1. A New and Better America?
Progressive Movement
A New and Better America?

2. Change is Progress The Progressive Movement
an effort to cure many of the ills of American society that had developed during the great spurt of industrial growth in the last quarter of the 19th century.
The frontier had been tamed, great cities and businesses developed, and an overseas empire established, but not all citizens shared in the new wealth, prestige, and optimism.

3. Reform is not new to America
Abolition, Treatment of Mentally Ill, Public Education
Early Reformers focused on these things
Post Civil War industrialization brought new problems to society
The struggle for women's rights and the temperance movement were the initial issues addressed.
A farm movement also emerged to compensate for the declining importance of rural areas in an increasingly urbanized America.
Progressivism was rooted in the belief, that man was capable of improving the lot of all within society
Rejection of Social Darwinism,

4. Change for the better
Progressivism was also imbued with strong political overtones Specific goals included:
The desire to remove corruption and undue influence from government through the taming of bosses and political machines;
the effort to include more people more directly in the political process;
the conviction that government must play a role to solve social problems and establish fairness in economic matters.

5. Change for the better
The success of Progressivism owed much to publicity generated by the muckrakers
writers who detailed the horrors of poverty
urban slums
dangerous factory conditions
child labor
Progressives never spoke with one mind
differed sharply over the most effective means to deal with the ills generated by the trusts
some favored an activist approach to trust-busting, others preferred a regulatory approach.

6. Change for the better
A vocal minority supported socialism with government ownership of the means of production
Other Progressive reforms followed in the form of a conservation movement
railroad legislation
food and drug laws.

7. Progressive reforms were carried out not only on the national level
Prominent governors devoted to change included Robert M. La Follette of Wisconsin and Hiram Johnson of California.
Local Government Reforms:
direct primary
secret ballot
Initiative
Referendum
Recall
Local governments were strengthened by the widespread use of trained professionals, particularly with the city manager system replacing the all-too-frequently corrupt mayoral system.

8. Success and Failure
The Progressive spirit also was evident in new amendments added to the Constitution
16th Amendment Income Tax
17th Amendment Direct election of senators
18th Amendment Prohibition of alcohol
19th Amendment Women’s Suffrage
Urban problems were addressed by professional social workers
Operated settlement houses as a means to protect and improve the prospects of the poor.
However, efforts to place limitations on child labor were routinely thwarted by the courts.
The needs of blacks and Native Americans were poorly served or served not at all — a major shortcoming of the Progressive Movement.