The Progressive Movement The People’s Response to Overcrowded Cities, Poor Working Conditions and A Broken Political System.

The Presidents of the period Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909 William Howard Taft 1909-1913 Woodrow Wilson 1913-1921

Who Were the Progressives They were against unregulated, corrupt Big Business running the country Believed industrialization and urbanization created many social problems They believed they could improve society with their strong faith in Science and technology Many believed the system was un-Democratic and un-Christian

“Muckrakers” They were investigative journalists or writers who focused on corruption and social problems Teddy Roosevelt named them “muckrakers” because they dug up the filth or muck they saw in politics and society while ignoring the positive The “muckrakers” were doing their jobs according to the principals of the founding fathers excerpt from- The Bitter Cry of Children

Women as Progressives Fight for the Right to Vote Known as Suffrage Women fight for the right to vote for 72 years beginning in 1848 Western states give full voting rights to women before 1920 Governor Albert Roberts of Tennessee called a special session of the General Assembly which voted in favor of the 19th amendment 19th amendment grants women the right to vote

Social Reforms Begin to Happen Unions, Strikers and the more “radical” people lead the way Triangle Tragedy gets the countries attention States begin to limit hours worked per day (especially women and children), pay workers compensation and enforce building and health codes Temperance movement advocated that people stop or moderate alcohol consumption

Progressives vs. Big Business Teddy Roosevelt takes on trusts Defeats and breaks up Northern Securities, a railroad monopoly owned J.P. Morgan Becomes known as the “Trustbuster” but leaves most intact The Socialists led by Eugene V. Debs scare everyone including Roosevelt to reform capitalism

Regulating Big Business Upton Sinclair (a socialists) published The Jungle describing horrible conditions in the meat packing industry (excerpt p. 302) Lead to Meat Inspection Act and The Pure Food and Drug Act

The Election of 1912

Roosevelt vs Wilson: who is the progressive Roosevelt: Loser believes Monopolies are a fact of life Wants protection for women and children in the work place and workers compensation Wilson: Winner Need to destroy Monopolies Introduces Income Tax or direct tax on the earnings of individuals Federal Reserve Act: Historic piece of legislation Reforms the Banks by supervising banking industry and controlling interest rates

Limits of Progressivism Changes were made Americans now expected more from Federal and State Government W.E.B. Du Bois Fisk and Harvard Graduate created the NAACP believing voting rights essential to ending lynching's