ProgressivismIn America

Political, Social, & Economic Reform

at the Turn of the Century

What is Progressivism?

The Progressive Movements – aimed to return control of the government to the people, restore economic opportunities, and correct injustices in American life.

Why the need for Reform? Urbanization – growth of the cities

Poor sanitation, substandard tenements, shortage of firemen & police

Worker’s Problems – no protection Workplace safety, long hours, low pay, child labor,

working conditions Immigration – overpopulation &

overcrowding Shared housing, competition for jobs, language &

cultural barriers, conflict between groups, discrimination

Social Problems – Poor city government, political corruption,

dangerous & abusive working conditions, trusts Poor pay, gambling, robbery, gangs, sinful ways Child Labor

From Populism to Progressivism

Populist Party – the party proposed reforms such as graduated income tax (taxes based on how much income you make), government reforms, and labor reform. Although not completely successful the populist party became the platform of the Democratic Party and influenced the idea that the government is responsible for social injustice.

Goals of Progressivism

1. Social Reform 2. Political Reform 3. Economic Reform

But first! What are Muckrakers??

Muckrakers: investigative journalists that exposed the corruption of business, public life and government.

Given the name Muckrakers for being so busy

“raking the muck of the world that he does not raise his eyes to heaven”

President Theodore Roosevelt first called the journalist this name and it stuck.

Social Reforms

A. Living Conditions Muckrakers

In 1890, Jacob Riis wrote How the Other Half Lives, describing the horrible living conditions of immigrants who lived in the tenements and slums.

Progressive Victories Progressives set up Settlement Houses – to

help families with sanitation and other ills. Progressives passed housing regulations – so

the city government could regulate practices of landlords.

Lower East Side Taylor Shop. Photography by (Jacob A. Riis Copyright Bettmamn/CORBIS)

Children Saluting the Flag Ca. 1890 (Jacob A. Riis Copyright Bettmamn/CORBIS)

A typical Tenement ca. 1890 (Jacob A. Riis, Museum of the City of New York)

Social Reform B. Working Conditions

Workers faced 3 evils: Long hours, low wages, and dangerous conditions.

Muckraker Upton Sinclair, Author of The Jungle – exposes

the Meat Industry.

From 1908 – 1912 Lewis Hines publishes photographs of children at work in the mines, mills and factories. This ignites social protest over child labor.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Miners: View of the Ewen Breaker of the Pennsylvania Coal Co. The dust was so dense at times as to obscure the view. This dust penetrated the utmost recesses of the boys' lungs. A kind of slave-driver sometimes stands over the boys, prodding or kicking them into obedience. South Pittston, Pennsylvania.

Source: The History Place (http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/hine-dust.htm)

Social Reform Progressive Victories:

Child Labor Laws Meat Inspection Act Pure Food & Drug Act

Political Reform A. The progressive movement battled corruption in

politics. Words to know…

Political Machine: An organized group that controlled the activities of a political party in a city and offered services to voters and businesses in exchange for political or financial support.

City Boss: A political boss that controlled thousands of municipal jobs.

Kickback: Contractors would charge the city more for a construction contract and give the extra money “Kickback” to the city boss (Political Machine).

Graft: a form of political corruption, is the unscrupulous use of a politician's authority for personal gain

Spoils System: the practice of a successful political party giving public office to its supporters.

Political Reform B. Reading: With a partner - Read Boss

Tweed & The Political Machine Answer the following questions:

Who is Boss Tweed? What is Tammany Hall? Describe the scandal surrounding the New York

City Courthouse. Who is Thomas Nast? Who is Lincoln Steffens? What benefits did the Political Machine

Provide?

How political cartoons took down Boss Tweed

Political Reform

Progressive Victories: National Level – Constitutional Amendments

16th Amendment: Income Tax 17th Amendment: Direct election of U.S. Senators 18th Amendment: Prohibition 19th Amendment: Women’s Suffrage

State Level – decreased power of state legislatures (originated in the state of Oregon)

The recall – voters could remove an elected official The Initiative –voters could pass state laws. The bill is

initiated by voters instead of legislature. The referendum – Voters could vote on the initiative. This

means voters could over-rule laws passed by the state legislature.

Analyzing Political Cartoons

In groups of 3.

Use the handout provided to analyze one of Thomas Nast’s political cartoons.

Economic Reform The big change: Theodore Roosevelt ends laissez-

faire capitalism. He begins government regulation of big business.

Muckraker In 1903 Ida Tarbell wrote an exposé, The history

of Standard Oil – described John d. Rockefeller used ruthless business practices to destroy competitors and create a monopoly.

The Trust-Buster Trusts (Monopolies) become illegal – Sherman Anti-Trust

Act.

A Modern Progressive President

Teddy Roosevelt 1901-1909 Assertive, loud New York Governor – moved

into VP position by Political Machine to get him out of NY

Became president when McKinley assassinated Managed Natural Resources

National Park Systems & Reserves Supervised Big Business

Passed Sherman Anti-Trust Act Battled Monopolies Arbitration of Strikes

Protected Consumers Meat Inspection & Pure Food & Drug Acts

More TALK than ACTION Still really supported big business

Progressive President #2

William Taft 1909-1913 Attacked trusts

Standard Oil & American Tobacco

Expanded National Forests Supported Workplace

Safety Laws Established Children’s

Bureau Did more than Roosevelt,

but less appreciated

Progressive President #3 Woodrow Wilson

1913-1921 Ran against Teddy

Roosevelt w/ Bull Moose Party

Supported by Party Bosses, but attacked political corruption after elected

“New Freedom” reduced tariffs, reformed banks, regulated trusts, protected workers

Limits to Progressivism

Three Groups did not see progressive change or reform due to discrimination

African Americans Jim Crow Laws in South Discrimination & Racism in North Plessy v. Ferguson Ruling

Separate but equal; was NOT equal Booker T. Washington

Favored accommodation – work for acceptance from whites

Education important – opened Tuskegee Institute WEB DuBois

Demand equality and rights through legal means Established NAACP (National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People) with Ida B. Wells & others

Pres. Roosevelt did NOT support African Americans Claimed they were inferior to whites

Immigrants Ideal image was of Melting Pot –

great cooperative blend of races, religions, cultures, ethnicities into one society

Conflicts between cultures arose instead Nativism – Protestant idea that those

born in America were better than foreign born and should be favored in society

Eugenics – movement to improve society by controlling the breeding of those seen as unfit

Quotas established to limit newcomers

Workers & Radicals Labor Unions continued to lead

strikes for improved conditions AFL (American Federation of Labor) grew

to be largest union Used strikes to gain attention to

problems Often became violent

Radicals challenged Capitalism Socialist ideas introduced International Workers of the World led

movements against progressives and favored complete change to government

Wrap-up Question

Who do you think was most significant in bringing change to America during

the Progressive era? Why?

Creating a Political Cartoon

Political Cartoons use images instead of words to make an impact on Society. Choose a political, Social or economic issue from the 1800s to address through a political cartoon. Consider the elements of a Political Cartoon as you create yours. (Analyzing Political Cartoon Handout)

Topics could include: • Immigration • Tenements Housing • Women’s Suffrage • Monopolies • The Political Machine