The Progressive Era in AP U.S. History

The Progressive Era is an important period in U.S. history characterized by widespread social activism and political reform.
The focus of this study is on comparing the goals and effects of the Progressive reform movement.

Diverse Coalition: Progressives encompassed a wide range of individuals with differing views and agendas. They included:
- Protestant church leaders
- Feminists
- Labor union leaders
- African Americans
Common Beliefs: Despite differences, they shared a conviction that they needed significant government intervention to address societal issues. They believed societal deterioration required government action, rather than just grassroots efforts.

Big Business Control: Responding to the growing influence of large corporations.
Economic Uncertainty: Addressing crises such as the Panic of 1893.
Labor Conflicts: Dealing with increasingly violent confrontations between labor groups and employers.
Political Machine Control: Aiming to reduce the power of political machines over urban populations.
Racial Inequality: Challenging Jim Crow laws and advocating for the rights of African Americans.
Women’s Suffrage: Fighting for women’s right to vote.
Alcohol Prohibition: Attempting to deal with the various societal problems attributed to alcohol.

Definition of Muckrakers: Investigative journalists who exposed corruption and societal issues. The term was coined by Teddy Roosevelt, hinting at a character from John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.
Key Muckrakers:
- Upton Sinclair: Wrote The Jungle, revealing unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.
- Ida Tarbell: Exposed the corrupt practices of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company.
- Jacob Riis: Created How the Other Half Lives, documenting poor living conditions in New York's tenements.

The Progressives pushed for reforms to reduce the control of political bosses and increase democratic participation.
Secret Ballot: Implemented to ensure privacy in voting and reduce the influence of political bosses.
Direct Election of Senators: Achieved through the 17th Amendment (1913), transferring election power from state legislatures to the people.

18th Amendment (Prohibition): Passed in 1919, it forbade the manufacture and sale of alcohol, driven largely by women’s groups advocating for social reform.
19th Amendment (Women’s Suffrage): Ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote.

Initiative: Allowed voters to propose legislation directly.
Referendum: Enabled voters to vote on whether to adopt certain laws.
Recall: Introduced a mechanism whereby voters could remove elected officials from office.
These initiatives contrasted starkly with the Gilded Age, where citizens felt powerless against corporate interests.

Some Progressives believed that increased efficiency in government could rectify social issues, influenced by the principles of scientific management.
Frederick Taylor: Advocate of scientific management, aimed at improving productivity by analyzing workflow in factories.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): Established the legal basis for racial segregation; “separate but equal” doctrine.
W.E.B. Du Bois and the Niagara Movement: A group of black intellectuals that organized to fight for civil rights.
NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People): Focused on abolishing segregation and promoting educational opportunities for African American children.

Teddy Roosevelt: Became president following the assassination of William McKinley.
- Launched the Square Deal, aiming to provide fairness for both workers and employers, breaking away from siding purely with big business.
- Enforced the Sherman Antitrust Act, distinguishing between "good" and "bad" trusts.
Consumer Protection: Responded to Upton Sinclair's revelations by passing:
- Pure Food and Drug Act: Ensured consumers had safer food and medicines.
- Meat Inspection Act: Mandated standards for sanitation in meatpacking plants.
Conservation Efforts: Utilized the Forest Reserve Act of 1891 to protect 150 million acres of forest land from exploitation, balancing industry and nature.

The Progressive Era was characterized by a concerted effort to reform various aspects of American life, aimed at correcting social inequities and government inefficiencies, and enhancing democratic participation for all citizens.