INTRODUCTION TO PROGRESSIVISM

Gilded Age  1870 through the early 1900s  Gilded is “something covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint”  Why would a time period be referred to as “gilded”?  Mark Twain co-wrote “The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today” in 1873  Satirizes the greed and corruption of post-Civil War America

Progressive Era  1890s through the 1920s  a period of social activism and political reform in the United States

Think about this:  The Gilded Age and the Progressive Era overlapped historically.  Partner Discussion  How can a time period be both “gilded” and “progressive”?

Who were the Progressives?  Loosely defined political movement – The Progressive Movement  Progressives were concerned about:  the state of society  the effects of industrialization and urbanization  social disorder, poverty, and political corruption

What were the goals of the Progressives?  Wanted the federal government to ensure social justice through reforms:  end abuses of power - unfair privilege, monopolies, urban government corruption  replace corrupt power with reformed versions of traditional institutions based upon the belief that the government could and should intervene in society and the economy to protect the common good of individuals  elevate the public interest above self-interest

CICERO © 2010 Read through each of the profiles on the handout. Identify what major issues were of concern and place them in the appropriate category on your handout.

Progressivism in 1:48  As the video plays, list out the key issues that will need to be dealt with during the Progressive Era 