Progressive Era Pt

Possible essay question (part 2 discussed)

  • The progressive era spanned the first two decades of the twentieth century. Why didn’t it begin earlier? What caused the progressive era to develop? Why did it end in 1920? What lasting effects did the progressive era have on American society? 


  • Why did it end in 1920?

    • World war I (1914-1918) diverted attention away from domestic issues 

      • US didn’t join until 1917

      • First page news

      • Became more pressing issue than contined reform (traingle factory fire was page 6 news)

      • Unpatriotic to focus on workplace greviances 

      • Backlash against german and austrian people 


    • Success of reform

      • Once you get reform, you don’t feel the same urgency to continue it (by 1920)

      • By 1920, government started to regulate businesses and mange the economy so craze and hype died down

    • Progressive party faded on the national level

      • Active on state and local level as well as federal

      • In 1912, repubilic president theodeore roosevelt, doesn’t like taff’s ideas on terrifs or whatever so roosevelt create progressive party and went against taff

        • In election of 1912, split between stay at home republics and progressive party which allowed democrats to win 

        • Seen as option that’s never gonna win 

        • After loss, they cease to be player on national scale 

        • Still elect senators and win lesser level elections 

        • Roosevelt died in 1919

      • Willsonian interlude (1913-1921) 

        • Era in which the democratic party is finally winning after a long time  

        • Wilson wins the election from 1912 to 1916 (1920) 

        • Republics start winning again for the next 3 terms 

    • Bullet point 

  • What lasting effects did the progressive era have on American society?

    • Legislation (federal laws)

      • Hepburn act 1906, strengthened Interstate Commerce Commision (ICC)

      • 1887 ICC was created due to Cleburne Demnads

        • Had lots of loopholes and was challenged so didn’t work too well

      • HA closed loopholes 

      • Pure food and drug act 1906, impure or mislabeled products illegal 

        • Can’t have unhealthy ingredients (2 examples for each category)

      • Federal Reserve Act 1913, created Federal Reserve Board

        • Managing the economy as never before 

        • Created FED which is around today

        • Makes decisoins about prime lending rate, meant to have a ripple effect throughout the economy 

        • Hoping to control inflation and so on

        • Decerntralized federal reserve system like the government holding the money all in one place (now 12 FR banks)

        • Clayton aittrust act 1914, strengthened sherman antitrust act 

          • Passed to regulate monopoly 

          • Closed loopholes of sherman antitrust act 

          • Trust is monopoly 

    • Progressive era amendments 

      • Amendments were added after over 40 years 

      • Amendments from 16 - 19 during progressive era 

      • (16) XVI - 1913 - congress can collect income tax = short answer term

        • What people’s party asked for in their platform (graduated income tax)

        • More you make the more you pay taxes

      • 16th Amendment = short answer term 

      • 17th amendment = short answer term (1913)

        • Direct election of senators 

        • Used to be state legistlators 

      • 18th -  1919 

        • Banned manufactore, sale, or transportation of liquor 

        • Woman had movements to get rid of it 

        • Rescinded by 1930s by another amendment 

        • Men would try to go on black market and drink 

        • Even president during 1920 consumed alcohol 

        • Dropped federal revenue (bcs so many drank it, taxes dropped)

      • 19th - 1920 - right to vote cannot be denied on basis of sex

        • Woman were aware that alcohol was more important than them 

    • Social developments 

      • Education 

        • Prior to 1910 most people got 8th grade max

        • Provide low cost food and guidance counselor 

        • Level of education was finally included in 1940

      • Psychiatry 

        • If you don’t follow social norms, you must be crazy

        • The more uneven your skull, the more likely you’re a criminal 

        • Gave them someone to talk to 

        • Could be helped by psychiatry 

      • Penitentiary reform 

        • (jail) prisons began to have training and skill training so you can be better 

        • Access to libraries 


      • Public health

        • Used to be really unhealthy because of bad water supply and horrible sewage 

        • Better public health programs 


        • City planning 

        • Wider streets, adequate lighting, sanitation, urban planning became degree 

        • 1919 was big pandemic (everyone’s best interest to give free immunization so it stops spreading, finally learned social distancing to minimize spread of disease)

      • Law enforcement

        • Here to help 

        • Treatment of accused has to be humane 

        • “Innocent until proven guilty”