Bellwork We are going to watch a video based on the book “The Jungle.” Using this video as a source, describe working conditions during the Gilded Age (or the 2nd Industrial Revolution).

Section 12, Unit 2 The Progressive Movement American History Section 12, Unit 2 The Progressive Movement

Objectives List some of the goals of progressives Explain why women were attracted to the Progressive movement Identify the roles that writers and intellectuals played in the progressive movement. Analyze the role of the progressive movement on blacks, women, and labor reforms.

Question Based on the project before, how would you describe life during the turn of the century? What changed during the Gilded Age? What changes do you think the average American (or immigrant) would want?

Progressive Spirit In the late 1800s and early 1900s, industrialization had changed America. Much of the change was good– economic growth, new goods and services, and a growing middle class. However, economic growth widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

Progressive Spirit The poor often faced unsafe working conditions, poor pay, and crowded cities. These ills lead to a spirit of reform called progressivism. Prior to this ideology, a group called the Populists had pushed forth the idea unfair and corrupt government officials. However, Populists tended be rural, while progressives were focused on urban plight.

Progressive Spirit Progressivism tried to solve the ills of society, such as unsafe working conditions, bad sanitations, and corrupt politicians. They argued for a government of the people, by pushing for election reforms that would enable people to participate more in the government. In other words, more democracy for the people.

Progressive Spirit Question: What is a monopoly and a trust? Progressives opposed corporate power and promoted legislation to limit monopolies and trusts, promote minimum wage, safe working conditions, and end child labor. They wanted smaller businesses to be able to compete fairly. Aside from this, they argued for a gradual income tax to prevent the rich from becoming too rich.

Progressive Spirit Progressives argued that science and technology could solve societal problems. With the help of universities, progressives initiated many social research programs. “If we wish to do good work for our country, we must be unselfish, disinterested, sincerely desirous of the well-being of the commonwealth, and capable of devoted adherence to a lofty ideal.” --Theodore Roosevelt, a leading Progressive. We’ll talk more about the leaders of the progressive movement in the next lesson.

Progressive Spirit Women took a great interest in the progressive movement. Progressive reforms supported women in the workplace and in politics, which tied closely to the women’s rights movement occurring simultaneously.

Reforming the Workplace As progressives explored working conditions, they saw men and women laboring long hours in dangerous jobs. In 1900, the average laborer worked for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, at about $1.50 a day (about $35 dollars a day with inflation). Women and children were often paid less.

Reforming the Workplace Progressives and newly-formed union activists campaigned for limits on child labor and better conditions for the working woman. Changes were made by 1912, in which most states limited how long a child could work (or even if they could). However, most businesses ignored the laws and continued to hire children because they argued that they depended on cheap child labor.

Reforming the Workplace Progressives also began to push for changes in the workplace concerning hours, for both men and women. They were successful in getting some states to pass a limit on hours.

Reforming the Workplace Progressives were also successful in getting early minimum-wage laws passed. In 1912, Massachusetts became the first state to pass a minimum-wage laws and soon, other states would follow suit. Despite this, it would not be until 1938 that minimum-wage would be standard practice.

Law With the changes in wage, labor conditions, and so forth, businesses began to fight back– through the court system. They turned to the Supreme Court, arguing that such labor laws deprived them of their “property” by limiting their businesses.

Law The court ruled that some social legislation was unconstitutional. In one case, they argued the freedom the contract– the idea that if an employer is only offering 10-16 hour work days, employees can choose whether or not to take it. Most social legislation survived, but it would take almost another 30 years for the federal government to standardize labor.

Unions As progressives began pushing for rights, so did the workers. Labor unions continued to fight for better conditions and their numbers only skyrocketed during the early 1900’s

Unions Unions began to pressure employers for union-only businesses and– in rare cases– they began to support socialism (the idea that the government or works cooperate to own things). As a whole, unions at this time were still in their infancy and while they attempted to use their power of strike against businesses, most of the results were mixed.

Progressivism and Women Women in progressive states-- primarily western states– saw great gains. In 1890, Wyoming became the first state to grant women the right to vote. In other states with strong progressive movements, suffragists began to make great strides in terms of their political rights. A political cartoon showing the spread of women’s rights from the western states to the eastern– and less progressive– states.

Progressivism and Women Women also saw to the election of President Woodrow Wilson, a leading progressive of his time. Under Wilson, women were successful in pushing what was called the “Anthony Amendment” into Congress in 1914. However, this Amendment was overshadowed by the growing war in Europe (WWI).

Progressivism and Women However, due to the pressure of women, various progressives, and the support of President Wilson, women would finally gain the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. With this, women would finally gain the right to vote, but they would not become a major political force until the 1950’s with the feminist movement. We’ll discuss more about women’s suffrage in the next lesson.

Progressives and African Americans Despite the gains for women made during this time, Africans did not see as many gains from the movement. Most progressives were concerned with the plight of the poor, but not of the crimination and discrimination against Africans.

Progressives and African Americans Despite the lack of support, Africans drew on progressive ideas to craft solutions appropriate to their own communities. In 1909, in an effort to end racial discrimination, W.E.B. Du Bois and leading white progressives founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Progressives and African Americans The NAACP called for end to racial inequality and social reforms that would ensure equal rights for African Americans. The NAACP– along with several other groups– made possible some of the great gains that blacks (and other minorities) would see in the century to come. However, it failed to prevent the widespread discrimination, segregation, and lack of equal rights than most Africans still dealt with.

Progressive Movement As a whole, the progressive movement– which mostly took hold from 1900-1920– radically changed the U.S. As we will see moving forward, much of what was gained during the progressive movement was done under what are known as the “progressive presidents”.

Closure We are going to watch the Crash Course History video on the Progressive Era. While watching the video, I want you to write down at least two historical facts that John Greene mentions in his video.

Review Objectives List some of the goals of progressives Explain why women were attracted to the Progressive movement Identify the roles that writers and intellectuals played in the progressive movement. Analyze the role of the progressive movement on blacks, women, and labor reforms. NAACP, 19th Amendment, etc.

Questions If you have a question, please ask now.

Next lesson In the next lesson, we are going to be discussing changes in the government under the progressive movement.

Reading Review Please read the digital history overview of the Progressive Era and answer the following question: In with evidence from the reading, please answer the following questions in detail: What was the “progressive era”? What does that mean? How did life change for African Americans during this time? What changed for women during this time?