TEST #5 Lecture Notes Progressivism

1. TEST #5 Lecture NotesProgressivism VUS8

2. Working Conditions • Working conditions in the American industries were many times awful and very dangerous • Many children were forced to work • Families needed the children to work and make $ or the family could not survive • Most people worked at least a 10 hour workday • People were paid barely enough for survival • No money was left over for luxuries • Most $ went toward housing, food, and clothing • Workers had no job security • Workers had no benefits • Many people refer to these type of factories as sweatshops

3. Companytowns began to rise up around factories • Towns run by the company (factory) owners • Most of the money earned by workers was given back to the owners when people purchased items in the town • As more immigrants came to the US, the labor supply increased • This increase caused a competition for jobs • This competition caused wages to be lower for the workers—actually like by the factory owners

5. Unions • Because working conditions were so bad, many of the workers and some government officials began to speak out • Workers realized they needed to ban together in order to get changes • The workers will create labor unions • Unions will favor restricting immigration • Reduction in labor supply would increase wages

6. 1.) Knights of Labor: • The 1st national labor union to remain active for more than a few years • Formed in 1869 by a group of tailors • 1880s: the union grew into a national organization • Will eventually accept all employed people • Farmers • Merchants • Unskilled workers • Proposed laws to cut the workday down to 8 hours • Proposed equal pay for men and women

8. 2.) American Federation of Labor (AFL): • Led by SamuelGompers • The largest labor organization • Represented about 1.5 million workers • Organized from skilled workers • Became a national union in the early 1900s • Called for reforms, but did not trust the government • Saw a strong union as more capable of working with industry owners than the government • Advocated using strikes to improve wages and hours • Used boycotts as a means of peaceful protest

9. Samuel Gompers

10. 3.) American Railway Union: • Led by Eugene V. Debs • United railway workers

11. 4.) Industrial Ladies Garments Workers Union: • Union created for seamstresses • Fought to get an 8-hour workday for the workers

12. Labor Strikes • For unions to get changes, most had to go on strike—a work stoppage • The unions wanted to help the workers get reduce hours and more pay • Strikes could become very violent

13. 1.) Haymarket Square: • 1886: workers went on strike in Chicago • Striking workers held a protest at Haymarket Square in Chicago • They were protesting after the Chicago police had shot 4 strikers • The rally turned violent and became a riot after a bomb exploded and police opened fire on the crowd • 7 police were killed • 4 labor leaders will be executed for their crimes

14. Haymarket Square Riot Haymarket Square Video

15. 2.) Homestead Strike: • 1892: steelworkers were striking in Homestead, PA at one of Andrew Carnegie’s steel plants • A battle broke out between the striking steel workers and the strike breakers • When it was over 13 people were dead

16. Homestead Strike Video

17. 3.) Pullman Strike: • 1894: Railway workers, led by Eugene V. Debs, refused to switch the Pullman Company’s rail cars from one track to another • Federal troops were brought in by the U. S. Attorney General • Many people in the US began to fear an international conspiracy • Anti-labor sentiment began to grow in the US • Many saw a need for the American Government to get involved in industry

19. Progressivism • Progressivism was the name given to the different reform movements that attempted to fix problems associated with immigration, city growth, and the increasing power of giant corporations • The movement was spurred on by several things: • The excesses of the “Gilded Age” (Glittered with wealth, but rotten to the core) • Income disparity between the classes—the rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer • Practices of the Robber Barons (powerful business men and bankers) • They used whatever means necessary to make themselves rich • Bad working conditions for labor • Child labor • Long hours • Low wages • Lack of job security • Lack of benefits • Company towns • Employment for women

20. The progressive reformers wanted to do a lot: • A government controlled by the people • Government regulation of big business • To get rid of social injustices • Pass laws protecting workers and the poor • Reform town and state governments

21. 1.) Muckrakers: • Writers who were involved with the spirit of reform • These writers tried to motivate the public on certain issues • Upton Sinclair • Wrote the book The Jungle • He wrote about the disgusting conditions under which food, especially meat, was prepared • Ida Tarbell • Wrote History of the Standard Oil Company • Book described how John Rockefeller amassed his power and wealth

22. Florence Kelley • Exposed the hazards of child labor • Showed that children were working in the most hazardous conditions in factories • She wanted the federal government to outlaw child labor • She organized boycotts against goods manufactured by children • Jane Adams • Created Hull House (a settlement house) • Immigrants and the poor could come and learn English, talk about politics • Hull House also took care of the sick and injured

25. Florence Kelley

26. Jane Adams’ Hull House

27. 2.) Meat Inspection Act: • Brought about by Sinclair’s The Jungle • 1906: President T. Roosevelt pushed the Meat Inspection Act through Congress • Strict standards were set for meat-packers • A system of federal meat inspection was created • Outlawed the use of misleading labels • Outlawed the used of dangerous chemical preservatives

