The Progressive Movement

1890 – 1919

Chapter 6

Learning Targets

• Students will be able to discuss the origins of Progressivism• Students will be able to explain the successes and failures of the

Progressive Movement• Students will be able to describe the administrations’ successes and

failures of the Progressive Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson

Roots of Progressivism

• The Progressive Era In the period 1890-1920, many groups sought rights and reform in

both society and government Progressives were not a single group with a single goal – there

were many groups each seeking different things Progressives tended to be middle-class, educated, and urban Progressives were against laissez-faire, believed government

should do more for people

Roots of Progressivism

• Muckrakers Journalists who exposed social and

political problems like poverty and corruption

Magazines often the venue of muckraking articles

Ida Tarbell – published series of articles exposing the Standard Oil Trust

Lincoln Steffens – exposed vote stealing and other corrupt practices of urban political machines

Roots of Progressivism

Jacob Riis – former police reporter wrote and took pictures about poverty of immigrants; wrote book How the Other Half Lives

These muckraking stories caused the American public to call for change

Roots of Progressivism

• Progressive reforms took place first in cities and in government• They believed scientific

management would be more honest and efficient• After hurricane destroyed

Galveston, TX, progressives installed the commission plan – mayor replaced by city departments all reporting to a board of commissioners or a city manager

Roots of Progressivism

• The state leading in Progressive reform was Wisconsin (“Laboratory of Democracy”)

• Governor Robert M. LaFollette pressured legislature to make political parties choose candidates based on direct primaries – where all party members could vote for a candidate

• Other states voted in initiatives – where citizens could propose legislation; referendums – where proposed legislation could be voted on by public; and recall – where voters could demand a special election to remove an elected official

Roots of Progressivism

• Direct Election of Senators US Constitution allowed state

legislatures to choose the two state senators

Public believed this caused corruption

17th Amendment – people of the state now directly elected state senators

16th Amendment – income tax authorized

Roots of Progressivism

• Women’s Suffrage Movement 1848 Seneca Falls, NY – first

women’s rights convention Suffrage – right to vote Women worked hard for abolition

of slavery – felt betrayed when 14th and 15th Amendments gave rights to blacks but not women

1890 Two major women’s groups join into National American Woman Suffrage Association

Roots of Progressivism

• Suffrage movement grew – large middle-class support• Women gained right to

vote in several states but wanted a Constitutional amendment to make it a national right• 19th Amendment – passed

in 1920, gave all women right to vote

Roots of Progressivism

• Campaign Against Child Labor

Children had always worked in America but factory work unhealthy and exploitive

Muckraker articles exposed abuses in child labor

Many states began passing compulsory education laws

By early 1900’s child labor began to decline

Roots of Progressivism

• Condition sunder which laborers worked were often unhealthy and/or dangerous• 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire –

nearly 150 workers, mostly young girls, were killed in fire• Public outrage resulted in new

safety regulations and worker’s compensation laws• Building codes and restaurant

health codes also established

Roots of Progressivism

• Prohibition Movement Progressives believed alcohol

cause of many social problems Temperance Movement – wanted

to moderate or eliminate alcohol consumption

Women’s Christian Temperance Movement – established by women to end the consumption of alcohol

18th Amendment – prohibited sale and consumption of alcohol

Roots of Progressivism

• Progressives Against Big Business Some Progressives wanted to regulate

big business Some wanted to bust up trusts and

monopolies (Sherman Anti-Trust Act) Some wanted to regulate monopolies

(Interstate Commerce Commission) Some advocated Socialism – political

idea where government owns and operates industry for benefit of all

Eugene V. Debs – Socialist leader of railway union; Socialist Party nominee for president in several elections

Roosevelt in Office

• Youngest president at 42• Ascended to presidency upon

assassination William McKinley• Theodore Roosevelt (TR) wanted

US to become world power; TR also a Progressive• TR’s reform programs known as

the Square Deal• Known as a “Trust-Buster” he was

actually more of a Trust Regulator

Roosevelt in Office

• Coal Strike of 1902 United Mine Workers (UMW), a

mining union, called a strike seeking better pay and fewer hours of work

Stoppage of coal production impacted US economy causing TR to intervene

TR wanted to arbitrate the disagreement – management refused

TR’s threat to use US Army to run mines caused mine owners to cave – strike ended

