Road to Progressivism

• Railroads• Westward Expansion• Industry• Unions• Immigration• Urbanization• Imperial Power: Spanish American War

The Progressives

An Era of Political, Economic, and Social Reform

Opening Discussion Prompts

• What should be the role of government?– What obligation does the government have to its

citizens?– Should the government be an agency of human

welfare? Provide a basic safety net? Is this possible in an era of special interest?

Progressives

• Progressive Era: Period of social, economic, and political reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s.

• Why?• Reaction to Laissez-faire…why?

• Regulate Corrupt Big Business Practices• Address social ills and conditions of the working class• Child Labor• Unbridled power of big business• Government needed to bring about change, but need to root

out political corruption/political machines• Expand Democracy

Social Reform

Muckrakers

• Progressive Journalists who investigate and expose evils of society & political corruption– Focus on unfair practices of large corporations,

corrupt politics, vote stealing, and social ills– Jacob Riis– Upton Sinclair– Ida Tarbell– Lincoln Steffens

Urbanization• In 60 yrs.—number of

cities increase by 12 times– By 1920, more live in

urban areas than rural– Why?

• Ethnic Enclaves• Rising Skyscrapers• What Issues Emerge?

Jacob Riis & “Muckraking”

• Jacob Riis: How the Other Half Lives (1890)– Documented the lives of the working class in NYC Slums

• Dark/cramped apartments, many living on the streets, entire families working

• Poverty, crime, disease• Pollution: manure in streets, soot/ash everywhere from

coal/wood fires, poor sewage systems• Exposes sweatshops• Brutal child labor practices

• What was his purpose in writing? Target audience?

Jacob Riis’ Impact• One of the earliest works of “Muckraking”

– Journalism focused on exposing social ills, the abuses of business, and corruption in politics

– Riis: expose upper & mid-class society to the horrid conditions of the working poor

• Triggered a public reaction

• Led to…– NY Gov. Theodore Roosevelt (1900) pushes through public

housing reforms…closes old tenements– Tears down some of worst tenements, sweatshops, reforming

schools– Improvements in NY, Lower East Side…sewers, garbage

collection, and indoor plumbing

Housing…Not the Only Area That Needed Reform

Muckrakers: Food & Drugs• Upton Sinclair: The Jungle (1906)

– Exposes horrid working conditions, bad practices, poor sanitation, and corruption of the American meatpacking industry

– Meat Inspection Act• Required federal inspections of meat sold through

interstate commerce

• Samuel Hopkins Adams, Fraud in “Medicine”– Pure Food and Drug Act

• Prohibits the manufacturing and sale of impure or falsely labeled food/drugs

• Creates FDA

• Today, how many regulations are there on a typical, fast food hamburger?

Video Clip 1: (1:07-1:14)Why were social reforms needed?

• Based on the video clip, what social/workplace reforms were needed?

Why were social reforms needed?

Process to Bring about Reform

• Event• What does society do with an event once it

happens?– Does it galvanize a social response– Social Response leads to a political response– Political response=goal of the Progressives

Video Clip 2: Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1:19-1:35)

• How does the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire fit the steps involved in bringing about reform, discussed on the previous slide?

• What does the factory worker quoted in the movie mean when he says, “these dead bodies are the answer.” Why would he say this?

Rose Schneidermann Excerpt

Impact of Triangle Shirtwaist Fire• Tammany Hall leads calls for reform…why?• The Factory Commission of 1911 (Al Smith)

– Frances Perkins: Critical Role fighting for legislation

• Flood of legislation– Factories must have adequate lighting, restrooms,

ventilation, sprinkler systems– Dangerous machinery was regulated– 54 hour work weeks

Reforming Society: Health & Safety Codes

• Health and Safety Codes– Workman’s Compensation/

Disability Insurance– Building Codes: standards

set for lighting, air, size, sanitation; require fire escapes

– Health Codes in restaurants, public facilities

Fight against Child Labor

Reforming Society: Child Labor• The National Child Labor Committee (1904)

– Org. dedicated to the abolition of all child labor was formed in 1904. – Media to expose child labor conditions– State Level Reforms

• Min. Ages• Compulsory Educ. Laws…Why?

• Keating-Owen Act (1916)– 1st Federal Child Labor Law

• Ruled Unconstitutional…why?

• Fair Labor Standards Act (1938)– 18 to work dangerous job– 16 + to work during school hours– Minimum Wage; 40 hr. work week; Overtime pay– Part of FDR’s New Deal during Depression…why?

