Chapter 8Section 1

The Drive for Reform

• 1865 – METHODIST MINISTER WILLIAM BOOTH OPENED A STREET CORNER MISSION IN THE SLUMS OF LONDON

• THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE SALVATION ARMY • BY 1889 THE SALVATION ARMY MADE IT TO NEW YORK • SENT “SLUM SISTERS” TO TENEMENTS – THEY WERE DEDICATED TO HELPING THE POOR

•PROBLEMS LED TO PROGRESSIVISM

-PROGRESSIVES BELIEVED NEW IDEAS AND HONEST EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT COULD BRING SOCIAL CHANGE • IDEAS HAD LASTING AFFECT – STILL AFFECT SOCIETY TODAY

•INDUSTRIALIZATION, URBANIZATION AND IMMIGRATION –

BROUGHT MANY BENEFITS TO AMERICA BUT ALSO CAUSED SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Origins of Progressivism

•THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT WAS MADE UP BY PEOPLE FROM ALL POLITICAL PARTIES, SOCIAL CLASSES, ETHNIC GROUPS AND RELIGIONS

•PROGRESSIVE LEADERS EMERGED FROM THE GROWING MIDDLE CLASS – THE RICH JOINED BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO HELP SOCIETY

Progressive Beliefs

•INDUSTRIALIZATION AND URBANIZATION HAD CREATED SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PROBLEMS

•WANTED STATE LEGISLATURES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PASS LAWS TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF THE POOR - –ANY MOTIVATED BY RELIGION WANTED SOCIAL JUSTICE

PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT WAS SIMILAR TO THE POPULIST MOVEMENT:

1. BOTH WANTED REFORM MOVEMENT T O GET RID OF CORRUPT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

2. BOTH WANTED THE GOVERNMENT TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO PEOPLE’S

NEEDS

3. BOTH SOUGHT TO ELIMINATE THE ABUSED OF BIG BUSINESS

Progressive Beliefs cont.

PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT WAS ALSO DIFFERENT FROM THE POPULIST MOVEMENT:

PROGRESSIVES WERE MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED EDUCATED LEADERS SHOULD USE MODERN IDEAS AND SCIENTIFIC TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE SOCIETY

MOST LEADERS OF THE POPULIST MOVEMENT WERE FARMERS AND WORKERS

Targeted Problems

•FOR PROGRESSIVE WOMEN THE MAIN GOAL WAS TO WIN THE RIGHT TO VOTE

•OTHERS BELIEVED HONEST GOVERNMENT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL

REFORMERS TARGETED CITY OFFICIALS WHO BUILT CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS CALLED: POLITICAL MACHINES -BOSSES USED BRIBERY AND VIOLENCE TO INFLUENCE VOTERS AND WIN ELECTIONS – ALSO HELPED SOLVE PERSONAL PROBLEMS WHICH KEPT THE PEOPLE LOYAL

CORRUPT AND INEFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT COMBINED WITH THE BOOMING GROWTH OF CITIES PRODUCED PROBLEMS

PEOPLE NEEDED: 1. PAVED STREETS 2. SAFE DRINKING WATER 3. DECENT HOUSING 4. ADEQUATE MUNICIPAL SERVICES

LACK OF SERVICES LED TO TERRIBLE LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE URBAN POOR

•MIDDLE CLASS PROGRESSIVES WANTED THE GOVERNMENT TO BUST TRUSTS AND CREATE MORE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

•RELIGIOUS PROGRESSIVES WANTED TO REDUCE THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR

PROGRESSIVES WANTED TO:1. DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE HARSH CONDITIONS FOR PEOPLE WORKING IN

MINES AND FACTORIES

2. HELP THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE CITY SLUMS BY GETTING THEM BETTER

LIVING CONDITIONS

3. HAVE SOCIAL WELFARE LAWS TO HELP CHILDREN 4. HAVE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS TO AID WORKERS AND CONSUMERS

MUCKRAKERSMUCKRAKERS WERE SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS JOURNALISTS AND WRITERS WHO DRAMATIZED THE NEED FOR REFORM

WROTE REPORTS THAT SENSATIONALIZED THE ILLS OF SOCIETY IN THE EARLY 1900S

TEDDY ROOSEVELT CAME UP WITH THE NAME

LINCOLN STEFFENS – EDITOR OF MCCLURE’S MAGAZINE

MCCLURE’S MAGAZINE WAS KNOWN FOR UNCOVERING SOCIAL PROBLEMS:

– PUBLISHED THE SHAME OF CITIES – INCLUDED ARTICLES ABOUT POLITICAL CORRUPTION AND HOW IT AFFECTED ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IN A CITY

PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THE NEW YORK EVENING SUN – PHOTOGRAPHED THE CROWDED, RAT-INFESTED TENEMENT BUILDINGS

– PUBLISHED HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES

WROTE THE HISTORY OF THE STANDARD OIL COMPANY ABOUT HOW JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER USED RUTHLESS METHODS TO RUIN HIS COMPETITORS, CHARGE HIGH PRICES AND MAKE HUGE PROFITS

