Week 6 Progressivism and the Vote

Page 1

• The Maple Leaf Rag

  • Composer: Scott Joplin

  • Notable for being one of the greatest ragtime piano pieces.

Page 2

• Progressivism and the Vote

  • Topic of Week 6 Lecture 1.

Page 3

• Last Week On…

  • Focused on Post-Civil War themes:

    • Territorial expansion and imperialism.

    • Issues resulting from rapid urbanization during the Gilded Age: slums, ethnic separation.

    • Comparison of wealth: fortunes of robber barons vs. widespread poverty of the lower classes.

Page 4

• The Early Progressive Era

  • A broad coalition advocating for various reforms:

    • Ongoing fight for Civil Rights.

    • Women’s Suffrage movement.

    • Protection of workers' rights through labor unions.

Page 5

• Short Term Causes of Reform

  • Triggering events:

    • The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1911) in Manhattan, NY.

    • Over 500 workers, primarily women and immigrants, were locked in a factory.

    • Result: 146 deaths, leading to heightened public awareness about safety and working conditions.

    • Previous failed strike for safer conditions demonstrated the urgent need for reform.

Page 6

• Muckrakers

  • Investigative journalists who exposed societal issues in Industrial America:

    • Demanded governmental and social changes.

    • Notable figures:

      • Ida Tarbell: exposed the monopoly of the Standard Oil Company.

      • Jacob Riis: used photography to depict poverty in urban areas.

Page 7

• Progressive Novelists

  • 1906: Upton Sinclair published The Jungle.

    • Aimed to highlight the struggles of immigrant families.

    • Exposed unsanitary practices in the meatpacking industry in Chicago.

    • Resulted in: Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act (1906).

Page 8

• The Social Gospel

  • Movement led by preachers advocating for social reforms.

    • Encouraged social consciousness among Christians.

    • Inspired future activists including Martin Luther King Jr.

Page 9

• Progressive Women

  • Organizations formed:

    • General Federation of Women’s Clubs.

    • National Association of Colored Women.

    • Often segregated by race, highlighting the racial divides within the movement.

Page 10

• The Temperance Movement

  • Focused on moral reform, particularly anti-alcohol advocacy.

    • Early leaders:

      • Carrie A. Nation: known for her radical actions against saloons.

      • Women’s Christian Temperance Union: established to nationalize the movement.

      • Frances Willard: a key figure in leading the movement.

Page 11

• Settlement Houses

  • Founded by Jane Addams with Hull House in 1889.

    • Aimed to provide social services to marginalized communities.

    • Believed in the moral duty of the wealthy to assist the poor.

    • Served as centers for activism, education, and community assistance.

Page 12

• Women’s Suffrage

  • Definition: The right to vote in elections.

  • Participants of the movement known as Suffragettes, advocating for women’s voting rights.

    • Some proponents utilized racial arguments.

    • The National American Woman Suffrage Association focused on constitutional amendments.

Page 13

• 19th Amendment Ratified

  • Advocated by Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party.

    • Known for the Silent Sentinels protest.

    • Woodrow Wilson's support was pivotal.

    • Amendment states: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

Page 14

• Monopolization

  • Progressives targeted the unregulated “laissez faire” economy:

    • Addressed corruption within businesses and monopolies.

    • Examples include Carnegie Steel and Standard Oil Company, which could manipulate prices and undermine competition.

    • Formation of "Trusts" to control markets.

Page 15

• Regulating Businesses

  • Introduction of legal frameworks to manage monopolies:

    • 1887: Interstate Commerce Act and Interstate Commerce Commission created to regulate railroads.

    • 1890: Sherman Anti-Trust Act implemented against monopolistic practices.

    • 1914: Clayton Anti-Trust Act strengthened regulations.

Page 16

• Trust Busting

  • The process of reforming and regulating monopolies under progressive leadership.

    • President Teddy Roosevelt utilized his judgment in regulating businesses and monopolies.

    • Established the Bull Moose Party but lost the election.

    • Successor William Howard Taft further focused on anti-monopoly efforts but also promoted less federal intervention in small businesses.

Page 17

• Environmental Reforms

  • Aim: Protect the environment amidst industrial growth.

    • Two main approaches:

      • Preservation: Advocated by John Muir and the Sierra Club, promoting National Parks for future generations (National Parks Act of 1916).

      • Conservation: Managed by Gifford Pinchot and the U.S. Forest Service, aimed to balance resource exploitation with preservation.

Page 18

• Jim Crow Laws

  • Laws that restricted black voting rights in the southern states.

    • Resulted in racial tensions and the formation of a regional Populist movement among progressive democrats in the south.

    • Implementation of discriminatory practices like the “Grandfather clause” and poll taxes.

Page 19

• Segregation

  • Landmark case: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).

    • Ruling established the doctrine of "separate but equal," affirming that segregation was constitutional.

    • Solidified segregation in public spaces such as schools, transportation, and restaurants.

Page 20

• Black Activism

  • Key figures in the fight for black rights:

    • Ida Wells: known for her anti-lynching activism.

    • Booker T. Washington: founded the Tuskegee Institute to promote education for African Americans.

    • W.E.B. Du Bois: authored Souls of Black Folk (1903) advocating for civil rights and higher education.