Progressivism

What is Progressivism? Range of economic, social, political and moral reforms Gained support from the urban college educated middle class Helped pass four “progressive” amendments to the constitution:  Authorization of income tax  Direct election of senators  Voting for women  Prohibition of manufacturing and selling alcoholic beverages

Focus of the Muckrakers Child Labor Corruption in city governments Lynching “Big Business” practices Wanted to expand high schools Get rid of red-light districts Improve wages for women Factory regulations

History of Prohibition Prohibition was designed to eliminate the businesses that were manufacturing, distributing, and selling alcoholic beverages 18 th amendment took away license from brewers, distillers, vintners, wholesale/retail sellers of alcohol Did not like the growth of drinking culture that was forming and spreading in the United States

Anti-Saloon League: 1893 in Chicago  Believed American society was on a decline; losing touch with religious values  Wanted to eliminate bars, taverns, and saloons  Declined: disagreement between enforcing amendment or teaching children of evils of alcohol Women’s Christian Temperance Union  Concerned about “destructive power of alcohol”  Met in churches to pray then marched to saloons  Also known as the Women’s Crusades  Definition of Temperance: moderation in all things healthful; total abstinence from all things harmful. Prohibition Party: 1869  Gained most support from rural and small town Protestant Evangelical church members

Political Machines in the U.S. Political Machine: party organization headed by a single boss that acquires enough votes to maintain political and administrative control of a city, county, or state City governments were not prepared to support the growing cities (from immigration and industrialization) Political machines stepped in and offered support in the form of housing and employment

Tammany Hall: Democratic Political Machine in New York Had an 80 year influence on New York City politics History of Tammany Hall  Tammany Society organized in 1789  Was a fraternal organization specializing in social activities  Rose to political power after the election of Andrew Jackson  Gained loyalty from immigrants Employment and housing Citizenship allowing them to vote for Tammany candidates

The Reign of Boss Tweed Tweed was overcharging the city for public works projects and supplies  Broom= $41,190  Thermometer= $7,500 Thomas Nast began campaign to expose the corruption Harper Brothers lost contract to provide school books for NYC Arrested:  Found guilty of corruption  Sent to jail for 12 years  Is estimated to have made $200,000,000  Used money to escape from prison; fled to Cuba then Spain  Caught in Spain, extradited back to U.S. & died in prison