new deal and pt

Progressivism (1900-1919)

Progressivism was a reform movement that responded to the problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, and political corruption in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was led by middle-class reformers, including women, journalists (muckrakers), and politicians who sought to regulate big business, improve working conditions, and expand democracy.

Key Goals of Progressivism:

1. Political Reform

• Direct Democracy Reforms

  • Secret Ballot – Voters could make choices privately, reducing corruption.

  • Initiative – Citizens could propose laws.

  • Referendum – Voters could directly vote on laws.

  • Recall – Allowed voters to remove corrupt politicians.

  • 17th Amendment (1913) – Direct election of U.S. Senators instead of state legislatures choosing them.

• Women's Suffrage

  • 19th Amendment (1920) – Gave women the right to vote.

  • Leaders: Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, and Carrie Chapman Catt led the fight for suffrage.

2. Regulation of Big Business & Trust-Busting

• Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) – First attempt to break up monopolies, but weak enforcement.

• Teddy Roosevelt: "Trust-Buster" – Used the Sherman Antitrust Act to break up large corporations, including Standard Oil and Northern Securities Company.

• Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) – Strengthened antitrust laws and protected labor unions from being targeted as monopolies.

3. Labor & Consumer Protection

• Child Labor Laws – Laws were passed to limit child labor and improve working conditions.

• Workplace Safety – After the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (1911), laws were passed to improve fire safety and labor rights.

• Meat Inspection Act (1906) & Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) – Inspired by Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, these laws led to government regulation of food & medicine (eventually creating the FDA).

• 8-Hour Workday & Minimum Wage – Laws were passed to improve wages and working conditions.

4. Social & Moral Reform

• Temperance & Prohibition

  • 18th Amendment (1919) – Banned the sale and consumption of alcohol (later repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933).

  • Supported by women’s groups like the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).

• Education & Settlement Houses

  • Jane Addams & Hull House – Helped immigrants adjust to urban life by providing education and social services.

5. Progressive Presidents & Policies

• Teddy Roosevelt (1901-1909) – "Square Deal"

  • Trust-Busting, conservation (national parks), & consumer protection.

• William H. Taft (1909-1913) – Continued trust-busting but was less progressive.

• Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) – "New Freedom"

  • Federal Reserve Act (1913) – Created a central banking system.

  • 16th Amendment (1913) – Established a graduated income tax.

  • 19th Amendment (1920) – Women’s suffrage.

The New Deal (1933-1939)

The New Deal was President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s response to the Great Depression. It introduced major economic, social, and political reforms aimed at Relief, Recovery, and Reform.

Causes of the Great Depression:

• Stock Market Crash (1929) – Caused by speculation and buying on margin.

• Bank Failures – No FDIC, leading to massive bank runs.

• Overproduction – Too many goods, but not enough consumers.

• Unemployment – Peaked at 25% by 1933.

• Dust Bowl (1930s) – Drought & overfarming devastated the Great Plains, forcing many farmers (like the "Okies") to migrate west.

The Three R’s of the New Deal:

1⃣ Relief – Immediate help for unemployed and struggling Americans.
2⃣ Recovery – Programs to stimulate the economy and create jobs.
3⃣ Reform – Long-term policies to prevent future economic disasters.

Key New Deal Programs:

• Emergency Banking Relief Act (1933) – Declared a "bank holiday" to stabilize banks.

• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) – Insured bank deposits, preventing future bank runs.

• Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – Gave young men jobs in national parks & conservation projects.

• Public Works Administration (PWA) & Works Progress Administration (WPA) – Created infrastructure jobs (roads, bridges, schools).

• Social Security Act (1935) – Provided pensions for elderly, unemployment insurance, & disability aid.

• National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) – Set fair wages & hours (later ruled unconstitutional).

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) – Built dams in the South to provide electricity & flood control.

• Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) – Paid farmers to reduce crop production to stabilize prices (later ruled unconstitutional).

Opposition to the New Deal:

• Conservatives & Republicans – Thought the government had too much power.

• Supreme Court – Struck down AAA & NIRA as unconstitutional (led to FDR’s court-packing plan).

• Huey Long ("Share Our Wealth") – Wanted to redistribute wealth by taxing the rich more heavily.

Effects of the New Deal:

✅ Did NOT fully end the Great Depression, but improved conditions.
✅ Expanded the role of the federal government in the economy.
✅ Created the modern welfare state (e.g., Social Security).
✅ Restored trust in banks through FDIC & government regulation.
✅ Shifted African Americans to the Democratic Party (New Deal Coalition).

End of the New Deal:

• FDR’s focus shifted to World War II (1939-1945), which truly ended the Great Depression.

Comparison of Progressivism & the New Deal

Both movements were responses to economic inequality & corporate power, but Progressivism focused on reforming capitalism, while the New Deal embraced government intervention to stabilize the economy. 🚀