1. Origins of the Progressive Movement and the Beginnings of Reform
Progressive Era
Origins of the Progressive Movement and the Beginnings of Reform

2. Why Progressivism?
End of the 19th century – rapid changes in American society:
Industrialization
Urbanization
Immigration
had created problems that had to be fixed.
Progressivism – A broad attempt to impose order and justice on a society that seemed to be approaching chaos.

3. Background to Reform
Progressivism as a continuation of earlier reform efforts:
Grange Movement
Populists
Suffrage Movement
Temperance Movement
Progressivism contains aspects of all of these movements.

4. Four Main Goals of Progressivism
Want to address problems in society. “Progress”
Protecting Social Welfare
Promoting Moral Improvement
“A lot of things to a lot of people.”
Creating Economic Reform
Promoting Efficiency
Progressives are mostly middle-class reformers.

5. Protecting Social Welfare
“Social Gospel” movement and settlement houses continue
Creating of YMCA; Salvation Army
Women play a key role – Florence Kelley advocates for child welfare and fights for rights of working women

6. Promoting Moral Improvement
Many believe that morality holds key to improving lives of poor
Promotion of prohibition of alcohol
Women’s Christian Temperance Union under “Carry Nation” – largest women’s group in history of U.S.
Almost 6 feet tall and weighing 175 pounds with a stern countenance, she described herself as "a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what He doesn't like”.

7. Creating Economic Reform
Major factor in Progressivism – abuses of Big Business
Many question capitalist system in America:
Unfair government support and lack of oversight
Monopolistic practices that hurt consumers
Abuse of workers
Corruption
Some Americans embrace concepts of Socialism
Eugene Debs as key Socialist organizer in America

8. Muckrakers Attack Corruption
Muckrakers – investigative journalists who expose corruption and graft in business and society:
Ida Tarbell – exposed corruption of Standard Oil *
Upton Sinclair – wrote about horrors of meat-processing industry in The Jungle.
Lincoln Steffins – wrote about political machines and voter fraud

9. Promoting Efficiency
Some Progressives believe the way to fix society is through scientific know-how
Frederick Taylor promotes “Taylorism” or Scientific Management – idea is to reduce working hours by making workers more efficient
Mixed results –eventually leads to assembly line