Gilded Age – Progressive Era

Gilded Age Gilded – cheap center covered w/ thin layer of gold (Mark Twain) Gov’t followed Laissez – Faire policies 1877-1900

Political Party Differences Republican Gold based $ High Tariffs $ for Union soldiers Aid to RR Limits on Immigrants Enforce Blue Laws Democrat Silver based $ Lower Tariffs High farm prices Less aid to RR Fewer Blue Laws

Lewes, Delaware: It is illegal to wear pants that are “firm fitting” around the waist. Rehoboth Beach No person shall change clothes in his or her vehicle. No person shall pretend to sleep on a bench on the boardwalk. Changing into or out of a bathing suit in a public restroom is prohibited. Six-year-old girls may not run around without being fully clothed. Alcohol may not be served in nightclubs if dancing is occurring on the premises at the same time.

Maine It is illegal to stroll down the street and play a violin at the same time. Advertisements may not be placed in cemeteries. North Carolina: Elephants may not be used to plow cotton fields. In cemeteries, no one may visit their departed loved ones late at night. Women must have their bodies covered by at least 16 yards of cloth at all times. (Charlotte)

Presidents of the Gilded Age Rutherford Hayes Republican Ended Reconstruction Reformed Spoils System

Presidents of the Gilded Age James A Garfield Republican Killed by a lawyer, Charles Guiteau

Presidents of the Gilded Age Chester Arthur Republican Created Civil Service Commission Check qualifications

Presidents of the Gilded Age Grover Cleveland Democrat Gov’t control over RR

Presidents of the Gilded Age Benjamin Harrison Republican Sherman Anti Trust Act Country begins a Depression

Presidents of the Gilded Age Grover Cleveland Democrat Stops Pullman Strike Only Prez elected twice not in a row!

Presidents of the Gilded Age William McKinley Republican Increases US Tariffs Supported the Gold Standard

Presidents of the Gilded Age William McKinley Spanish – American War Annexation of Hawaii Killed during 2nd term – Leon Czolgosz

Progressive Era 1890-1920 A variety of reforms were enacted at all levels Many Progressives believed that political action and reform were required for progress in society.

The Progressives: Their Goals and Beliefs Progressives were not a single unified movement. Their efforts fell into four categories: Social Reform Moral Reform Economic Reform Political Reform

Social Reform Government should be given expanded powers so that it could become more active in improving the lives of its citizens.

Social Reform Examples 1.Women’s rights Suffrage (voting) Owning Property Divorce Clothing Birth Control

Women’s Reform Leaders Susan B Anthony – activist who worked towards gaining suffrage for women Created National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)

Women’s Reform Leaders Florence Kelley – activist who worked towards gaining better working conditions

Women’s Reform Leaders Alice Paul – radical activist who worked towards gaining suffrage for women Created Congressional Union (CU): wanted an Amendment giving Women right to vote

Social Reform Examples 2. Protection of the Environment Antiquities Act of 1906 Allows President to designate National Monuments Protect and Preserve Wildlife Areas

Social Reform Examples 3. Tenement Life Over Crowding of the Cities Poor Living Conditions Unsanitary Conditions

Social Reform Examples 4. Unsafe working conditions and Child Labor Fewer Hours Higher Wages Safer Factories Unions

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory operated on the top 3 floors of the 10 story Asch Building in New York City

In 1911, Unsafe working conditions lead to a deadly fire Notice that the tallest ladders owned by the fire department only reach the 6th floor

Rather than burn alive in the swift moving fire, many women jump from windows

This is actually a photo of the building after the fire This is actually a photo of the building after the fire! Note how there is very little damage on the outside of the building

Eight months after the fire, a jury acquitted the factory owners, of any wrong doing. Twenty-three individual civil suits were brought against the owners of the Asch building. On March 11, 1913, three years after the fire, the owners settled. They paid 75 dollars per life lost. This tragedy led to a push for comprehensive safety and workers compensation laws.

Social Reform Examples 5. Safer Medicines Restriction of Harmful Drugs Proper Labeling Government Approval of Future Drugs/Medicines

Medicines at the turn of the century did not require a prescription. Patent Medicines Medicines at the turn of the century did not require a prescription. Making exaggerated claims, they were used for a variety of ailments. Many contained dangerous ingredients.

Cocaine was a common ingredient – even for children's medicines

Notice it's from the makers of Bayer Aspirin...

Social Reform Examples 6. Safer Food Government Inspection of Food Proper Labeling Cleanliness Have you read “The Jungle”? yuck.

The Jungle Written by Upton Sinclair Talks about the horrors of the meat packing industry

Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 Created Food and Drug Administration, responsibility of testing all foods and drugs destined for human consumption The requirement for prescriptions from licensed physicians before a patient could purchase certain drugs The requirement of label warnings on habit-forming drugs.

Meat Inspection Act of 1906 All animals were required to pass an inspection by the FDA prior to slaughter All carcasses were subject to a post-mortem inspection Cleanliness standards were established for slaughterhouses and processing plants.

