The Progressives 1900-1920

The Progressives pick up where the Populists left off was a political idea not a political party included many former Populists conerned with environmental conservation coupled with a religious revival—1890-1915 Social Gospel—applying Christianity to reform movements

gets its start in Wisconsin with Robert M. LaFollette Wisconsin was dominated by political machines and big business (timber/RR’s) LaFollette was elected governor (1901-06) and then Senator (1906-1925) fought machine politics and trusts reformed civil service and increased public education worked hard for improving the electoral system—increasing the numbers of voters and fairness in elections (Women’s Suffrage, voter registration reform, primary elections, rights of workers, and direct election of US Senators)

concentrate on reforming the relationship between business and government Trusts/Monopolies were targeted by legislation and/or civil lawsuits Government Service was based on the merit system Public Health & Safety concerns led to the Food and Drug Act (1906) after author Upton Sinclair exposed the meat packing industry (The Jungle)

8. 3 Progressive Presidents Theodore Roosevelt William Howard Taft Woodrow Wilson Progressive causes—environmental conservation, trust reform, business and labor reform, public health and safety (The Square Deal) Progressive causes—similar to Roosevelt (not as aggressive) Progressive causes—labor unions, election reform, economic reform (The New Freedom) Scorecard on reform—successful in spite of opposition from BOTH parties on several issues (only short-coming may have been on race relations) Scorecard on reform—mixed results (criticism from Roosevelt) led to a split in the Republican Party (1912)—Roosevelt formed the Progressive Party (Bull Moose Party) Scorecard on reform—increased the regulatory power (control over business) of the government, helped push for the adoption of women’s suffrage, most racist President since Andrew Johnson—allowed federal agencies to adopt segregation as official policy and refused to outlaw lynching

The Progressive Movement controls American Politics from 1901-1920 and are later seen in the reform movements of the later 2oth century Progressives change US view of government’s role in looking out for the rights and well-being of citizens—The Public Good