1. Warm-up:
List as many problems or issues that occurred during the industrialization, immigration and urbanization period that you can think of.

2. Progressive Era
Drive for Reform

3. Origins of Progressive Movement
Rapid industrialization, immigration and urbanization in the late 1800s led to national growth and prosperity.
The rapid growth also caused poverty, unemployment, deplorable working conditions and political corruption.
Many believed that political action and reform, not private charities, were the methods to bring about progress in society.

4. Populists
Many of the issues the Populists (who were mostly farmers) wanted to address became the foundation for the Progressive reformers
Progressive income tax
Government ownership of communications & transportation
Supported an 8 hour work day
Supported a united front for African American and white farmers
Not on the Progressive agenda
Free coinage of silver would raise crop prices

5. Who Were The Progressives
The Progressives were reformers who were mainly from the middle class…unlike the Populists who were mainly farmers
Progressives believed that honest and efficient government could bring about social justice.
They wanted to end corruption.
They tried to make government more responsive to people’s needs.
They believed that educated leaders should use modern ideas and scientific techniques to improve society

6. Progressive Targets Targeted a variety of issues and problems:
Corrupt political machines
Trusts and monopolies
Inequities
Child labor
Safety
City services
Women’s suffrage (vote)

7. Muckrakers
Muckrakers were authors, novelists & reporters who used investigative reporting to uncover and dramatize societal ills.
Lincoln Steffens – The Shame of the Cities
Jacob Riis – How the Other Half Lived
Ida Tarbell – The History of Standard Oil
John Spargo – The Bitter Cry of the Children
Upton Sinclair – The Jungle
Theodore Dreiser – Sister Carrie
Frank Norris – The Octopus

9. Look up the 7 muckrakers from the previous slide and write a brief 5 sentence paragraph describing what they exposed and why.