1. Chapter 16 Section 1 The Progressives Riddlebarger
Progressivism
Chapter 16
Section 1
The Progressives
Riddlebarger

2. How the Other Half Lives By Jacob Riis (1890)

9. What was Progressivism?
How the Other Half Lives
Photos of urban poverty
Stuns Americans
Helps contribute to Progressive movement that emerges in late 1800’s
Progressivism
Sought to address many of the social problems brought on by industrialization
Living conditions for the poor
Power & practices of big businesses
More honest and responsive government

10. Muckrakers Reform-minded writers who expose social ills (problems)
Expose the filth of society
Most focus on business & political corruption

11. Revelations Ida Tarbell
Wrote a report revealing practices of Standard Oil
How Rockefeller crushed his competitors to gain control over oil industry
Appeals to Middle Class worried about unchecked power of big business
Lincoln Steffens
Exposed the corruption of city governments
*Other muckrakers wrote about insurance & stock manipulations, exploitation of child labor, slum conditions, racial discrimination, monopolistic railroads
Will pave the way for many reforms in the United States

12. Reforming Society By 1920, over half of Americans live in urban areas
What problems might this create?
Garbage collection, safe housing, police & fire protection are all lacking.
Many states will follow the lead of New York City in pushing through housing reform laws (many homes are rentals)
Examples:
Toilets
Lighting in hallways
Helps lower death rate

13. Fighting for Civil Rights
Jane Addams, WEB Du Bois and others form NAACP
Fights for rights of African-Americans
Anti-Defamation League founded in founded to fight anti-Semitism
Hostility toward Jews
Stereotypes in movies and publications will be combatted and ultimately lessened.

14. Reforming the Workplace
By late 1800’s, labor unions work for rights of adult workers
Reformers take up the cause of women and child workers
Get some states to prohibit child labor
Seek limits for women’s work days (hours) and find some success
Supreme Court will later rule in favor of limits on hours citing evidence of health effects
Wages remain very low
About 40% of working-class families live in poverty
Unions & Progressives seek a minimum wage
Massachusetts will become the 1st state to have one (1912)
Most of the nation will have to wait (1933)

15. The Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire
1911 fire in New York builds support for workplace safety issues
Fire on the 8th floor erupts within minutes
Quickly spreads to two other floors
Escape almost impossible- doors had been locked to prevent theft
Flimsy fire-escape breaks as panicky people try to get out
Dozens will leap from windows
Over 140 men & women die

16. Rose Schneiderman, April 2, 1911
“This is not the first time girls have been burned alive in the city. Every week I must learn of the untimely death of one of my sister workers. Every year thousands of us are maimed. The life of men and women is so cheap and property is so sacred.”

17. Aftermath of the Fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist fire is a turning point in reform
New laws will require
Fire safety measures
Factory inspections
Sanitation improvements

18. The unions International Ladies Garment Workers Union
Organized unskilled workers
Successfully wins “Uprising of the 20,000”
Get shorter workweek and higher wages
Attracts thousands of workers
International Workers of the World (Wobblies)
Oppose capitalism altogether
Organize unskilled labor (AFL ignores)
Strikes, boycotts but also sabotage used
Wins some victories but viewed unfavorably by government which leads to a crackdown and it’s demise.

19. Reforming Government
Progressives want to eliminate political corruption and make government more efficient.
To clean it up, you need to win control of it; some cities see reform-minded politicians win office & implement changes
Robert M. La Follete brings many reforms to the state of Wisconsin
Limits on campaign spending, regulation of railroads & utilities

20. Election Reforms
Progressives want to make elections fairer and see politicians more accountable to voters
Direct Primary- elections in which voters choose candidates to run in general election
Starts in Mississippi in 1903 & eventually other states follow
17th Amendment (1913)- direct election of U.S. Senators
Had been chosen by state legislators before; change will undermine party boss control
Secret Ballot- would have all candidates’ names on the same ballot
Before, each party had its own ballot; easier to know who people vote for before

21. Initiative Referendum Recall
Allows voters to put a proposed law on the ballot for public approval.
Referendum
Voters can approve or reject a recently passed law
Recall
Enables citizens to remove an elected official from office via a special election
Powerful reforms to give voters more influence over public policy
**Each designed to make politicians more accountable to voters