The Progressive Era

1. The Progressive Era

2. What is progressivism? • Progressivism deals with addressing problems in government and society and taking action in order to change them for the better. • This desire for change gained support in the late 1800’s and continued till roughly 1920.

3. Who were progressives? • The Progressive movement is best understood as a common spirit of an age rather than as an organized group of people or a political party. • Progressives included farmers, urban business leaders, professional leaders, white middle class, immigrant working class, Democrats, Republicans, Populists, and Socialists.

4. What were the goals of progressives? • Most Progressives did not support dramatic social, economic, or political change.  • They wanted: • a government active in the economy and society.  • a government to be free at all levels of corruption and inefficiency. • Social welfare programs for citizens

5. Workplace Reform

6. A dangerous workplace • As a result of industrialization, workers labored on average 54 hours/week • These long hours caused America to have higher accident rates than other industrialized countries. • Why so many long hours? • Big business was too powerful

7. Reforming the Workplace • In 1916, the Commission on Industrial Relations reported on women’s salaries and child labor. • Their findings helped bring about legislation to improve these inequalities.

8. Labor Laws • Reformers worked to pass laws limiting or restricting child labor. • By 1912, 39 states had passed these types of laws. • In addition, reformers worked to ensure a minimum wage for workers. • States began to gradually adopt this measure

9. Workplace safety • The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire was a huge catalyst for progressives to enact workplace safety standards and laws.

10. The Rise of Labor Unions • Labor unions joined progressives in their movement for better working conditions. • Some unions favored a closed shop, as well as, socialism. • Closed Shop: a workplace where all employees must belong to a union. • Socialism: economic theory where the government or workers control factories and industries.

11. Unions • Some unions included: • AFL – American Federation of Labor • ILGWU – International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union • IWW – Industrial Workers of the World

12. What do you think this cartoon is saying?

13. Government Corruption • Graft and government corruption from the Gilded Age spilled over into the 20th century. • Progressives aimed at correcting these evils and returning to honest government.

14. Reforming Elections • Progressives wanted to change the way elections worked by instituting a few specific reforms: • Direct primary • 17th Amendment • Initiative • Referendum • Recall

15. Direct Primary A Direct Primary is almost as cool as my shades!!! • Direct Primary – voters pick the candidates to run in a general election. • This took power away from political bosses.

16. 17th Amendment • 17th Amendment – voters elect their senators directly Take Route 17 to elect your own senator

17. Initiative “ INITIATE!!!!!!!! • Initiative – gives voters the power to initiate legislation

18. Referendum • Referendum – allows voters to approve or veto a recently passed law. “ REF-erendum….”I approve that play!”

19. Recall “ I Love Recalls!!!! • Recall – enables voters to remove an elected official from office.

20. Reforming City Government • City Government Corruption was addressed by progressive mayors who gained office with the promise to clean things up. • Mother Nature also played a role in reforming city government.

21. The Galveston Hurricane • A hurricane struck Galveston, TX in 1900 and killed at least 6,000 • To rebuild the city, the state legislature formed a five person commission. • These members were experts in their field rather than party loyalists. • The city soon recovered and other cities established similar commissions

22. Theodore Roosevelt

23. Roosevelt’s political career In 1900, Roosevelt ran as the running mate of William McKinley. Roosevelt was considered a reformer as governor of New York and his opponents thought him running as V.P. would help silence him….why is that? McKinley won reelection and Roosevelt became Vice President

24. Roosevelt becomes President • On September 6, 1901, McKinley was shot at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo by Leon Czolgosz. • Roosevelt took over as President at the age of 42. He was the youngest person to ever do so. • He took a very active role in government as opposed to his predecessors.

25. Roosevelt and his Square Deal • In 1902, 150,000 miners struck for higher wages. • Americans began to panic over the strike so TR stepped in. • He urged both sides to accept arbitration • Arbitration is the process by which 2 opposing sides allow a third party to settle the dispute • The strike ended as a result of the arbitration and it was seen as a huge success for TR and the federal government. • The compromise was seen as a “square deal” and TR used that as his campaign slogan in 1904.

26. Roosevelt the Trustbuster • TR sought to regulate large corporations. • He was not anti-business; however, he was anti-trust because they went against the public good. • He launched a campaign against these organizations and won victories under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. • He also helped pass the Elkins Act and Hepburn Act aimed at regulating the railroad industry. • These acts significantly increased the power of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC).

28. TR Protects the Consumer • Food and Drug companies were altering their products to make them appear fresh and safe when in reality they were far from it. • TR urged Congress to pass to laws protecting American consumers: • Meat Inspection Act: required federal inspection of meat shipped across state lines. • Pure Food and Drug Act: forbade the manufacture, sale, or transportation of food and medicine containing harmful ingredients.

29. TR and the Environment • Perhaps TR’s greatest legacy was his work with conservation. • Because of his efforts, Congress set up national parks across the country. • In addition, a National Conservation Commission was formed Thanks Teddy!!!!

30. Campaign Slogan It is 1904 and you are working for Teddy Roosevelt’s campaign. In pairs, use what you know and create a campaign slogan for TR. Remember, campaign slogan’s should be short, to the point, and explain what a voter can expect from the candidate.

31. Taft and the Progressives • William Taft followed the lead set by Roosevelt. • Taft Reforms: • Broke up more trusts • Approved new mine safety rules • Eight hour day for government workers

32. Wilson in the White House • Woodrow Wilson became President in 1912 • Wilson’s reforms: • Lowered tariffs • Clayton Antitrust Act: stated what corporations could not do • Federal Reserve Act: created a system of federal banks • Federal Trade Commission: investigated companies thought to have unfair business practices

33. Working for Women’s Suffrage • Following the Civil War, Elizabeth Cady & Susan B. Anthony fought diligently to gain women’s suffrage, or the right to vote. • They set up the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA), which was a group that worked for a constitutional amendment to give women the right to vote.

34. Support Grows for Suffrage • After the death of Stanton & Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt took over leadership of the NWSA. • She implemented a strategy to win the right to vote state by state. • She was followed by many suffragists, or people who worked for women’s right to vote. • Women began to call for a constitutional amendment to give them the right to vote in all elections.

35. 19th Amendment • Suffragists, like Alice Paul, took radical steps to gain women’s suffrage. • She was jailed and went on hunger strikes • Paul, along with other women, began to picket the White House in 1917. • They achieved victory when in 1919, Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment

36. Progressive Amendments 16th – Income Tax 17th – Direct Election of Senators 18th – Manufacture and Sale of Alcoholic Beverages was prohibited (Prohibition) 19th – Women granted full voting rights

37. Regulating Big Business • Interstate Commerce Act • This act forbade practices such as pools and rebates. • It also set up the Interstate Commerce Commission, or ICC, to oversee the railroads • Sherman Antitrust Act • This act prohibited trusts or other businesses from limiting competition. • This act was difficult to enforce and was not very effective.