Roosevelt in Office

• TR believed corporations actually provide a public good but wanted to regulate them• Congress established Department of

Commerce and Labor and a division called Bureau of Corporations• Bureau investigated complaints

against corporations and allowed corporations to fix problems – called Gentlemen’s Agreement by TR

Roosevelt in Office

• 1906 Hepburn Act – strengthened powers of the ICC

ICC given power to set railroad rates

• Upton Sinclair – wrote book, The Jungle, exposing unsanitary meat packing industry

Caused TR to seek Meat Inspection Act

Also passed was Pure Food and Drug Act

Roosevelt in Office

• Conservation TR was avid hunter and

outdoorsman – wanted to preserve pristine American wilderness areas

Gifford Pinchot – friend of TR; appointed head of US Forest Service; added over 100 million acres to parks, created 5 new national parks, and 51 wildlife reservations

Taft Administration

• William Howard Taft hand-picked by TR to succeed him as president• Had no desire to be president –

wanted to be Chief Justice on Supreme Court• Taft honest, competent but not

energetic and aggressive like TR

Taft Administration

• Ballinger – Pinchot Controversy Taft angered many Progressives with his

stance on the tariff Taft replaced Sec of Interior Garfield

with lawyer Ballinger Ballinger opened up some wilderness

lands to development Pinchot charged him with corruption -

Taft’s investigation showed Ballinger innocent

Pinchot leaked story to press – Taft fired him for insubordination

Many now believed Taft was traitor to the Progressive cause

Taft Administration

• TR was nicknamed “Trustbuster” but Taft busted more than TR• Under Taft child labor was

investigated and regulated• Congress passed Mann-Elkins Act

which increased powers of ICC• Taft initiated anti-trust lawsuit

against US Steel – TR turned against him as TR had approved US Steel deal• TR broke with Taft publicly and

criticized/insulted him constantly

The Wilson Years

• Election of 1912 TR not happy with Taft – sought

Republican nomination for president

Taft did not want to be bullied by TR – got Republican nomination

TR became nominee for the Progressive Party aka Bull Moose Party

NJ governor, Woodrow Wilson received nomination for Democratic Party

The Wilson Years

• TR campaigned on program called New Nationalism – more powerful federal government; regulation of monopolies, and other progressive policies• Wilson campaigned on program

called New Freedom – against all monopolies and too much federal power• Wilson won election – less votes

than Taft and Roosevelt combined

The Wilson Years

• Wilson’s Administration Signed Underwood Tariff into law –

reduced tariff to about half of 1890’s tariff

Income Tax – allowed by 16th Amendment

US had not had central bank since 1830’s.

Wilson signed Federal Reserve Act establishing Federal Reserve System – central bank

Federal Reserve controlled interest rates and amount of money in circulation

The Wilson Years

• Anti-Trust Action Congress established Federal

Trade Commission (FTC) – could control competition through courts; acted against unfair trade practices

Clayton Anti-Trust Act – banned tying agreements and price discrimination

Act exempted unions

The Wilson Years

• Federal Aid and Social Welfare Wilson retreated from

Progressivism after completion of New Freedom

By end of Progressive Era, public expected government to protect workers, regulate the economy, and solve social problems

Progressives failed to help minorities – W. E. B. DuBois helped found National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

ASSIGNMENT – Rate the Presidents• Students will research the following presidents:

James Garfield Chester Arthur Grover Cleveland (first term) Benjamin Harrison Grover Cleveland (second term) William McKinley Theodore Roosevelt William Taft

ASSIGNMENT – Rate the Presidents• Students will identify specific positives and negatives about each president• Using this information, students will rate the presidents using whatever

rating system the student wishes such as stars, numbers, thumbs-up/thumbs-down, etc. The students must have specific facts to support their conclusions• The ratings can be presented in whatever format the student wishes such

as video, PowerPoint, poster, etc.• The assignment can be presented to the class if desired• Grades will be based on depth of research/supporting facts, effort, and

quality of the product