Progressive Era, 1901-1918

PROGRESSIVE ERA, 1901-1918

HIST 202 – U.S. HISTORY

Evaluate the Progressive’s record. Was progressivism really progressive? Be sure to explain three (3) social and three (3) political reforms as part of the progressives’ policies.

Case Study - Progressivism Gather the following information from

sources: Interpretation of the documents Evidence of progression or regression Evaluation of progressivism

***These documents/events are fair game for Exam #2 - HINT

Origins of Progressivism Grew out of:

Industrialization Immigration Urban Expansion

Progressivism is PROGRESS!!

Origins of Progressivism

National movement born out of state reforms

Progressive presidents: Theodore Roosevelt William Howard Taft Woodrow Wilson

Attitudes and Motives Country was

changing RAPIDLY! Industrialized Non-agrarian Melting pot of

immigrants Innocence was lost

Attitudes and Motives Participants were

extremely diverse: Women Liberal educators Early civil rights

crusaders Middle-class

reformers

Who were Progressives? Middle-class

Shop owners Lawyers Doctors Ministers

Religious Social Gospel

Liberals

Scientific Management Frederick W. Taylor

Conducted research in factories

Timed output cycles Discovered ways to

organize people in efficient manner

Progressives…govt. can be more efficient

The Muckrakers Made Americans

wake up!! Origins

Henry Demarest Lloyd

Wealth Against Commonwealth (1894)

Popular Literature Magazines

McClure’s Collier’s Cosmopolitan Authors contributed

stories Books

Lincoln Steffans – The Shame of the Cities

Jacob Riis – How the Other Half Lives

Decline of Muckraking Reasons:

Some stories were hard to beat

Magazines were asked to tone down the stories

Corporations had public relation departments

Legal problems

Political Reform in Cities and States Secret ballots

(“Australian Ballot”) Direct election of

Senators – 17th Amendment (1913)

Direct primaries Robert LaFollette

(Wis.) Let the people

decide

Political Reforms Initiative

Method that voters could compel legislators to consider a bill

Referendum Allowed voters to vote on the issue

Recall Allowed voters to get rid of corrupt officials

Social Welfare Settlement house

reformers Jane Addams

Believed in social justice

Better schools Better courts Divorce laws Criminal reform

Municipal Reform Get rid of political

machines and bosses

Get control of public utilities

Voters elect city managers and commissioners

State Reform Governors

Battled with corporate interests

Fraudulent companies

Corrupt railroads Tax reform

Robert LaFollette

Occupational Reform Triangle Shirtwaist

Fire March 25th 1911 146 women perished

in flames 71 injured Blamed poor

working conditions No fire plans Fire escapes were

damaged or locked!!!

Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal

Progressivism shot into gear under Teddy

1902 Coal Strike Expanded T.R.’s

power as president

Standard Oil trust “Bad trusts” “Good trusts”

T.R.’s Square Deal Consumer protection

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Meat Inspection Act (1906)

Environmental protection Newlands Reclamation Act

(1902) U.S. Forest Service (1908)

150 million acres of land for parks

Taft’s Presidency Won election of

1908 Defeated William

Jennings Bryan Busted the most

trusts in history U.S. Steel Angered Teddy

Split Republican party Progressives Republicans

Election of 1912

Election of 1912 Woodrow Wilson – D William Howard Taft – R Theodore Roosevelt – P/BM Eugene V. Debs – S

Split in Republican Party Economic policies First time “3rd Party places

2nd in polls

Woodrow Wilson’s Progressive Program Pledged “New Freedom” Attacked the “triple wall of

privilege” Tariffs

Underwood Tariff (1913) Banking

Federal Reserve Act (1914) Trusts

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) Federal Trade Commission

(1914)

African Americans 2nd rate citizens “Separate but

equal” Progressive

presidents paid little mind to Thought there were

more pressing issues Shared in the racist

sentiment

Eugenic Studies Authorized in 1912 –

still governor of NJ Appointed doctors to

determine if “lesser beings” should procreate

Stripped freedoms away from those who didn’t understand

Mentally retarded, criminals, “idiots”, African Americans in South

Two Approaches – Washington and DuBois

DuBois Washington

The Great Migration Mass migration of

blacks from South to northern cities 1910-1930 Aided by the Urban

League (1911)

Causes Deteriorating race

conditions Crops decimated by

boll weevil Job opportunities in

cities

Civil Rights Organizations 1905 – Niagara

Movement Dubois Met at Niagara Falls,

Canada 1908 – NAACP

1920 – 100,000 members

Progressives and Women

Liberal thinkers - educated

Wanted equal rights as men

Suffragist Movement Carrie Chapman Catt

– National American Woman Suffrage Assn. (NAWSA)

Alice Paul – National Woman’s Party

19th Amendment Wilson was VERY

reluctant 1920 – guaranteed

women’s right to vote

Aided in women’s rights for Property Divorce Birth control

End of Progressivism WWI ends

Progressivism Worried about the

war Many reforms were

in place Reformers thought

their jobs were done