1890s

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Who were the Progressives? Who were the Progressives? What reforms did they seek? What reforms did they seek? How successful were Progressive Era reforms in the period ? How successful were Progressive Era reforms in the period ? Consider: political change, social change (industrial conditions, urban life, women, prohibition)

Progressivism

Progressivism

Origins of Progressivism “Muckrakers” Jacob Riis – How the Other Half Lives (1890) Ida Tarbell – “The History of the Standard Oil Co.” (1902) Lincoln Steffens – The Shame of the Cities (1904) Ida Tarbell Lincoln Steffens

Social Welfare The Social Gospel and Settlement House Movement – Continued during the Progressive Era and inspired even more reform activities The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) The Salvation Army

Settlement Houses Hull-House – Jane Addams Jane Addams (1905)Hull-House Complex in 1906

Social Reforms Child labor laws Ten-hour work days --The “Brandeis brief” --Muller v. Oregon (1908) --Bunting v. Oregon (1917) Prohibition initiatives Moral Purity campaigns --Mann Act (1910)

Social Reforms (cont.) Minimum safety standards on the job Minimum standards for housing codes “City Beautification” movement Immigration Restriction Eugenics --Buck v. Bell (1927) Little Help for Blacks --NAACP (1909) -- “Birth of a Nation”

WOMEN (in social welfare) Women were active in progressivism --Suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony Florence Kelley: Became an advocate for improving the lives of women and children. – Desire to make society more moral and more just – Desire to distribute income more equitably – Desire to broaden opportunities for individual advancement Frances Willard ( ), leader of the WCTU Susan B. Anthony Florence Kelley Jane Addams

Promoting Moral Improvement These reformers wanted immigrants and poor city dwellers to uplift themselves by improving their personal behavior. – Prohibition: The banning of Alcoholic beverages, they feared that alcohol was undermining Americans morals.

WOMEN (in moral improvement) In the 1890s, Cary Nation worked for prohibition by walking into saloons, scolding the customers, and using her hatchet to destroy bottles of liquor

Creating Economic Reform Because of the Panic of 1893 some Americans especially workers, embraced socialism. Big business often received favorable treatment from the government

Eugene V. Debs Debs was a union organizer – the Pullman strike of 1894 – He was jailed for his actions in the strike. Debs was among the early founders of the Socialist Party. – He ran for president five times

Fostering Efficiency As president, Roosevelt advanced aggressive political reforms, including the heavy regulation of business. “trust-buster” first president to us the Sherman Antitrust Act

Progressive Amendments to the Constitution Progressive reliance on the law 16 th Amendment (1913)— federal income tax 17 th Amendment (1913)— direct election of senators 18 th Amendment (1919)— prohibition 19 th Amendment (1920)— vote for women

The Waning of the Progressive Movement Progressive movement peaks by 1917 Success of the movement led to its decline Advent of World War I also hurt progressive activism Progressives themselves began to weary of their reform zeal—as did the nation as a whole Ironically, voter participation has steadily declined since the election of 1912

Adolescent girls from Bibb, Mfg. Co. in Georgia

Mill workers mending broken threads on bobbins.

"Breaker boys, Hughestown Borough Coal Co. Pittston, Pa."

Mill Girl, Lancaster, S.C., November 30, 1908

Breakerboys – Pennsylvania Coal Company