What was the USA like 1890-1920?

1. What was the USA like 1890-1920? • Big businesses growing after industrial revolution which succeeded the Civil War USA was rich in natural resources and communications improved. Westward expansion and massive immigration created a dynamism • Iron 920 000 tonnes 1860-10.3 million • Oil modern production began in 1901 and further “gushers” found in the SW by 1919 USA produced 2/3 of world’s oil • Efficient organisation of business and use of techincal creativity; helped by ownership by shareholders who employd managers to run daily business, large scale investment, workers fuelled by immigration and all processes of business joined together via vertical integration (raw materials, production and marketing) • Trusts and monopolies created as a result of mergers of smaller companies by 1904 4% of US companies produced 57% of total industry in USA and between 1898 and 1902 319 major consolidations e.g. J. P Morgan controlled steel market What is your view on US business in this era?

2. Lynd Ward (what is his message?) J. P. Morgan "A man generally has two reasons for doing a thing. One that sounds good, and a real one.“ Was USA a good thing or just resembled a good thing?

3. Reaction to big business • Big businesses are un-American as small businesses or new entrants can’t compete • Interstate Commerce Act 1885 all railroad charges should be “reasonable and just” and Interstate Railroad Commission to supervise railroad affairs. Rates had to be published but commissions did not have control over these rates • Sherman Anti Trust Act 1890 Trusts restricting trade between states seen as illegal

4. Society 1890-1920 • Immigration between 1866-1915 25 m (aprox) emigrated to USA mostly from E and S Europe why? • US economy was growing so plenty of opportunities • New steamship made journey quicker • Open immigration laws (less than 1 in 50 sent home) so escaped persecution at home by going to USA What effect will this have on Americans?

5. Results on US population • Emigration • Fear of job security, infiltration of new ideas e.g. Communism anarchism • Overcrowded cities as most stayed in cities unlike earlier immigrants looking for land • Enclaves of different nationalities came to exist in cities • Increase in Catholicism so 1887 American Protestant Association set up who blamed new immigrants for lapses in morality and crime increase

6. What was the Populist Movement and why was it formed? • Agricultural unrest: prices falling drastically 1866 wheat $1.5 bundle cotton 30 c in 1890 60 cents and 6 cents respectively; high tariffs on foreign manufactured goods meant US produce not bought abroad; Middlemen made too much profit in buying produce and sell on to retailers; improved transport allowed Australia, Canada and Russia to compete in world market; Shortage of credit in agricultural areas; harvest deteriorated in late 1880s • Agricultural areas felt distant from industrialised part of the country • Labour unions created e.g. 1885 AFL Am Fed of Labour umbrella organisation for all unions speaking for shorter days, better pay and developing pride of belonging to organisations • Employers often unsympathetic to unions and strikes defeated by the use of blackleg labour (strike breakers) e.g. 1892 Carnegie brought in 300 private guards to break strike but after 5 months strikers gave up and defeat was a setback for AFL; 1894 Pullman car plant cut wages and refused to reduce rents American railway union said they would refuse to use Pullman cars but Pullman threatened use of troops • 1896 election Populist Party to fight against traditional Democrat and Republican Party but campaign was first to use modern campaigning methods and financing and growth in literacy and mass media (McKinley rep won good backing via Hanna and Gov of Ohio) • Muckraking journalism which exposed scandals of modern life and companies practises attracting big audiences (Colliers’s received 1 million sales per copy 1912)

7. Progressive Presidents What measures do they introduce and what continues across the era?

8. Progressivism • Vague definition and only decided if you were a Progressive if others agreed you were one. • Want a reform to society and keep what was good • Increased govt role • Laws to reform abuses and bodies to enforce them • Close any loopholes so laws can’t be avoided • Hesitation over projecting US power abroad What battles would progressives fight?

9. Context of Progressivism • Worldwide context: Bolshevik Revolution and Com threat; Want to avoid LofN; Influenza 1919-20 • Beliefs in USA in 1920s: resentment of wartime taxes; fear of striking workers and political radicals; ethnic Americans held grievance with peace settlement

10. Progressives