal meat inspection that was in use until it was replaced.

Govt. - paid for inspections Did not require companies to label their canned goods

with date of processing information. Meatpackers were granted the right to appeal

negative decisions in court.

Pure Food and Drug Act

Before action was taken companies could say anything about their products.

Children’s medicines contained opium, cocaine, or alcohol.

Dr. Harvey Washington complained that harmful preservatives were being put in foods.

1906 – PFD Act

Halted the sale of contaminated foods and medicines

Called for truth in labeling.

Conservation and Natural Resources

Conservation Measures Roosevelt made conservation a primary concern

Set aside 148 million acres of forest reserves 1.5 million acres of water power sites 80 million for exploration of mineral and water resources 50 wildlife sanctuaries Several national parks

National Reclamation Act of 1902

Money from the sale of public lands funded large-scale irrigation projects.

Established the precedent that the federal government would manage the water resources of the West.

Roosevelt and Civil Rights

Often accused of not doing enoughInvited Booker T. Washington to the White

HouseFaced opposition from W.E.B. Du Bois who

thought he was indifferent to racial injustice.

1909 – Du Bois and other black and prominent white reformers formed the NAACP – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Wanted full equality among races.

Muckrakers

Investigative reporting that uncovered corruption

Ida M. Tarbell – “The History of the Standard Oil Company”

Upton Sinclair – “The Jungle”

Lincoln Steffens – Leading figure of the

muckraker movement Exposed business and

govt. corruption in McClure’s magazine. Stories are collected in

2 books: “The Shame of the

Cities” The Struggle for Self-

Govt.”

SECTION 4

Progressivism Under Taft

Taft Becomes President

William Howard Taft

Secretary of War for Roosevelt.

Hand picked by Roosevelt to run against William Jennings Bryan

Taft won the election

Taft Stumbles

Busted 90 trusts in his 4 yr. term

Could not subdue troublesome members of his party.

1st problem – tariffs and conservation

Payne-Aldrich Tariff

Payne bill – lowered rates on imported goods

Senate proposed an alternative bill – Aldrich bill Aldrich bill – made fewer cuts

Increased rates

Payne – Aldrich Tariff – only moderated the high rates Angered Progressives Taft defended it

2nd problem – Disputing Public Lands Taft appt. Richard Ballinger as his secretary Ballinger disagreed w/conservatives

He removed 1 million acres of forest and mining lands from the reserve list and returned it to the public domain.

2 govt. officials accused Ballinger of letting commercial interests exploit natural resources that belonged to the public.

Taft supported Ballinger and fired Pinchot – one of the accusers.

The Republican Party Splits

Republicans, Progressives, and Conservatives split over Taft’s support of political boss Joseph Cannon.

Joseph Cannon – chairman of House Rules Committee.

Joseph Cannon Weakened or ignored Progressive bills Republicans and Democrats wanted to strip him of his

power

3/1910 – The House elected the Committee on Rules and excluded the Speaker from membership in the committee.

1910 – The Republican party was in shambles

Bull Moose Party

1912 – Roosevelt decided to run for office a 3rd time.

Republican Progressives formed a 3rd party – The Progressive Party

Roosevelt was nominated for president.

Bull Moose = Progressive Party Got the name Bull Moose because Roosevelt said he

was as strong as a bull moose. Proposed: direct election of senators Adoption in all states of the initiative, referendum,

and recall Advocated Women’s suffrage worker’s compensation 8 hr. work day min. wage for women Law against child labor federal trade commission to

reg. bus.

The split in the Republican party gave the Democrats a chance at the White House.

1912- Democrat Woodrow Wilson was nominated

Reform gov. of NJ

Democrats Win 1912

Wilson endorsed a progressive platform called the “New Freedom”

Demanded stronger anti-trust legislation, banking reform, and reduced tariffs.

Taft and Roosevelt were name calling

Wilson stayed out of the fight and won the election.

Wilson’s New Freedom

Background – from the South Son of Presbyterian minister Strict upbringing Former lawyer, history professor, and president of

Princeton University

Two Key Antitrust Measures

Clayton Antitrust Act – 1914 Strengthen the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 Prohibited corporations from acquiring the stock of

another if doing so would create a monopoly. If a company violated a law the officers would be

prosecuted. Specified that labor unions and farm organizations

had the right to exist but would no longer be subject to anti-trust laws. Strikes, picketing, boycotts became legal

Federal Trade Commission Given the power to investigate possible violations of

regulatory statues Could require reports from corporations, and put an end

to a number of unfair business practices. Under Wilson, FTC administered almost 400 cease-and-

desist orders to companies engaged in illegal activity.

A New Tax System

Summoned Congress to a special session to plead his case. Established the precedent of delivering the State of

the Union Address in person. Battled with senators and lobbyists for the Underwood

Act on 1913. He urged citizens to monitor their senator’s votes. Senate voted to cut tariff rates even more than the

House had done.

Federal Income Tax

Govt. had to replace the revenue the tariffs supplied

16th amendment legalized a graduated federal income tax. Provided revenue by taxing individual earnings and

corporate profits. Larger incomes taxed at higher rates than smaller

incomes. Today it is the government’s main source of revenue.

Federal Reserve System

A decentralized banking system under federal control.

Divided the nation into 12 districts.Established a central bank in each district.

Could issue new paper currency in emergency situations

Member banks could use the new currency to make loans to their customers.

Could transfer $ to member banks in trouble. Still serves as the basis of the nation’s banking

system.

Women Win Suffrage

Women continued to fight for the right to vote.

They saw the possibility of success with the results of 3 new developments:

The increased activism of local groups The use of bold new strategies to build enthusiasm for

the movement Rebirth of the national movement under Carrie Chapman

Catt

Local Suffrage Battles Boston Equal Suffrage Association for Good

Government College Equal Suffrage League

Used door to door campaigns to reach supporters Trolley tours with women speakers

Emmeline Pankhurst

British suffragist

Used bold tactics

Inspired American women.

Carrie Chapman Catt

President of NAWSA Succeeded Susan B.

Anthony Organized tactics for

success Formed the NY

Women’s Suffrage Party

Lucy Burns Alice Paul

Lucy Burns and Alice Paul formed a radical organization, the Congressional Union and its successor, the National Woman’s Party.

Pressured govt. officials Picketed the White House “round the clock” 1917 Some were arrested, jailed, and force fed when they

attempted a hunger strike.

19th Amendment

The acts of women suffragists and America’s involvement in WWI finally brought about the 19th Amendment.

19th Amendment – passed in 1919, ratified 1920 Gave women the right to vote

The Limits of Progressivism

Wilson and Civil Rights Wilson retreated on civil rights when in office During the election of 1912 he promised to speak out

against lynching and support equality among races. He would not address lynching once in office. The Capitol and federal offices which had been

desegregated were segregated soon after Wilson’s election.

11/12/1914 – Wilson allowed an African American delegation to enter the White House.

The delegation was led by William Monroe Trotter Accused Wilson of increasing segregation and not

delivering what he had promised. Wilson grew angry and asked the delegation to leave.

Twilight of Progressivism “There’s no chance of progress and reform in an

administration in which war plays the principal part.” Woodrow Wilson, 1913

Wilson realized that the war demanded America’s involvement.

Reform efforts stalled and all attention was placed on the war.

The Progressive Era had come to an end.