The Progressive Movement 1880s – 1920s Thinking Skill: Demonstrate an understanding of concepts Objective: Determine who the Progressives were and what goals they hoped to achieve

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, 1911

Progressivism implies a philosophy which welcomes innovations and reforms in the political, economic and social order, usually to alleviate the ills of society, to assure people a broader control of their governments and to afford greater economic, political and social justice to the people.

What were the Progressives’ Primary Goals? Make government more democratic End unhealthy and dangerous conditions in cities and factories Limit corporate power Enforce new understanding of morality

Goals of Progressives (1) To decrease the role of special interest groups in government (2) To make the government more honest and responsive to citizen needs (3) To increase popular participation in the American system. (4) To create a more active, stronger role for the Federal government to protect the public interest. (5) To get the government responsible for the social welfare of its citizens (i.e., a rejection of social Darwinism). b. Progressives or liberals were essentially conservative as far as basic property rights and the fundamental capitalistic structure was concerned. –Unfortunately, progressives could not agree what were the causes of the ills of society and therefore they did not share many common goals.

What were the Progressives’ Solutions? No unified approach to solving society’s problems Stricter regulation of business/break up trusts Humanitarian approach –Protect workers and the urban poor Reform structure of government –federal, state and city level Reform society’s morals/ethics/behavior –Create order –Restrict immigration –End vices of the city End alcohol

Who were the Progressives? Variety of Reformers Intellectuals challenged the ideology of business Writers and Journalists wrote about the conditions and effects of industrialization and urbanization on people Inspired Middle Class reformers seeking change Formed Interest Groups to solve specific problems Approached reform utilizing Scientific Methods

Why was the Progressive Movement different than earlier movements? Complexity of Problems Urgency Moral Crusade Optimistic and Emotional Cause Rejected a laissez-faire Govt. should be strong and cause change in order to protect the people New standards/ Scientific Method

Roots of Progressivism The rapid growth of Big Business by the end of the 19th century coupled with the social problems associated with too fast growth in the cities led many Americans to attempt to reform the American system in the face of rising tensions within society as a result of industrialization a. They wanted to make it more equitable and more humanitarian b. They did not want to radically alter it the system but expand participation in it.

How were the Progressives and Populists Different? Populists –Rural movement –Led by Farmers –Lower class –Considered radical or revolutionary –Short-lived and not very successful –Only change at local level Progressives –Urban movement –Led by Intellectuals –Middle class –Sought to reform the system, not end it; popular movement –Much more successful; lasted 40 years –Change at local, state, even national level –Presidential backing

The Muckrakers Muckrakers were writers, journalists, and photographers who published stories about – municipal corruption – corporate wrongdoing –reality of slum and factory life Term Muckrakers coined by T. Roosevelt: Term Muckrakers coined by T. Roosevelt: – “Muckrakers wrote one sided, disparaging stories raking up the filth”

Important Muckrakers Ida Tarbell’s: “History of Standard Oil Company” Lincoln Steffen’s: “The Shame of the Cities” Upton Sinclair’s: “The Jungle” (Food Industry) Jacob Riis: “How the Other Half Lives” –Photographed aspects of urban life and factories Major Publications: –McClure’s (750,000 subscriptions) –Cosmopolitan (1 million subscribers)

Jacob Riis ‘Bandit’s Roost’ ‘5 Cent Rooms’ ConcernedMuckraker Are Images more powerful than words?

Modern Day Muckrakers Who are some Modern Day Muckrakers? What are some Modern Day Problems? In what ways are Muckrakers (positive and negative) for society? Michael Moore Michael Moore Morgan Sperlock Z74og9HbTM Morgan Sperlock Z74og9HbTMhttp:// Z74og9HbTMhttp:// Z74og9HbTM Planned Parenthood exposePlanned Parenthood expose (Fox News) Planned Parenthood expose

If you could, what would you reform? Think of 2 things on a local level and 2 on a national level?

"I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach.” - Upton Sinclair

Upton Sinclair and T.R Dr. Harvey Wiley Food and Drug Act Meat Inspection Act Food Inc Promo Food Inc Promo Food Inc on ABC news Food Inc on ABC news

Meat Inspection Act provided for inspection of meat packing plants Pure Food and Drug Act same day (1) Unproven claims about a product could not he made. (2) A list of ingredients had to be made available. (3) Prohibited adulterated or mislabeled foods and drugs from interstate commerce but did not regulate intrastate food and drugs. Pure Food and Drug Act same day (1) Unproven claims about a product could not he made. (2) A list of ingredients had to be made available. (3) Prohibited adulterated or mislabeled foods and drugs from interstate commerce but did not regulate intrastate food and drugs.

