Progressive Era Review Session

What is Reform? In Order to Reform, you Must First Inform Reform Bringing about change to a social problem or concern Progressive Moving forward, bringing about change Public Interest Gilded Age Term that implies a “false sense of good.” Extreme poverty hidden by a few wealthy Americans. Impact of Progressive Movement Increased government regulation of business Response from problems created by industrialization Government should act to eliminate worst abused from the industrial society In Order to Reform, you Must First Inform

Progressive Era Amendments 16th Amendment Imposing an income tax on Americans 17th Amendment Direct election of U.S. Senators 18th Amendment Prohibition of Alcohol 19th Amendment National Woman’s Suffrage (right to vote)

Election Reforms (PIRR) Primary Election Allow voters to choose a party’s candidates for elected office Initiative Allows voters to initiate or propose a bill to the state legislature Referendum Allows voters to vote on proposed legislation Recall Allows voters to remove an elected official from office The goal of these reforms was to give more power to the people and involve voters more directly in the political process

Problems that needed fixing Big City Political bosses Took advantage of inner city poor and immigrants More power to the people Voting- more say in who runs our government City living Tenements, poor working conditions Child Labor Compulsory (required) Education, labor unions fight

Civil Service Act (Pendleton Act) Act passed requiring job seekers to pass an exam to prove competency Set up to end the Spoils System and fill vacant jobs based upon qualifications for the position Spoils System – giving government jobs to followers, not based on qualification

Federal Reserve Act Regulated banking in the United States

Women’s Rights Movement 1848 – Seneca Falls Convention Seneca Falls, NY (Anthony and Stanton) Beginning of an organized Women’s Rights Movement Declaration of Sentiments Modeled after the Declaration of Independence Proclaimed the rights and grievances of women Proclaimed men and women equal Publicized the need for women’s rights Many years of struggle led to 19th Amendment (right to vote) for women Many women in the West could vote before 19th Amendment Alice Paul Picketed the White House, hunger strike, force fed Carrie Chapman Catt Led state by state campaigns to get the 19th Amendment passed

Temperance Movement Movement to abolish the sale of alcohol in the United States- led by Women’s Christian Temperance Union Carry “The Hatchet” Nation Publically raided saloons Many leaders were women due to the affect of alcohol on families 18th Amendment Prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol

Muckrakers Muckrakers Writers (journalists) and critics who exposed corruption and abuses in industry, government and society Primary goal was to bring about social reform and change Helped encourage government to pass laws to protect consumers and reform problems in American society

Muckrakers Thomas Nast Political cartoonist All could understand cartoons- even if they could not read Exposed corrupt city governments Exposed Boss Tweed, NYC, stole $100 million from tax payers and took advantage of immigrants and the city poor

Muckrakers Upton Sinclair Wrote “The Jungle” Exposed problems (unsanitary conditions) in the meat-packing industry in Chicago, IL Resulted in the Meat Inspection Act (1906) and Pure Food and Drug Act

Muckrakers Jacob Riis Immigrant- arrived at age 21 Took pictures exposing city life Wrote “How the Other Half Lives” Exposed the living conditions of immigrants and the poor in city tenement buildings

Muckrakers Ida Tarbell Helped bring an end to the Standard Oil Trust John Rockefeller Did research on Rockefeller and his practices

Theodore Roosevelt Progressive President Trust Buster (bad trusts) Laws preventing unfair business practices First president to side with labor (workers) over business owners Conservationist Incorporated several different political ideas Pure Food and Drug Act/Meat Inspection Act

Other Reformers Booker T. Washington W.E.B. Dubois Woodrow Wilson Believed in the power of education to bring about equality W.E.B. Dubois NAACP Demanded equality immediately Woodrow Wilson New Freedom Elected 1912

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six years; and each senator shall have one vote. -United States Constitution (1787)   The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each senator shall have one vote. -17th Amendment to the United States Constitution (1913)

“…We therefore formulate, and for ourselves adopt the following pledge, asking our sisters and brothers of a common danger and a common hope, to make common cause with us, in working its reasonable and helpful precepts [principles] into the practice of everyday life. I hereby solemnly promise, God helping me, to abstain from all distilled, fermented and malt liquors, including wine, beer and cider, and to employ all proper means to discourage the use of and traffic in the same.…”-National Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, 1908 (adapted)  

Main Idea? “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex…”

Main Idea?

Main idea and outcome?

“In short, our aim should be, not to destroy, but effectively…to regulate and control, in the public interest, the great instrumentalities (corporations) of modern business…” -Theodore Roosevelt, 1913