How does the government help improve your everyday life?

How does the government help improve your everyday life?

Political Progressivism

Initiative: voters could initiate laws

Referendum: voters could vote proposed bills into law

Recall: Where voters can vote out a politician

Secret Ballot: avoid intimidation at the polls.

17th Amendment: Direct election of senators

Progressivism in the Cities/States

City-Manager System

Local Progressives cracked down on: “Slumlords" Rampant prostitution Juvenile delinquency.

States attacked big trusts on energy and water (utility socialism)

Progressive Women Muller v. Oregon (1908):

Laws protecting female workers were indeed constitutional.

Lochner v. New York (1905): Court struck down a 10-hour workday for bakers.

Anti-Alcohol Movement

Francis Willard, founder of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) 1 Million women members Joined with other anti-

saloon groups

In 1914, 1/2 of Americans lived in dry areas.

1919: 18th Amendment (AKA Prohibition) that banned alcohol

Progressive President: TR

TR’s Square Deal For the common man control of the corporations consumer protection conservation of natural

resources.

Changing the Economics

A strike took place in 1902 at coal mines of Pennsylvania. Asked for 20% pay increase and a reduction of work

hours from 10 to 9 hours. Strike led to coal shortagegovt involved as a neutral

party

Roosevelt finally threatened to use federal troops to operate the minesa 10% increase and the 9 hour day.

The Bureau of Corporations created to investigate interstate trade and became important for breaking trusts

TR Corrals the Corporations

The Interstate Commerce Commission (1887) not working.

Elkins Act (1903): banned rebates awarded by railroaders.

Considered a trust buster.

TR's most noteworthy target was the Northern Securities Company run by J.P. Morgan and James Hill.

TR allowed the "good trusts" to survive.

TR’s New Nationalism

Social insurance, to provide for the elderly, the unemployed, and the disabled.

Limited injunctions in strikes.

A minimum wage law for women.

An 8 hour workday.

A federal securities commission.

Farm relief.

Workers' compensation for work-related injuries.

An inheritance tax.

Federal income tax (16th Amendment)

The political reforms proposed included

Women's suffrage (19th Amendment)

Direct election of Senators (17th Amendment)

Primary elections for state and federal nominations.

The Muckrakers Find the Dirt Upton Sinclair wrote The

Jungle-showed how bad meatpacking industry was.

Meat Inspection Act (1906): meat inspected by U.S.D.A.

The Pure Food and Drug Act was also passed

Taft Follows TR Riding on TR's popularity, Taft

won the election easily Socialist candidate Euguene

Debs captured 420,000 votes

Taft: A Round Peg in a Square Hole

Taft took a hands-off approach toward Congress

A “mild progressive” more inclined toward the status quo than reform.

Taft Splits the Republican Party

Two main issues split the Republican party: (1) the tariff and (2) conservation of lands. Old-school Republicans were high-tariff New/Progressive Republicans were low tariff.

Taft, as the mild Progressive, had promised to lower the tariffin the end the tariff increased tariffs!

TR decided to run against Taft (ran as a ProgressiveBull Moose Party) Ironically, Taft had been harder on trusts than TR! TR and Taft split the voteWoodrow Wilson became 1st Democrat in

16 yrs

New Freedom Policy

Supported small business

Sought to bust all trusts, not distinguishing good or bad.

Did not include social welfare programs

Ensured a Jeffersonian style of government and economy