“Legislation may begin where an evil begins” -Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes

Political Problem: Political Reform, Govt. not accountable Initiative, Recall and Referendum Secret Ballot Direct Primary 17 th Amendment (direct election of senators) Reformer politicians Gov. LaFollette and “Wisconsin Plan” Oliver Wendell Holmes –Common Law –“Legislation may begin, where an evil begins”

Making government more democratic and responsive/accessible to citizens Many progressives hoped to make government in the U.S. more responsive to the direct voice of the American people by instituting the following institutional reforms: Initiative- ReferendumRecall Secret Ballot Direct primary Direct election of U.S. Senators Women's Suffrage-

Economic Problem: Corporate Regulation Government ownership of utilities –Set rates –Pro and Con Govt. regulation of R.R, Mines and Telephone New laws and restrictions on businesses –Taxes –Control Political Power –Regulate Rates –Inspectors and Health Officials –Food and Drug Act Ida Tarbell – History of Standard Oil

Social Problem: Prostitution, Alcohol and Drug Use Mann Act (its ambiguous language of "immorality" allowed selective prosecutions for many years, and was used to criminalize forms of consensual sexual behavior) Women’s Christian Temperance Movement –Carrie Nation Anti-Saloon League 18 th Amendment Pure Food and Drug Act Hague Opium Treaty and Harrison Narcotics Act

Role of Govt. in Reform Govt. more involved in solving society’s problems Govt. to protect interest of people and respond to their needs More participation by people in govt. Govt. Regulating business Reject Laissez-faire but not capitalism Govt. to enforce moral reform

Progressive failure (or limited success?) -- Race Relations and Civil Rights –No significant steps were taken at this time to challenge the South's Jim Crow system, solidly in place by 1900, which kept Blacks in a 2d class citizen status until the 1960s. –a. No books like Helen Hunt's Century of Dishonor challenged the American conscience toward the plight of Southern Black citizens. (1) 90% of American Blacks lived in the rural South during the Progressive Era. (2) One out of seven farmers in the US in 1900 was Black.

b. Although Roosevelt invited Booker T. Washington to the White House for dinner, Southern anger, reacting with violent acts against Southern Blacks, caused Roosevelt to back away from further commitments after he lost Southern support. c. The Southern-born Wilson had no enthusiastic support for Black rights. Despite the efforts of reformers like Ida Wells- Barnett, no anti-lynching laws were enacted even during the progressive New Deal era

Black Response Niagara Movement - the first collective attempt by African-Americans to demand full citizen rights in the 20th century (without even indirect white support) Niagara Movement - the first collective attempt by African-Americans to demand full citizen rights in the 20th century (without even indirect white support) Led by W.E.B. Du Bois, their Call to action had been signed by 59 men of distinction in DC and sixteen states from Rhode Island to South Carolina to Kansas. In a Declaration of Principles, they espoused black rights including the unrestricted right to vote, the end of all segregation in public places, equal economic opportunity, equal justice in the courts, the right to a higher education for all citizens and an end to discrimination in trade unions. Led by W.E.B. Du Bois, their Call to action had been signed by 59 men of distinction in DC and sixteen states from Rhode Island to South Carolina to Kansas. In a Declaration of Principles, they espoused black rights including the unrestricted right to vote, the end of all segregation in public places, equal economic opportunity, equal justice in the courts, the right to a higher education for all citizens and an end to discrimination in trade unions.

NAACP NAACP Although at first seen as primarily a white organization dedicated to African- American uplift through well-financed suasion, it was also an interracial phalanx that challenged the mainstream public to accept ever-greater civil and social rights for America's historic minority.

NAACP Its primary purpose became to challenge racial discrimination and segregation in public places through the legal system. Its publication Crisis was edited for 24 years by W.E.B Du Bois, whose participation in the organization was indispensable. Its publication Crisis was edited for 24 years by W.E.B Du Bois, whose participation in the organization was indispensable. Its first successes (a) Challenged laws which permitted the use of the mails to send publications fostering racial prejudice. (b) Organized boycotts to gain rights sometimes used violence in the face of violence. Its first successes (a) Challenged laws which permitted the use of the mails to send publications fostering racial prejudice. (b) Organized boycotts to gain rights sometimes used violence in the face of violence. It increased Black awareness significantly so that men like Marcus Garvey could unify Blacks in the next decade. It increased Black awareness significantly so that men like Marcus Garvey could unify Blacks in the next decade. Carter G. Woodson Formed in 1915 the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History Founded and edited in 1916 The Journal of Negro History

Henry Steel Commager: Progressivism An urban-centered reform movement, seeking political responses to industrialization and its social by-products: immigration, urban growth, the concentration of corporate power and the widening of class divisions. Native-born, protestant middle class  central to the movement.Native-born, protestant middle class  central to the movement. Organized interest groups promoted their agendasOrganized interest groups promoted their agendas Emphasis on a scientific approachEmphasis on a scientific approach

1. Confusion of Ethics – the most difficult to solve – Attempt to apply an outdated moral code to the practices of an Industrial and Integrated society Solutions: Education, muckrakers, government regulation of businesses 2. Rise of Big Business – caused many of the other problems. - Affected politics, social ills (sweatshops and child labor) and racial issues –Control and Exploitation of natural resources and labor by Trusts and Monopolies for personal gain Solutions: Government regulation – Robert LaFollette attacked RRs and lumber companies in WI Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson – regulation / breaking up trusts 3. Distribution of Wealth – easiest to solve –The unequal distribution of wealth, that created social and class divisions along economic lines Solutions: Income tax and rise of middle class after WWII

4. Rise of the City – the most vigorous area of progressive reform - The growing demand for a new type of social engineering Solutions: Professional city managers; campaigns against bosses and political machines 5. Political Corruption - Application of out-dated administration to new problems of govt. Solutions: Muckrakers – Lincoln Steffens’ Shame of the Cities; Wisconsin Idea, referendum, initiative, recall 6. Racism – Most neglected issue - Denial of political, social and economic rights Solutions: NAACP founded; anti-lynching campaigns