Temperance Movement

• Temperance Movement:– 19th/Early 20th Century social

movement urging reduced or prohibited use of alcoholic beverages.

– Why? What social ills did they say were caused by alcohol?

• Reform Made:– 18th Amendment …banned

the manufacturing, sale, & transportation of alcohol in the U.S.

Political Reforms: Day 2

The Need for Political Reform: Political Machines

• By 19th cent. Local/state govt. ctrl. By pol. machines– Informal political groups whose goal

was to gain and keep power– Often supported by big business

• Provide necessities in exchange for votes– Often target immig. populations

• Graft/Fraud– Control primary process– Accept bribes for contracts– Spoils System/patronage

Tammany Hall: NY Political Machine• Tammany Hall: NY Political

Machine– Controlled all city services– Offer food, jobs in exchange

for votes– Rig elections/fraud– Had “allegiance” of local

business leaders– William “Boss” Tweed most

famous Tammany boss

Lincoln Steffens & Thomas Nast v. Political Machines

• Thomas Nast: Political Cartoonist• Lincoln Steffens: The Shame of the

Cities (Muckraker)– Exposed the corruption of political

machines in major cities & influence of big business in politics

The Bosses of the Senate

How do we make government responsive to the people?

• Robert M. La Follette- “make elected officials more accountable to the voters”– Wisconsin Governor– Remove influence of party bosses/pol. machines

• Direct Primaries• A primary election is an election that narrows the

field of candidates prior to the general election.• Voters select one candidate to represent their party in the

general election• Goal: Take the power of candidate nomination from

party leaders/machines & give it to the people.

• Idaho Gubernatorial Republican Primary Debate

Political Reforms• Increased voice for voters

– Initiative– A petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters which

can force a public vote on a proposed law, amendment, etc.– Gives citizens power to craft legislation

– Referendum – A direct vote in which voters are asked to either accept or reject a particular

proposal or law (direct democracy)

– Recall Election

• 17th Amendment: – Direct election of Senators by the people instead of by state

legislatures– Limit control of political machines and big business…How?

Fight for Women’s Rights• Seneca Falls Convention (1848)

– 1st women’s rights convention in Western World

• 2nd Class Citizenship– Denied right to vote– Prohibited from inheriting property,

signing contracts, serving on juries– Paid ½ as much as men for same job– Restricted in the home and in getting

access to education

• NAWSA—organize protests, civil disobedience, hunger strikes

• 19th Amendment: August 26, 1920• Women’s Suffrage: Right to Vote

Socratic Seminar Guidelines• Refer to your research when needed during the discussion. This is not a test of

memory. You are not "learning a subject;” your goal is to understand the ideas, issues, and values reflected in your research.

• Stick to the point currently under discussion; make notes about ideas you want to return to.

• Please raise hands; take turns speaking…• When you throw in a talking chip you must contribute to the discussion, not

just say “I agree or disagree.” throw the chip in after you speak.• Listen carefully.• Speak up so that all can hear you.• Talk to each other, not the teacher.• Discuss ideas rather than each other's opinions.

A Century Later…Same Problems?• Campaign Finance: Citizens United v. FEC• Socratic Seminar Prompts:

– Is the Citizens United’ court decision a threat to American democracy, the election process, and our political institutions?

• What should be considered speech? Is money a form of speech?• Should corporations be given the same 1st Amendment rights as

people?• Should corporations and unions be able to spend without limits on our

elections?• Does unlimited spending uphold free speech?• Is the Citizens United’ court decision a threat to American democracy,

the election process, and our political institutions?• What will the effect be on elections/democracy?

Opener• Jon Stewart Interviews Grover Norquist,

President of Americans for Tax Reform, a taxpayer advocacy/interest group

Daily Show: Grover Norquist

Those Who Have Taken the Pledge

•238 Representatives•41 Senators •Only 1 Democrat

60 Minutes: Grover Norquist

Outside Spending 1990-2012

o http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/3pwzi5/colbert-super-pac---not-coordinating-with-stephen-colbert

Outside Spending w/o Transparency

Economic Reform

Theodore Roosevelt Becomes President (1901-1909)

• President William McKinley Assassinated: 1901– Theodore Roosevelt becomes President

• Roosevelt: Former Governor of New York– Infl. By Jacob Riis– As Gov. pushed through major housing reforms in NY

• Roosevelt as President– Will push forward a more Progressive Agenda

Theodore Roosevelt’s Legacy

• Increased the power of the executive and federal government– Increased the role of government in dealing with

economic and social issues• i.e. Signed into law: Meat Inspection Act; Pure Food &

Drug Act

Roosevelt & Conservation

• US Forest Service Created—power to regulate lumbering on federal lands

• Adds 100 million acres to national parks; creates 5 national parks; 51 Wildlife Preserves– Why?