IDA TARBELL

NOVELSNOVELISTS DEVELOPED NATURALIST NOVEL THAT PORTRAYED HUMAN MISERY AND STRUGGLES OF COMMON PEOPLE

Theodore Dreiser wrote

Sister Carrie

•TRACED THE FATE OF A SMALL TOWN GIRL DRAWN INTO THE BRUTAL URBAN WORLDS OR CHICAGO AND NEW YORK

FRANK NORRIS – WROTE THE OCTOPUS ABOUT THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD’S STRANGLEHOLD ON STRUGGLING CALIFORNIA FARMERS

UPTON SINCLAIR -WROTE THE JUNGLE ABOUT IMMIGRANTS WORKING IN CHICAGO’S STOCKYARDS AND THE UNSANITARY CONDITIONS IN THE INDUSTRY (PAGE 220)

FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS – WROTE IOLA LEROY ABOUT THE STRUGGLES OF BLACK AMERICANS

REFORMING SOCIETY

MUCKRAKERS INCREASED SUPPORT FOR PROGRESSIVISM – ACTIVISTS SUPPORTED LAWS TO IMPROVE LIVING CONDITIONS, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SCHOOLS

WALTER RAUSCHENBUSCHTHOUGHT CHRISTIANITY SHOULD BE THE BASIS FOR SOCIAL REFORM – BLENDED IDEAS FROM GERMAN SOCIALISM AND AMERICAN PROGRESSIVISM IN A PLAN TO BUILD A BETTER SOCIETY

HE WROTE CHRISTIANITY AND THE SOCIAL CRISIS IN WHICH HE OUTLINED THE SOCIAL GOSPEL – BY FOLLOWING THE BIBLE’S TEACHINGS ABOUT CHARITY AND JUSTICE PEOPLE COULD MAKE SOCIETY “THE KINGDOM OF GOD”

SETTLEMENT HOUSES

SETTLEMENT HOUSES – WERE COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT PROVIDED SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE URBAN POOR

SETTLEMENT HOUSES:1. GAVE MOTHERS CLASSES IN CHILDCARE2. TAUGHT ENGLISH TO IMMIGRANTS3. RAN NURSERY SCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS4. PROVIDED THEATER, ART AND DANCE PROGRAMFOR ADULTS

JANE ADDAMS – BECAME A LEADING FIGURE IN THE SETTLEMENT HOUSE MOVEMENT – OPENED THE HULL HOUSE IN CHICAGO IN 1889

CHILDREN AND EDUCATION

FLORENCE KELLEY – LAWYER WHO HELPED CONVINCE THE STATE OF ILLINOIS TO BAN CHILD LABOR – HELPED FORM THE NATIONAL CHILD LABOR COMMITTEE WHICH SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CREATE THE U.S. CHILDREN’S BUREAU – EXAMINED ANY ISSUE THAT AFFECTED THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN

•1916 – CONGRESS PASSED THE KEATING-OWENS ACT WHICH BANNED CHILD LABOR – SUPREME COURT RULED THIS UNCONSTITUTIONAL – CONGRESS DID NOT END CHILD LABOR UNTIL 1938

•STATES PASSED LAWS THAT REQUIRED CHILDREN TO ATTEND SCHOOL UNTIL A CERTAIN AGE

• DEBATED ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT SOME WANTED THE TEACHING OF WORK SKILLS OTHERS WANTED TO TEACH LITERATURE AND MUSIC ALSO MOST AGREED THAT GIRLS SHOULD LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS FROM BOYS

INDUSTRIAL WORKERS

•EARLY 1900S THE U.S. HAD THE HIGHEST RATE OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS IN THE WORLD

•LONG HOURS, POOR VENTILATION, HAZARDOUS FUMES AND UNSAFE MACHINERY THREATENED THE HEALTH AND LIVES OF THE WORKERS

TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FIRE

• FACTORY IN NEW YORK CITY – KILLED 146 WORKERS – MOSTLY YOUNG JEWISH WOMEN – MANY JUMPED FROM WINDOWS TO THEIR DEATHS •FIRE CAUSED NEW YORK TO PASS LAWS TO MAKE WORKPLACES SAFER

PROGRESSIVE ELECTION REFORM

•DIRECT PRIMARY – AN ELECTION IN WHICH CITIZENS VOTE TO SELECT NOMINEES FOR UPCOMING ELECTIONS

•INITIATIVE – GAVE PEOPLE THE POWER TO PUT A PROPOSED NEW LAW DIRECTLY ON THE BALLOT IN THE NEXT ELECTION BY COLLECTING CITIZENS’ SIGNATURES ON A PETITION

•REFERENDUM – ALLOWED CITIZENS TO APPROVE OR REJECT LAWS PASSED BY A LEGISLATURE

•RECALL – GAVE VOTERS THE POWER TO REMOVE PUBLIC SERVANTS FROM OFFICE BEFORE THEIR TERMS END

•SEVENTEENTH AMENDMENT – DIRECT ELECTION OF SENATORS BY THE VOTERS – BEFORE THEY WERE VOTED ON IN THE STATE LEGISLATURES