Progressive Era

The Progressive Era

• Timeframe: 1901-1916

The Model T and Mass Production

• Economic turnaround by 1901 due to industrial and technological innovations.

• Formation of Ford Motor Company in 1903, founded by Henry Ford.

• Introduction of the Model T in 1908 at a cost of $850, with 11,000 units sold in the first year.

• Implementation of mass production methods to reduce car costs and increase sales. Rather than craft making cars, the idea is that you want to make faster.

• In 1913, the adoption of the assembly line led to 248,000 cars sold in 1914 alone. This is the idea of mass production.

  • this was all done on a conveyor belt

  • lowered the cost of goods and therefore the price of the car

• get more work out of your workers by paying them more and only giving them 40-hour weeks.

  • this idea changed our lives because workers are started to be treated better. This shift in labor practices not only improved the quality of life for many employees but also contributed to a more stable economy, as workers now had more disposable income to spend on goods and services.

• Because there is one option to buy it streamlined the cost.

• the cars opened so many new industrys

  • car wash

  • auto shop

  • gas station

  • road workers

Differing Approaches to Civil Rights

• African Americans encountered challenges in improving societal standings.

• Illiteracy rates dropped from 45% to 30% between 1900 and 1910.

• Booer T. Washington’s “Atlanta Compromise” (1895) advocated gradual integration and education.

• W. E. B. DuBois opposed this view, advocating for immediate equality through the Niagara Movement in 1905.

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• Formation of the NAACP in 1909, achieving limited success in the following decade.

Labor Movements and Unrest

• Immigrant labor provided a cheap workforce but led to issues like lower wages.

• Increased strikes and absenteeism observed during the early 1900s.

• By 1904, the American Federation of Labor had 1.7 million members.

• Formation of the International Workers of the World (IWW) in 1905, focusing on inclusivity and advocating for social revolution.

• nearly 1/3 of women 12 to 14 worked

  • although the home was still the expectation, you were stll expected to leave and have children.

• Black women have to work in higher percentages because they had less money

• 20% of children 5 to 15 had full-time jobs

  • , and they were no different from the adult jobs.

Urbanization of America

• By 1920, only 1/3 of Americans lived on farms, with half living in rural areas.

• Mechanization spurred economic changes and improved life expectancy; however, high infant mortality rates persisted (10% for whites, 20% for other races).

• Growth of cities facilitated by skyscrapers and adoption of zoning ordinances.

The Muckrakers

• The society during the Progressive Era experienced significant reform calls.

• Muckrakers were investigative journalists focusing on exposing societal wrongs, often criticized for their critical stance.

• Notable works included:

  • Lincoln Steffen’s “Tweed Days in Saint Louis”

  • Ida Tarbell’s “History of the Standard Oil Company”

  • Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” (1906) leading to widespread reform demands.

Protecting Land and Food

• Focus on food reform and land conservation post The Jungle impact.

• Passage of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 enforced proper labeling and banned the sale of mislabeled items.

• Roosevelt's commitment to land conservation and preservation originated from his passion for hunting.

Progressive Thought

• The Progressive movement encapsulated political, cultural, and intellectual desires for reform.

• Political goals included reforms in governance and societal issues.

• Cultural aims promoted new artistic expressions.

• Intellectual goals sought advancements in social sciences, encouraging professional organization participation for societal improvement.

Spirit of Reform

• The Social Justice Movement targeted critical social problems, advocating for:

  • Minimum wage increases

  • Better conditions to keep people out of prison

  • Support for low-income families

• The Women’s Christian Temperance Union launched the “Purity Crusade” leading to alcohol bans in nineteen states by 1916.

• Women's suffrage culminated in the 1920 amendment success, along with significant achievements in reducing child labor.

The “Square Deal”

• May 1902 witnessed a strike of 140,000 coal miners demanding higher wages, causing public discontent.

• Roosevelt intervened, threatening to use the army, leading to concessions from coal companies.

• His action framed the government's role as an impartial mediator between labor and big business.

Trust Busting

• Roosevelt employed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to dismantle monopolies.

• Established the Department of Commerce and Labor in 1903.

• Engaged with muckraker criticisms to advance anti-trust measures, aiming to regulate rather than expand government power.

Taft, Taxes, and Trust Busting

• William Howard Taft, chosen by Roosevelt, aimed to maintain existing policies but sought to assert his presidency’s independence.

• The Republican Party faced divisions, especially regarding tariff policies.

• In 1909, an income tax amendment was initiated and adopted in 1913 with Progressive backing.