Reform & the Early 1900’s Populism Progressivism

Farmers Alliances Groups of farmers got together to fight for their cause The Granger movement-farmers got together and formed sort of a political party Later turned into the Populist Party

Populists Tried to cure the problems of the farmers What were the problems of the farmers? Overproduction-prices dropped, farmers lost $ Railroads-charged extremely high prices Lack of money-currency was deflated, farmers couldn’t get a hold of enough money Gold Standard

Goals of the Populists Free Silver-wanted more $ in the $ supply Railroad Regulation Graduated Income Tax-the more you earn the higher percentage that you pay in taxes Gov’t intervention

William Jennings Bryan Leader of the Populists “Cross of Gold” speech Runs for Pres 3 times Loses each time but…

Impact of the Populist Party Although they don’t win any elections they are considered a success Many of their ideas get absorbed by the bigger parties Many of their ideas later become law

Native Americans Are always treated poorly Forced off of their land Put onto reservations The Dawes Act-attempt to Americanize Native Americans-fails

Progressive Reform Progressives tried to fix inner city problems that were caused by industrialization They also tried to get more citizen participation in Gov’t Politicians Writers

Muckrakers Writers whose works influenced socioeconomic change Upton Sinclair: The Jungle Lincoln Steffens: The Shame of the Cities Jacob Riis: How the Other Half Lives Ida Tarbell: History of the Standard Oil Company Frank Norris: The Octopus

The Jungle Upton Sinclair Exposed the filth in the meatpacking industry Led to the Meat Inspection Act

History of Standard Oil Ida Tarbell Exposed the ruthless practices of Standard Oil. Standard Oil was later broken up by the Gov’t

Antitrust Laws Were designed to limit the power of monopolies Were designed to restore competition to smaller businesses Sherman Antitrust Act Clayton Antitrust Act

Jacob Riis Used photographs as a means of exposing the horrible conditions of the cities Led to safety code enforcement

Progressive Politicians Teddy Roosevelt William Howard Taft Woodrow Wilson Robert M. Lafollette

Teddy Roosevelt

T.R. as a Progressive The Square Deal-name of Roosevelt's program to reform the country. Pure Food and Drug Act Meat Inspection Act Regulating “Good” Trusts Breaking up “Bad” Trusts

Roosevelt as a Naturalist Roosevelt also believed in preserving the environment and wilderness. Forest Reserve Act National Reclamation Act Roosevelt was considered a great conservationist

Roosevelt on Foreign Policy We will get back to him in another unit.

Roosevelt retires In 1909 Roosevelt followed tradition and didn't seek a 3rd term. Will be replaced by his hand picked successor: William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft

Taft Broke up more trusts then Roosevelt Doesn’t do everything that Roosevelt hoped that he would do. We will get back to Taft as well as Roosevelt when we talk about foreign policy in the era

Woodrow Wilson Defeats Taft and Roosevelt in 1912, more on that later….. New Freedom: name of Wilson’s plan for reform in America Federal Reserve System -the nations national bank Interest Rates Money Supply

Robert LaFollette

Lafollette Progressive Gov from Wisconsin Was huge into the concept of… Increased citizen participation in Gov’t

Reforms of fighting Bob Secret Ballot Initiative-allowed voters to petition the legislature to consider laws Referendum-voters decide whether a bill or amendment should be passed Recall-force elected officials from office Direct Primary-allows voters, rather than party leaders, to select candidates for office

The Impact of the Progressives Although they never win the Presidency; many of their ideas are absorbed by the bigger parties Many of their ideas later become law Direct Election of Senators Graduated Income Tax Initiative, Recall, Referendum

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