Muckrakers: Exposing Economic Corruption

• Ida Tarbell: The History of the Standard Oil Company (1904)– Investigative piece on the

unscrupulous business practices of John D. Rockefeller (strong arm competitors & railroads)

• Damning portrayal of big business/trusts

– Said to have “reinvented investigative journalism”

Roosevelt v. Trusts• Trusts: Monopolies that developed in the 19th Century in an attempt to minimize

competition– Robber Barons– Manipulate Rates/prices; minimizes choice & limits innovation– Control the press; bribe politicians– Block Unions

• Up until 1902 minimal action was taken by federal government to break up trusts– Many congressman controlled by big business special interests and political machines which helped

them get elected to office.– Senators were chosen by state legislatures…which were controlled by political machines…which were

supported by big business

• Elkins Act (1903)– Govt. power to block RR rebates and punish those who accepted

• Hepburn Act of 1906– the power to set maximum railroad rates and extend its jurisdiction. – This led to the discontinuation of free passes to loyal shippers.

Roosevelt Applies Sherman Anti-Trust Act v. Trusts

• Sherman Anti-trust Act (1890)– the first measure passed by the U.S. Congress to

prohibit trusts (monopolies)– Any combination “in the form of trust or

otherwise that was in restraint of trade or commerce among the several states, or with foreign nations” was declared illegal

• Goal: Restore competition.

– authorized the Federal Government to institute proceedings against trusts in order to dissolve them.

– Roosevelt brings suit against Standard Oil, American Tobacco Company, Northern Sec.

“Roosevelt’s Successor”…William Howard Taft (1909-1913)

• Anti-Trust Efforts– Taft Admin. initiated 80 anti-trust

suits– ICC: sets Railroad Rates

• Not an ardent progressive, but…during his term:– Fed. Income Tax (16th Amend):

Progressive Tax– Direct Election of Senators (17th

Amendment)

• Established the Children’s Bureau– Investigate child labor issues

Roosevelt’s handpicked “successor”; will later run against Taft in 1912

Election of 1912• Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) vs. Roosevelt (Progressive) vs. Taft

(Republican) vs. Eugene V. Debs (Socialist)

– New Nationalism v. New Freedom• New Nationalism: (TR)

– Active role for govt. in econ. And social affairs; Increase govt. regulation (don’t nec. Break up monopolies); Women suffrage; Min. Wage; Social Security

• New Freedom (Wilson)– Break up trusts; decrease tariffs; reform banking system; less

regulation of markets once trusts broken

Wilson & Regulation• Underwood Tariff

– Cut Tariff Rates drastically; implementation of 16th Amend. To make up for lost tariff $

• Federal Reserve Act:– Created national protection of the banking industry

• Federal Reserve overseas 12 regional banks

– Gave Fed. Reserve power to control interest rates and the amount of money in circulation and the power to buy and sell government bonds

• Federal Trade Commission created: – Investigate businesses; prevent unfair business practices; prevents false advertisements

• Clayton Anti-Trust Act:– Can’t prohibit retailers from selling competitors products; bans price discrimination if it limits

competition– Illegal for a company to own stock in another if it reduces competition– Recognized legal rights of unions/farm organizations to exist

• Keating-Owen Child Labor Act– Prohibited employment of children under the age of 14 in factories

• Declared Unconstitutional

Progressive Summary• Increased the role of the Federal Government in

Social/Economic Issues• Increased power of the Presidency• Revolutionized politics, economics, and society• Countless impacts on US society today

– 16th, 17th, 19th Amendments– Primaries, Initiatives, Referendums, Recall Elections– Consumer Protection: Creation of FDA– Improved working/living conditions; Child Labor Laws– Anti-Monopoly legislation: Clayton Anti-Trust Act, FTC– Regulating Banking: Federal Reserve

• What areas did the Progressive Movement fail to address?

Progressive Movement & Imperialism

• Does the U.S. have a duty to promote democracy around the world? Is this justified?

• Is it possible for a nation to do something without its own self-interests in mind?

Exit Slip• Identify one social, one economic, and one political

reform from the Progressive Era and explain how they continue to impact us today.