The Progressive Era Notes (1890-1920)

Progrssivism


  • Ideas how to improve society

  • Not fully organize… many groups


  1. Fix gov’t (Make more responsive to the people)

  2. Fix business

  3. Fix social problems (largest)


Muckrakers (TR)


  • Exposed problems in society


  1. Ida Tarbell- Standard Oil Monopoly

  2. Lincoln Steffens- Corrupt Political Machines

  3. Jacob Riis- Poverty in the tenements

  4. Lead to public debate and political change


Conditions in the U.S


  • Crowded cities (tenements)

  • Urban Poor

  • Disease

  • Racism/Discrimination (Plessy v. Ferguson)

  • Lack of Education

  • Gender discrimination

  • Child Labor

  • Unsafe Working Conditions

  • Workers had no voice

  • Gov’t Corruption

  • Political Machines

  • Lack of Democracy

  • No control of big business

  • Monopolies squash competition

  • Lack of gov’t control over the economy

  • Resources not being replenished


  • Not all Progressive agreed on everything

  • Some focuses on specific areas

  • Ex.TR was progressive in many ways, but imperialist, a social Darwinist, and believer in Anglo-Saxon superiority


Role of Women in the Progressive Era


  • Active in the Abolitionist

  • Fought for the 13th, 14th, 15th amendments

  • Active in the Temperance/Prohibition

  • Suffrage Movement


Role of Muckrakers in the Progressive Movement


  • Wrote articles in newspaper/magazines

  • Exposed problems in society

  • Public pressures the gov’t to fix problems


Social Progressivism


Social Gospel Movement


  • Salvation Army

  • YMCA


Jane Addams


  • Hull House


  1. Settlement house for immigrants

  2. Taught them how to adapt to American Culture

  3. Learn English

  4. Job Skills

  5. Learn how to survive in America


  • Tried to improve tenement and factory


Political Machines


  • Targeted immigrants

  • City services/ jobs/ housing for votes


  1. Garbage collection

  2. Police collection

  3. Fire protection

  4. Public transportation


  • How did they know if you voted for them?- Watched you vote

  • Lincoln Steffens exposed machines

  • Tammany Hall (NYC) and Boss Tweed most famous


The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair (muckraker)


  • Meatpacking industry exposed

  • TR investigates

  • Leads to:


  1. Meat Inspection Act

  2. Pure Food and Drug Act


Niagara Movement


  • 1905 meeting of reforms

  • W.E.B Du Bois was very critical of BTW’s Atlanta Compromise

  • “We want equal and voting rights now!”


NAACP


  • Founded in 1909 by W.E.B Du Bois and others

  • Created to fight racism

  • Try to get laws passed

  • Tried overturn Plessy v. Ferguson


Public Education


  • Horace Mann

  • Created the first modern public schools


  1. Free to the public

  2. Wide Variety of subjects

  3. Longer school year

  4. Move from Vocational to academic schools



Working Conditions


  • Unions slowly gain influence

  • Child labor is slowly reduced

  • Work hours are shortened


  1. Women: 16 to 12 to 12 to 8 later on


  • Work week is shortened


  1. 7 to 6 days... later 5


  • Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (1911)- 146 died

  • Building codes lead to safer factories


Prohibition


  • Organized mainly by women

  • Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTC)

  • Anti-Saloon League

  • 18th Amendment


  1. Ratified in 1919

  2. In effect 1920

  3. Repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933


Women’s Suffrage Movement


  • Seneca Falls Convention (1848)

  • American Equal Rights Association


  1. Splits in 1869 over 15th Amendment

  2. AWSA- American Women Suffrage Association


  • Supported 15th amendment

  • Get suffrage one state at a time


  1. NWSA- National women suffrage Association


  • Opposed 15th amendment

  • Wanted constitutional amendment

  • NAWSA (1890)- National American women suffrage Association

  • Susan B Anthony (NWSA)

  • Elizabeth Cady Stanton (NWSA)

  • Lucy Stone (AWSA)

  • Carrie Chapmen Catt (NAWSA)

  • Lucy Burns and Alice Paul

  • Only four state by 1900

  • Iron Jawed Angels movie

  • 19th Amendment (1920)


TR on Social Welfare


  • Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle


  1. Described conditions in meat packing Plants

  2. Led to the Meat Inspection Act


  • Meat Inspection Act


  1. Put federal inspectors in each plant

  2. Created Strict Cleanliness requirements


  • Pure Food and Drug Act


  1. Truth in labeling

  2. Forerunner to FDA


TR on Conservation


  • Supported conservation of natural resources

  • Set aside land for national forests, parks, wildlife reserves


  1. Focus on timber and water resources


  • James Garfield (conservationist chosen to head the Dept. or Interior)

  • Chooses Gifford Pinchot (conservationist) to head the US Forest Service


Wilson on Social Welfare


  • Keating-Owen Child Labor Act (1916)


  1. No children under 14 working on business involving interstate commerce

  2. Found to be unconstitutional (1918)


  • Federal Land Banks


  1. Created to help farmers

  2. Long term low interest loans


  • Federal Jobs are segregated


  1. Many federal jobs closed for African Americans


Economic Progressivism


Progressive -vs- Big Business Two View:


  • Gov’t Regulates Business:


  1. Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

  2. Interstate Commerce Commission

  3. Gov’t should restore competition


  • Socialism:


  1. Eugene V. Debs

  2. Edward Bellamy

  3. Gov’t takes over buildings

  4. Most Americans opposed


Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)


  • Made trust and monopolies illegal

  • Weak law

  • Not enforced for 11 years (TR-1901)


Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)


  • Strengthened Sherman Antitrust Act


  1. No price discrimination

  2. No more volume discounts (RR)

  3. Legalized Unions

  4. Mergers have to be approved


  • Clayton was an Alabama Democrat (House)


Standard Oil Monopoly


  • John D. Rockefeller


  1. Monopoly on oil, refineries, and gasoline


  • Ida Tarbell exposes business practices in articles

  • Standard Oil is broken-up by the Gov’t


TR’s Background


  • Youth


  1. Asthma


  • Activities


  1. Boxing, horses, hunting, and wrestling


  • Political Life


  1. NYC Police Commissioner

  2. NYC State Leg.

  3. Asst. Sec. of Navy

  4. NVC Governor… VP


  • Presidency


  1. At 42, youngest to become pres. (not elected)


TR’s Presidency


  • Square Deal

  • Northern Securities RR Holding Co. broken-up


  1. Enforces Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)


  • 1902 Coal Strike


  1. UMW wants wage/hour changes and union rec.

  2. TR sets major precedent


  • Dept. of Comerce created (1903)


  1. Bureau of Corporations

  2. Deal with US steal


  • Hepburn Act (1906) strengthen ICC (can set RR rates)


TR and Monopolies


  • Known as the “Trust buster”

  • Attempted to break- 44 in 7 1/2 years

  • Felt that not all monopolies are bad… as long as they felt cooperated with the Gov’t they were OK

  • Made a deal with US steal

  • Era of cooperation

  • “New Nationalism” platform in 1912

  • TR:


  1. Dynamic

  2. Outgoing

  3. Loved politics

  4. Quick to respond to issues

  5. “Trustbuster” 44 in 7 ½ yrs


  • Taft:


  1. Quiet

  2. Behind-the-scenes

  3. Disliked politics

  4. Slow decision maker

  5. The real “Trustbuster” 90 in only four years


Taft and Monopolies


TR told him not to break-up US steel

Taft went after US Steel and destroyed the atmosphere of cooperation between Gov’t and big business

Helped split the Republican Party

Went after 90 trust/monopolies in 4 yrs