Progressives Drive Reform

Industrialization, urbanization, and immigration brought benefits and social problems to America.
Progressivism arose in the 1890s to tackle these problems.

Journalists who dramatized the need for reform were called muckrakers.
Lincoln Steffens: A magazine editor who published stories about political corruption.
Jacob Riis: A photographer whose pictures revealed life in urban slums.
Frank Norris: Author of The Octopus, which showed how the Southern Pacific Railroad controlled California farmers.
Upton Sinclair: Author of The Jungle, which revealed unsafe and unsanitary conditions of Chicago meatpacking plants.
The work of muckrakers increased support for progressivism and helped bring about reforms.

Laws were passed to end child labor and break up monopolies and trusts.
After a garment factory fire that killed nearly 150 workers, laws were passed to protect worker safety.

Many reformers thought Christianity should be the basis of social reform.
Followers of the Social Gospel believed society would improve if people followed the Bible’s teachings about charity and justice.
Settlement houses offered services for the poor, such as child care and English classes.
Hull House in Chicago was a famous settlement house founded by Jane Addams.
Addams' work inspired others to become social workers and help solve the problems of the urban poor.

Progressives pushed for new laws to reform politics and remove corrupt governments.
Robert La Follette: Wisconsin Governor who created tools to limit the power of political bosses and business interests.
Direct Primary: Allowed citizens, not political bosses, to select nominees for upcoming elections.
Initiative: Gave people the power to put a proposed new law directly on the ballot.
Referendum: Allowed citizens to approve or reject laws passed by a legislature.
Recall: Gave voters the power to remove elected officials from office before their terms ended.
These reforms continue to affect society today.