Transcript What was the Progressive Movement?

What was the
Progressive Movement?
WHEN?
Time between 1890 / 1900 and 1920
WHAT?
A grassroots movement for economic,
political and social reform. Reformers
worked at the local, state and national
levels.
What was the
Progressive Movement?
WHY?
Problems caused by rapid industrialization:
*Monopolies
*Government corruption
*Wretched living and working conditions
of poor and immigrants
What was the
Progressive Movement?
WHO?
Diverse group of middle class, educated, urban
professionals committed to social justice and
driven by religious faith and/or moral outrage
Famous: Jane Addams and Robert La Follette
Muckrakers: journalists who exposed society’s ills:
Sinclair, Riis, Steffens, Tarbell
What was the
Progressive Movement?
How?
Change from within the system
Highly optimistic activists going to work
Belief...
(1)that local, state, and national government
would help achieve their goals
(2) in scientific management and government
bureaucracy to solve problems
What was the
Progressive Movement?
How?
They relied on government action
to solve social problems.
In this sense, they were
“Pioneers of the Welfare State”
What was the
Progressive Movement?
How?
The Welfare State
A social system whereby
the government assumes primary responsibility
for the welfare of its citizens,
in matters of health care, education,
employment, and social security.
the
Progressive Movement
Three (related) Reform Movements
1890s: Populists—farmers demanding reform
1900-1920: Progressives—
urbanites demanding reform
1930s: The New Deal—built on, extended reforms,
creating the Welfare State
Social Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Woman’s activism:
Florence Kelley founded the Consumers League
that boycotted products from companies with
horrible working conditions—especially those who
took advantage of children and immigrant women
Social Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Woman’s activism:
The Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)
Largest women’s organization in the nation
Led by Frances Willard
Goal: Prohibition—ban sale of liquor
Believed alcoholism to be leading cause of
suffering and poverty among women and children.
Social Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Woman’s activism:
Muckraker Ida B. Wells investigated lynchings
of Negroes in the South
Worked for women’s suffrage
Founding member of the NAACP
Social Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Woman’s activism:
The Cult of Domesticity
was being stretched to the breaking point
Women would no longer be
“only a bird in a gilded cage”
Social Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Living conditions:
Muckraker Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives
Progressive Victories:
Settlement houses like Hull House
City housing regulations with laws to clean up the
slum/absentee landlords
Social Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Working conditions:
Muckraker Lewis Hine’s
photographic documentary aimed at child labor
Progressive Victories:
State level: legislation protecting children vs. labor
Federal level: Children’s Bureau
Short-lived Keating-Owen Act
Social Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Working conditions:
Muckraker Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle:
horrific conditions in the meat-packing industry
Aimed at America’s heart but hit its stomach
Progressive Victories:
Meat Inspection Act
Pure Food and Drug Act
Social Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Still no Social Safety Net:
No minimum wage
No mandated 8-hour day
No Workman’s Compensation for injuries
No unemployment insurance
No Social Security for old age
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Muckraker Lincoln Steffens
The Shame of the Cities: corrupt government
Progressive Victories—city level:
(Expert) City manager directing departments
City commission as in rebuilt Galveston, TX
Secret ballot so bosses couldn’t control votes
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories—city level:
Remembering his working days
before becoming a millionaire,
Republican Mayor Samuel “Golden Rule” Jones
of Toledo, OH initiated...
Free kindergartens, night schools,
public playgrounds
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories—city level:
Mayor Tom L. Johnson of Cleveland, OH
devoted himself to tax reform and
$.03 trolley fares for the working people;
fought—but failed—to win public ownership of city
public utilities from corrupt local businesses
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories—city level:
By 1915, 67% of all cities owned their
city/town water systems and many also came to
own their gas lines, electric power plants,
and urban transportation systems to wrest
control from political bosses and monopolies
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories—state level:
NY’s Charles Evans Hughes battled
fraudulent insurance companies
CA’s Hiram Johnson successfully fought against
the stranglehold of the railroads
Robert LaFollette: the Wisconsin Idea—direct
primary, tax reform, control of RR rates
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories—FEDERAL level:
Reformer President, Theodore Roosevelt
Implemented his Square Deal for Labor and put it
to use in the Coal Strike of 1902.
Respect and a “fair shake”—10% raise + 9H days—
were given to coal miners and union leaders
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories:
Less power to state legislatures controlled by party
bosses and business monopolies
More power to the voters—
more DIRECT democracy
THUS...
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories:
THUS...
Direct election of U.S. Senators: Amendment 17
The Direct Primary: voters nominate candidates
Initiative: voters could pass state laws
Referendum: voters could overrule legislature
Recall: voters could remove elected official
Political Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories—FEDERAL level:
Constitutional Amendments
16th The income tax—also, tariff reform (1913)
17th Direct election of senators (1913)
18th Prohibition (1919, after WWI)
19th Women’s Suffrage (1920, after WWI)
Economic Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Death of laissez-faire capitalism
Birth of government regulation
of big business
Muckraker Ida Tarbell’s
The History of Standard Oil
helped the case against this monopoly
Economic Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Theodore Roosevelt dusted off the
Sherman Anti-trust Act of 1890
to prosecute J. P. Morgan’s RR trust
Supreme Court decision
Northern Securities Company v United States
ruled that trusts were unconstitutional.
Economic Reform of the
Progressive Movement
TR continued to prosecute “bad” trusts,
45 altogether.
Wm H. Taft doubled that number.
Wilson continued the established policy.
Economic Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Conservation of natural resources
Gifford Pinchot: Appointed Chief Forester
John Muir: Camped out West—millions of acres set
aside as federal reserve; establishment of national
parks for enjoyment of all Americans
Newlands Act for irrigating the West
Economic Reform of the
Progressive Movement
Progressive Victories—Federal laws:
Railroads: Elkins and Hepburn
Tariff: Underwood-Simmons Bill/16th Amendment
Banking: Federal Reserve
Trusts: Federal Trade Commission
Business regulation and Labor’s “Magna Carta”:
Clayton Anti-Trust Act
QUIZ
• What were TR’s “3 C’s”?
• Name the elements of Wilson’s “Triple Wall of
Privilege” in his New Freedom proposal
• Extra Credit: Name a law for each of Wilson’s
Triple Wall of Privilege
• What were TR’s “3 C’s”?
Control of corporations; Conservation of natural
resources; Consumer protection
• Name the elements of Wilson’s “Triple Wall of
Privilege” in his New Freedom proposal
Tariff; Banking; Trusts
• Extra Credit: Name a law for each of Wilson’s
Triple Wall of Privilege
Tariff: Underwood Tariff lowered it to 10%
Banking: Federal Reserve Act
Trusts: Federal Trade Commission; Clayton Act
FRQs
1. How successful were progressive reforms during
the period 1890 to 1915 with respect to TWO of
the following?
Industrial conditions
Urban life
Politics
2. Compare the work of the Progressives at the
local and state levels.
1. How successful were progressive (any TWO) ...?
Industrial conditions
Urban life
Politics
2. Compare work of the Progressives at...
Local level
State level
QUIZ
Local
Political
Economic
Social
State
National/Federal