Progressive Era Early twentieth-century reform movement that pushed the government to resolve social problems created by urban industrialism. Problems like: poverty child labor vice exploitation of labor destruction of natural resources

Social Darwinism Social Darwinism: that human progress came from competition and natural selection--the “survival of the fittest.” Its advocates believed that reform movements were a waste of time.

Reform Darwinism Reform Darwinism was a social theory that directly challenged Social Darwinism; Proponents believed that if humans changed the social environment, they could improve the lot of humans faster and advance evolution.

How did Progressivism get started? At the grassroots level, by everyday people in the cities, in reaction to excesses of the Gilded Age.

Settlement Houses College-educated women, like Jane Addams wanted to “civilize the city”

Characteristics of Progressive Movement A belief that environment, not heredity alone, determines human potential A sense of optimism that conditions can be corrected without radically changing economy or institutions A profound trust in “experts” and scientific data A willingness to take action

The Jungle The book was instrumental in exposing the meat packing industry “muckraking” (The Jungle is an example) Passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act 1906 “I aimed at the public’s heart, but I hit them in the stomach.”

Alliances between middle and lower class women A strike held against New York’s garment industry in 1909 was supported by women workers and middle class women 20,000 workers went on strike They won some concessions Labels sewn into garments made by union workers

Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire 146 died, many jumping nine stories to their deaths. proved that the factories were not safe for workers.

Triangle fire

Progressivism Finds a President

Theodore Roosevelt: Domestic Policy “Trust Buster” He filed suit to enforce the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 which was being ignored. He won. Labor negotiator United Mine Workers and the “square deal”

President Roosevelt A newspaper editor wrote, “Wall Street is paralyzed at the thought that a President of the United States would sink so low as to try to enforce the law.”

Conservationist When Roosevelt took office, government land reserves totaled 45 million acres. When he left office, the government had 150 million acres.

Controversy over Hetch Hetchy

Roosevelt: Foreign Policy “Speak softly but carry a big stick” Roosevelt believed that “civilized nations” should police the world and hold “backward” countries in line. . . . he relied on military strength and diplomacy

Monroe Doctrine Roosevelt Corollary A declaration by President James Monroe in 1823 that the Western Hemisphere was closed to any further colonization or interference by European powers. In exchange, Monroe declared that the US would not get involved in European conflicts. A declaration in 1904 that the US would not intervene in Latin America as long as nations there conducted their affairs with “decency.” It made the US the policeman of the Western Hemisphere and allowed it to enforce repayment of European debts. Monroe and Roosevelt

Panama Canal US offered Columbia $10 million and an annual rent of $250,000 Columbia refused At the prompting of some investors in New York, Panamanians staged an uprising, 1903 Within 24 hours, Roosevelt’s government recognized the new Panama, and the new country accepted the $10 million and the canal was begun.

US Foreign Policy and the World Stage Enforcement of Monroe Doctrine Formulating the Roosevelt Corollary Endorsing the uprising in Panama

Taft Presidency Taft sided more often with big business “Dollar Diplomacy”

Progressive Party 1912 Nicknamed the “Bull Moose Party” Nominated former President Theodore Roosevelt Platform: Presidential primaries Conservation of natural resources An end to child labor Minimum wages for women Workers’ compensation Social security Federal income tax

Woodrow Wilson Democrat Wilson wins election of 1912 He turns out to be “progressive” Federal Reserve Act, 1913 Federal Trade Commission

Radical Progressives

W.E.B. DuBois Authored “Souls of Black Folk” 1903 Founded the Niagara Movement, precursor to the NAACP Lifelong radical, later investigated by the FBI

Margaret Sanger

Eugene Debs Social Democratic Party (Socialist) advocated cooperation over competition and urged people to shake free from private ownership

Some successes of the Progressive Era Hull House and other settlement houses Muller v. Oregon, 1908, limited workday for women to 10 hours Upton Sinclair’s novel of 1906, The Jungle Conservation of 150 million acres of natural landscape

Some Failures of the Progressive Movement Jim Crow laws Nativism Prohibition