Section 1 The Age of Reform

Progressivism Video (7 min)

Progressivism  A spirit of reform in the early 20 th century  Focused on urban problems, poor sanitation, and corrupt governments

Progressives Were:

 Urban, educated, upper-middle class Americans  Thought government could solve problems, but needed to be fixed first.  Strong faith in science and technology

Muckrakers

 Term coined by Theodore Roosevelt that described investigative journalists  They raked up the muck, or filth, of society

Lincoln Steffens

 Exposed corruption in big city governments in his book The Shame of the Cities (1904)

Jacob Riis  Photographed the urban poor in his book How the Other Half Lives  Showed upper-class Americans the dark side of industrialization

Jacob Riis

Frank Norris

 Wrote The Octopus  A fictional work showing the stranglehold of railroads over California farmers

Ida Tarbell

 Author of “History of the Standard Oil Company” in McClure’s Magazine  Portrayed Rockefeller as a ruthless businessman

Muckraking Novels

Muckraking books

 The muckrakers began writing detailed articles too long for a magazine, so they began publishing novels  Painted negative pictures of the industrial world

Robert La Follette

 Progressive Governor of Wisconsin  Challenged hold of political bosses on party conventions.  Direct Primary – party members vote on candidates for general election.

Initiative

 Gave voters the power to introduce legislation.  Requires the legislature to vote on this citizen- introduced idea.  Used in state and local government

Referendum

 Allows citizens to vote on proposed laws directly  Often used in state and local government to stop tax hikes  Can also overturn legislation

Recall

 Enables voters to remove an elected official from office by calling for a special election.  Especially used in local elections – city councils and school boards

17 th Amendment

 Constitutional amendment that gave voters the power to elect their senators directly. (1913)  However, did remove a constitutional check on federal power…

Compulsory Education Laws

 Laws that required parents to send their children to school  Helped control problem of child labor.

Prohibition

 Prevented the sale or manufacture of alcohol  The goal of the temperance movement  Saw liquor as cause of poverty and crimes against women and children

Frances Willard

 Led the Women’s Christian Temperance Union  Worked for moderation of alcohol  The WCTU was also active in women’s suffrage, prison reform, and child labor legislation

18 th Amendment

 Barred the manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcohol  An unexpected result of this was the creation of a new type of crime called Organized Crime (and NASCAR)

Susan B Anthony

 A prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage

NAWSA

 National American Woman Suffrage Association  Founded in 1890  Led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony  Purpose: Women’s voting rights.

Lobbying

 The act of persuading legislators to vote for legislation supporting your cause.  Financially support a political candidate in exchange for legislation that lobbyists want.

Lobbying

19 th Amendment

 Constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote. (1919)  A result of successful lobbying and women’s efforts during World War I.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

 New York, 1911  Locked exit doors and bad fire escapes led to deaths of 146 garment workers  Changed public ideas about unions and worker protection laws.

Muller v. Oregon

 An employer challenged the Oregon 10-hour work day law for women  The Supreme Court upheld state’s right to limit hours for female workers

Progressives Vs Big Business

Progressives Vs Big Business  Progressives believed government should break up big business to restore competition  Sherman Antitrust Act – 1890  Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroads  The end of Laissez- Faire?