The Progressive Era

Progressive Movement After Populism, citizens saw the possibilities of reform through government Populist success in local and national elections encouraged others to seek change through political action Building on Populism’s achievements and adopting some of its goals, Progressives dominated the first two decades of 1900’s.

Roots of Progressivism National Woman’s Suffrage Association American Bar Association National Municipal League These are examples of some of the groups that rallied citizens around a cause or profession Most of these groups’ members were educated and middle class

Muckrakers Journalists who wrote exposes of corporate greed and misconduct TR came up with this term Lincoln Steffens: The Shame of the Cities Ida Tarbell: History of Standard Oil Upton Sinclair: The Jungle

Compare to 1830’s? This reform was considered very similar to the reform movement of the 1830’s, in that those people campaigned for public enlightenment on the plight of orphans, prostitutes, and those held in mental institutions

Reformers W.E.B. DuBois Headed the NAACP Quest for racial justice It was an uphill battle that was so strenuous that, after a lifelong struggle, DuBois abandoned the US and moved to Africa

Reformers Margaret Sanger Feminist Movement Faced great opposition for promoting the use of contraceptives They had been considered illegal in most places Eventually, suffrage was granted to women in 1920 with the passing of the 19th Amendment

Reformers Robert LaFollette Wisconsin Governor Direct primary Progressive taxation Initiative: voters can propose new laws Referendum: public can vote on new laws Recall: elections that gave voters power to remove officials from office before their terms expired

Other Progressive Gains State level reform: Limit work day hours Minimum wage requirements Child labor laws Urban housing codes Progressive income taxes helped redistribute the nation’s wealth

Teddy Roosevelt Expected to be conservative due to being McKinley’s VP, but was not! Most prominent Progressive leader First to use the Sherman Antitrust Act successfully against monopolies Aka the “Trustbuster” Also tightened food and drug regulations, created national parks, among other things

Taft Not known as much as TR, but did a lot for Progressivism During his time as President, he pushed two amendments through: One instituting a national income tax Another allowing for direct election of senators Taft pursued monopolies even more aggressively than TR!

Wilson The last of the Progressive Presidents Created the Federal Trade Commission Lobbied for and enforced the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 Created the Federal Reserve This gave the gov’t greater control over the nation’s finances The 19th Amendment was passed during his term

End of Progressivism Lasted through WWI War made reformers and rest of nation tired of fighting The Red Scare split the Progressives by dividing those on the “left” from those in the center

Summary Progressive movement achieved many of its goals Over time, it lost support of the interest groups whose ends it had met Many historians argue that the Progressive movement was brought to an end by its own success! There were no more crusades left to fight for!