Progressiveism

Discussion on final projects at USM by a top artist.
Construction on the North Side of McCain Library blocking usual entrance:
- Need to enter from the South Side. - Phone number available for assistance if unable to use stairs.
Meeting in Room 305 to talk about projects and review boxes.
Announcement about the meeting posted on Canvas.
Information and instructions will also be posted on Canvas for those unable to attend.

Date & Event: March 25, 1911, fire at Triangle Shirtwaist Company in NYC.
- 500 workers (mostly young single Jewish and Italian women) in the factory.
- Earnings as low as $3 per week.
Locked doors meant to prevent theft and maximize production led to tragedy:
- Workers trapped inside; instead, many jumped to their deaths.
Fire department reached only 6th floor, exacerbating the situation.
Casualties: 46 dead on the street and over 100 found inside.
Public response: 100,000 marched to the site; funeral procession of 300,000 attendees.
Changes following the fire: New regulations and fire safety laws enacted by New York state legislature.

Definition: A broad movement aimed at reforming social and political life in America (1900-1917), known as the Progressive Era.
Distinction: Early 20th century Progressives differ from modern progressives (capital P). - Primarily urban, middle class, moderate reformers (not radicals).
Key elements:
  - Labor activists aiming to empower industrial workers.
  - Female reformers focusing on protection of women & children.
  - Social scientists utilizing research to address economic issues.

Urban-based movement reacting to challenges from the Gilded Age:
- Industrial revolution, immigration, urbanization, and social displacement.
Population statistics:
- U.S. population tripled between 1860 and 1920; urban population increased nine times.
- 2/3 of 25 million immigrants settled in cities, e.g., New York, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.
Major shift in lifestyle: By 1920, majority of Americans lived in cities.
- Example: Chicago in 1900 had 80% of its population as immigrants or children of immigrants.
Issues faced in urban areas included overcrowding, poverty, disease, and pollution, driving demand for reform.

Desire for order, fairness, and renewal in society, combating corruption and greed prevalent in the Gilded Age.
Economic Goals:
- Curb corporate power and introduce efficiency in economic life.
Political Goals:
- Restrain political corruption and promote fair governance.
- Improve transparency and effectiveness of local/state governments.
Social Goals:
- Advance social morality, justice, and individual character.

Trust-busting: Breaking up monopolies to ensure fair competition.
Electoral reforms:
  - Direct primaries allowing party members to select candidates.
  - Initiatives empowering voters to pass laws directly.
  - Referenda and recalls for public officials.
Introduction of secret ballots to reduce pressure from parties.
Promotion of popular elections for judges and implementation of a graduated income tax (16th Amendment).
Shift in authority with the belief that a stronger federal government was necessary to manage corporate power.

Muckrakers: Investigative journalists exposing societal issues.
- Example: Jacob Riis ("How the Other Half Lives"), Ida B. Wells Barnett (lynching culture scrutiny), Lincoln Steffens ("The Shame of the Cities"), Ida Tarbell (expose on John D. Rockefeller).
Literary contributions:
- Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" raising public awareness on unsanitary meat production, influencing Congress to pass food safety regulations.

Focus on child labor, often viewed through the lens of white supremacy.
- Victims sympathetic due to their vulnerability and exploitation in the workplace.
Lewis Hine's photography depicted the harsh realities of child labor.
Labor conflicts continued to manifest during the Progressive Era, paralleling the fight for rights among marginalized workers, including strikes that highlighted racial solidarity.

Distinction between Knights of Labor and American Federation of Labor (AFL):
- Knights were more inclusive; AFL focused on skilled workers.
AFL grew significantly; collective bargaining rights were established.
Emergence of IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) advocating for a revolutionary approach among workers.

Eugene Debs and the Socialist Party emerged, advocating for social reforms.
- 1912 presidential campaign garnered nearly a million votes reflecting readiness for radical change.
- Decline of socialism due to alignment with moderate reformers and evolving public perception during WWI.

Significant shifts in the role of the federal government under three progressive presidents; Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson.
Roosevelt: Square Deal focused on corporations, consumer protection, and conservation.
- Example: Trust-busting (Northern Securities case) showcased differentiating between good and bad corporations.

Continued aggressive trust-busting efforts; landmark Supreme Court case against Standard Oil led to disbandment into multiple companies.
- Implemented the graduated income tax; tensions between progressive ideals and Taft's actions strained his relationship with Roosevelt.

Wilson's reforms aimed at reducing corporate power while increasing competition, with landmark legislation supporting economic reform: - Clayton Act (1914): Protect unions from antitrust laws.
- Economic interventions including Federal Reserve Act establishing federal oversight of banking.

Advocacy for the right to vote as part of the progressive movement, framed around women's moral authority to improve society.
Key figures: Julia Lathrop (Children’s Bureau), Florence Kelley (National Consumers League), demonstrating success in legislative reforms.
Social housekeeping ideology promoted involvement of women in public spheres to achieve societal change.

Shift in tactics towards mass mobilization, leveraging modern advertising and strategic advocacy.
Growing militancy and the influence of World War I experiences pushed towards finally achieving suffrage with the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Acknowledgment of dark elements of progressivism, including eugenics and racial bias resulting in exclusionary practices.
Progressives contributed significantly to the alteration of the federal government's role and the expansion of governmental powers to address social issues.
Movement also revealed a tendency to prioritize certain grievances over others, particularly concerning racial and immigration issues, indicating an incomplete progressive vision.

Progressive Era represented extensive reforms but also highlighted societal inconsistencies in approach towards fundamental rights for all citizens, laying groundwork for subsequent reform movements in American history.