Social Reform Examples Civil Rights Movement African Americans were still fighting for basic rights guaranteed them in the Constitution

Problems African Americans fought Against Voter Restrictions Poll Tax – Pay a fee to vote Literacy Test – prove you could read & write to vote Grandfather Clause – exempts a group of people from obeying a law provided they met certain conditions before law was passed

Problems African Americans fought Against Jim Crow Laws – System of laws that segregated public services by race

Problems African Americans fought Against Plessy v. Ferguson – “Separate but Equal” Supreme Court ruled against Homer Plessy saying segregation was legal as long as separate facilities were equal

Problems African Americans fought Against Lynching – mob’s illegal seizure & execution of a person, usually by hanging

African American Leaders Booker T. Washington – encouraged African Am. To become educated & learn a trade

African American Leaders WEB DuBois – encouraged African Am. To attend college & become leaders; Also started NAACP

African American Leaders NAACP – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Worked through courts to gain equal rights for African Am.

Moral Reform Many felt the Morals of our society were at the root of many turn of the century problems. - Moral Reformers sought to promote Moral Improvements: End Prostitution End Gambling End Drunkenness Education for Children Americanization and Restriction of Immigrants

Economic Reform Economic Reformers sought to curb the power and influence of wealthy interests. Monopolies Trusts Gap between Rich and Poor

Political Reformers demanded Political Honesty and Accountability Governments should become more efficient and less corrupt so that they can competently handle an expanded role. Political Reformers demanded Political Honesty and Accountability Patronage/Spoils System Only Politicians can introduce bills Only Legislatures can pass laws Only Courts can remove corrupt officials Political Machines Bribery

Patronage The giving of jobs or other political favors to supporters – even if they are not qualified Even Presidents did it! …until…

Progressive Political Reforms BEFORE Party leaders chose candidates for state & local offices AFTER Direct Primaries – Voters select their party’s candidates

Progressive Political Reforms BEFORE State legislature chose US Senators AFTER 17th Amendment – US Senators are elected by popular vote

Progressive Political Reforms BEFORE Only members of state legislature can introduce bills AFTER Initiative – Voters can put bills before the legislation

Progressive Political Reforms BEFORE Only legislatures pass laws AFTER Referendum – voters can vote on bills directly DE voters control raising school taxes

Progressive Political Reforms BEFORE Only courts or legislature can remove corrupt officials AFTER Recall – voters can remove elected officials from office

Progressive Political Reforms

MUCKRAKERS Journalists that exposed turn of the century problems such as illegal business activities, putrid food, quack medicines, squalid living conditions, dangerous working conditions, etc. The uncovering of these awful truths led progressives to demand changes.

SOME FAMOUS MUCKRAKERS Ida Tarbell Jacob Riis Lincoln Steffens History of Standard Oil How the Other Half Lives Upton Sinclair SOME FAMOUS MUCKRAKERS Shame of the Cities Exposed the ruthless practices of big business Exposed the shameful living conditions in city tenements The Jungle Exposed the horrors of the meatpacking industry Exposed Big City Political Corruption

Progressive Presidents Theodore Roosevelt Republican Youngest Prez Took office after McKinley is shot

Progressive Presidents Led the fight to dissolve 40 monopolies as a “trust buster“ “Square Deal" promised a fair shake for the average citizen, including: regulation of railroad rates and pure foods and drugs. promotion of the conservation movement, emphasizing efficient use of natural resources.

Progressive Presidents William H Taft Republican Promised to continue TR’s ideas Tried but lacked TR’s energy

Progressive Presidents Interstate Commerce Commission was directed to set railroad rates. Initiated 80 antitrust suits Submitted to the states amendments for a Federal income tax and the direct election of Senators.

Progressive Presidents Ballinger-Pinchot Affair Gifford Pinchot – Head of Forest Service Richard Ballinger – Sec. of Interior Pinchot accused Ballinger of taking bribes for mining rights in Alaska Taft fired Pinchot!

Progressive Presidents Progressive Republicans are upset w/ Taft & want TR back TR loses in the primaries so he creates his own political party Progressive Party aka Bull Moose Party

Election of 1912 Rep – William Taft Dem – Woodrow Wilson Prog – Teddy Roosevelt

Wilson Wins!!!! Candidate Popular Vote Electoral Vote Wilson 6,296, 547 435 Roosevelt 4,118,571 88 Taft 3,486,720 8 Other 1,135,637 None

Progressive Presidents Woodrow Wilson Democrat Continued Progressivism Prez during WWI

Progressive Presidents Anti-trust legislation established a Federal Trade Commission to prohibit unfair business practices. Laws prohibiting child labor; another limited railroad workers to an eight-hour day. Lowered Tariffs

Progressive Presidents Clayton Antitrust Act Strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 Spelled out specific activities businesses could NOT do Aide to Union Strikes now Legal!

Progressive Presidents Federal Reserve System Central bank of the US Divided nation into 12 regions each w/ its own Federal Reserve Bank Banks now under the rules of “the Fed”

Progressive Presidents Federal Reserve System Regulates Amount of money in circulation Sets interest rates Regulates how much a bank can lend

Progressive Presidents Louis Brandeis – 1st Jewish Supreme Court Justice Dept. of Labor Women’s Bureau

Progressive Presidents 16th Amendment – Congress can levy income taxes 17th Amendment – Direct Election of Senators 18th Amendment – Prohibition of Alcohol 19th Amendment – Women’s Suffrage