29. 3.) Pure Food and Drug Act: • Passed on the same day as the Meat Inspection Act • The act was a response to falsely labeled drugs for the healing of all sorts of ailments • Prohibited the manufacture, sale, or shipment of impure or falsely labeled foods in interstate commerce • Contents had to be accurately labeled

30. 4.) National Parks: • Some parts of the American wilderness were being run by industry and big business • Many conservationists (Johan Muir) persuaded the federal government to create 13 forest reserves with over 21 million acres of land • Pres. T. Roosevelt created 5 national parks • 1916: the National Park Service was created to run the 5 national parks

31. 5.) Settlement Houses: • Many middle class reformers built places that provided educational and social services to poor people • 1851: YMCA built housing for young men coming to the cities • The Salvation Army built shelters and opened up soup kitchens to help the poor • Jane Adams—Hull House

32. Progressive Changes in Government and Economics • There was a lot of economic instability after the Civil War • Many believed in laissez-faire economics • the government should stay out of business • Andrew Carnegie believed in laissez-faire economics • Laissez-faire economics was NOT a good idea • Large industrialists drove out competition and began creating monopolies • The government began to step in to place controls over the “robber barons” and runaway industry

33. 1.) Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC): • Created out of the Interstate Commerce Act in 1887 • Robber barons had monopolized railroad routes • The barons could set the prices on the use of these routes as high as they wanted • Prices continued to increase • The ICC was formed in response to these higher prices • ICC oversaw interstate rail commerce • ICC banned monopolistic practices

34. 2.) Federal Trade Commission (FTC): • Created in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson • Designed to stop unfair trading and business practices among companies • Prevented companies from working together to keep prices high • Trying to establish fair trade

35. 3.) Sherman Anti-Trust Act: • 1890: enacted by Congress • Banned business activities that reduced competition • Act was difficult to enforce because the details of the law were confusing • Supreme Court usually interpreted the Act in favor of the businesses, not the government

36. 4.) Clayton Act: • 1914: Passed by Congress • Designed to broaden the Sherman Anti-Trust Act • Promoted competition by keeping companies from working together in order to reduce competition • Outlawed price fixing

37. 5.) 16th Amendment: • Passed in 1913 • Allowed the federal government to tax income—the 1st income tax

38. 6.) Federal Reserve Act: • In the early 1900s, it became clear that the U. S. needed a strong central bank to regulate the nation’s private banks • 1913: the Federal Reserve Act was passed by Woodrow Wilson • Created a network of public banks that could issue currency, make loans, and regulate private banking

39. 7.) 17th Amendment: • Called for the direct election of U. S. senators by popular vote • Before this amendment, state legislatures elected U. S. Senators • 8.) 19th Amendment: • Passed in 1920 • Pushed by women such as Susan B. Anthony • Resulted from women’s work during World War I • Gave women the right to vote (allowed for women’s suffrage)

40. Susan B. Anthony

41. 9.) Wisconsin Reforms: • Reforms to the way state government was controlled • Referendum—direct vote (of the people) in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy • Initiative—a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote • Recall—voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote

42. 10.) Local Government—City Manager: • Many city mayors had become very corrupt • Many cities began moving away from elected mayors because they had become too corrupt • Hired (appointed) city managers began to replace the elected mayors • First occurred in Staunton, VA • The city managers performed the same duties as what a mayor would

43. Leaders of the Progressive Changes • Theodore Roosevelt—”Square Deal” • Based on 3 principles: conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection • Aimed at helping middle class citizens and involved attacking plutocracy and bad trusts while at the same time protecting business from the extreme demands of organized labor • Promotion of anti-trust suits • Woodrow Wilson—”New Freedom” • Called for less government • Added new controls such as the Federal Reserve System and the Clayton Antitrust Act • Business Reform • Banking Reform

44. Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt

45. Woodrow Wilson

46. African Americans • After the Civil War, there was lots of discrimination toward African Americans and feed slaves • Many laws existed limiting the freedoms of African Americans • Intimidation and crimes were directed against African Americans—lynchings • Many prominent African Americans began the push to end racism during the progressive period

47. 1.) Booker T. Washington: • A major leader against racism • Son of slave parents • Created the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1881 • School designed to teach African Americans vocational skills • He believed African Americans could achieve economic prosperity, independence, and the respect of whites • He accepted social separation (segregation)

48. Booker T. Washington

49. 2.) W. E. B. Dubois: • Believed education was meaningless without equality • Created the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) • Wanted African American children to have equal opportunities in education

50. W. E. B. Dubois