The Progressive EraThe Progressive Era1900-19201900-1920

The Progressive EraThe Progressive Era

• Greatest period of political reform in American historyGreatest period of political reform in American history

• Wanted government to be more responsive to the peopleWanted government to be more responsive to the people

• Embraced many, but not all of the goals of the PopulistsEmbraced many, but not all of the goals of the Populists

• Emphasized government Emphasized government REGULATIONREGULATION NOT NOT nationalizationnationalization

• Led by the emerging urban middle classLed by the emerging urban middle class

• Motivated by intellectuals and MuckrakersMotivated by intellectuals and Muckrakers

• First reforms began at the local and state levelFirst reforms began at the local and state level

The Progressive EraThe Progressive Era

• Local ReformsLocal Reforms• City Mayor and City Manager systemsCity Mayor and City Manager systems• Public utilitiesPublic utilities• Example: Sam Example: Sam ““Golden RuleGolden Rule”” Jones ~ Mayor of Toledo, Ohio Jones ~ Mayor of Toledo, Ohio

• State Government ReformsState Government Reforms• Business regulationsBusiness regulations• Laws to protect workers and consumersLaws to protect workers and consumers• Example: WisconsinExample: Wisconsin’’s (Robert) La Follette plans (Robert) La Follette plan• Example: California WorkerExample: California Worker’’s Compensation ~ Gov. Hiram s Compensation ~ Gov. Hiram

JohnsonJohnson

The Progressive eraThe Progressive era

• Political Reforms Political Reforms (Making government more responsive)(Making government more responsive)• Initiatives (Voter proposed legislation)Initiatives (Voter proposed legislation)• Referendum (Legislation Referendum (Legislation ““referredreferred”” to the people for a vote) to the people for a vote)• Recall (The ability to remove an elected official with a special Recall (The ability to remove an elected official with a special

vote)vote)• Primary ElectionsPrimary Elections

• Federal AmendmentsFederal Amendments• 1616thth ~ Federal Income Tax (1913) ~ Federal Income Tax (1913)• 1717thth ~ Direct Election of Senators (1913) ~ Direct Election of Senators (1913)• 1818thth ~ Prohibition of Alcohol (1919) ~ Prohibition of Alcohol (1919)• 1919thth ~ Women ~ Women’’s Suffrage (1920) s Suffrage (1920)

The progressive eraThe progressive era

• Social Reform MovementsSocial Reform Movements• Muckrakers (Jacob Riis, Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, many Muckrakers (Jacob Riis, Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, many

more . . . )more . . . )• WomenWomen’’s Christian Temperance Union & Anti-Saloon Leagues Christian Temperance Union & Anti-Saloon League• WomenWomen’’s Suffragists & Black Suffragists (Ida B. Wells)s Suffragists & Black Suffragists (Ida B. Wells)• Niagara Movement & NAACPNiagara Movement & NAACP• International Workers of the World (IWW ~ Big Bill International Workers of the World (IWW ~ Big Bill

Haywood) Haywood) • National ConsumerNational Consumer’’s League s League

• Florence Kelley led against child labor and to improve Florence Kelley led against child labor and to improve working conditions for women. Largely motivated by the working conditions for women. Largely motivated by the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and the Muller v. Oregon Muller v. Oregon rulingruling

The Progressive EraThe Progressive Era

• Influential MuckrakersInfluential Muckrakers• Henry Demarest LloydHenry Demarest Lloyd, , Wealth Against the Commonwealth Wealth Against the Commonwealth

(about Standard Oil)(about Standard Oil)

• Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair, , The Jungle The Jungle (about the meat packing industry, immigrants and (about the meat packing industry, immigrants and

tenements)tenements)

• Jacob RiisJacob Riis, (New York Times) , (New York Times) ““How the Other Half LivesHow the Other Half Lives”” (series of articles about the tenements of New York City – (series of articles about the tenements of New York City – led to their elimination)led to their elimination)

• McClureMcClure’’s Magazines Magazine• Lincoln SteffensLincoln Steffens, , ““The Shame of the CitiesThe Shame of the Cities”” • Ida TarbellIda Tarbell, , ““Mother of TrustsMother of Trusts”” (Expose (Expose’’ on Standard Oil) on Standard Oil)

• Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan • David PhillipsDavid Phillips, , ““The Treason of the SenateThe Treason of the Senate””

The Progressive eraThe Progressive era

• ““ProgressiveProgressive”” Presidents Presidents• Three main areas of reform were addressed to some extentThree main areas of reform were addressed to some extent

• Regulating businessRegulating business

• Protecting consumersProtecting consumers

• Improving working conditionsImproving working conditions

• Theodore Roosevelt (Theodore Roosevelt (““TRTR””) ) RepublicanRepublican 1901 - 1909 1901 - 1909

• William H. Taft William H. Taft RepublicanRepublican 1909 - 1913 1909 - 1913

• Woodrow Wilson Woodrow Wilson Democrat Democrat 1913 - 19211913 - 1921