1. The Rise of Progressivism

2. What is Progressivism?
In the 1890’s, a movement called Progressivism emerged
People leading/supporting this movement, called Progressives, believed in…
Protecting social welfare
Promoting moral improvement
Creating economic reform
Fostering government efficiency
Industrialization, urbanization, and immigration brought many benefits to America, but they also produced many social challenges

3. The Progressive movement was similar to the Populist Movement of the late 1800’s, in that they were both reform movements that wanted to fix corrupt government and make it more responsive to the people’s needs
Progressive leaders  middle-class
Populist leaders  farmers and laborers

4. Why did the Progressivism Movement Emerge?
Progressives wanted to reform a number of institutions that created injustice in American society
Government/Politics  increase democracy, involve citizens more directly in government, improve efficiency
Business  regulate big business, help expand competition via small business, protect the consumer
Society  make life safer and more comfortable for the majority of Americans
Who/What was to blame for these ^ problems?
The government had been taking a laissez-faire approach to business and society  few/no regulations

5. Who helped Bring About Reform?
Muckrakers  socially conscious journalists, along with other writers, who dramatized the need for reform through sensational investigative reports
They uncovered a wide range of ills afflicting America in the early 1900’s
Their articles appeared in magazines and newspapers that were read by millions of Americans
People across the nation were horrified by the conditions and injustices that were revealed through their writing

6. Ida Tarbell: criticized unfair business practices like trusts
Ida Tarbell: criticized unfair business practices like trusts. She wrote “History of Standard Oil”
Lincoln Steffens: exposed corruption in urban politics. Wrote The Shame of the Cities

7. Jacob Riis: photographer, he exposed poverty in NYC immigrant neighborhoods. How the Other Half Lives
John Spargo: photographer, editor, writer, socialist; he exposed the harsh and unfair treatment of child labor; The Bitter Cry of the Children
1.7mil under 16 by 1900

8. Upton Sinclair: writer that exposed the unsanitary conditions of the meat packing industry in Chicago. Wrote The Jungle
Lead to Congress passing the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906

9. How was Society Reformed by Progressivism?
The work by the muckrakers increased popular support for Progressivism and helped bring about reform
Many reformers thought that Christianity should be the basis for social reform
Walter Rauschenbusch and his Social Gospel: the belief that by following the Bible’s teachings about charity and justice, people could make society “the kingdom of God”

10. An important goal of the Progressives was to improve the lives of poor people in urban areas, especially immigrants
Settlement houses were created to assist the poor; they were community centers that provided social services to the urban poor (i.e. child care, English classes, art programs)
In 1889, Jane Addams opened the Hull House in Chicago. She quickly became the leading figure in the settlement house movement

11. Child labor and education was another important issue that Progressives set out to reform
Progressives saw the harsh conditions that children were forced to work in and called for a ban on child labor
In 1916, Congress passed the Keating-Owens Act, which banned child labor, only to be deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court two years later. 1936, Congress ended child labor for good.
Progressives argued to better children’s lives through improving education. A number of states passed laws requiring children to attend school until a certain age
Educator John Dewey pushed for creative thinking in schools over memorization. His ideas were not put into effect for many years

12. By the early 1900’s, the US had the highest rate of industrial accidents in the world. Long hours, poor ventilation, hazardous fumes, and unsafe machinery threatened workers’ health and even lives.
In March 1911, a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in NYC killed 146 workers (mostly young Jewish women). This accident focused America’s attention on the need to protect workers
Progressives called for workers’ reform trying to limit the workday to 10 hours and create worker’s compensation; met with limited success

13. How was Government Reformed by Progressivism?
Government was seen as corrupted and controlled by political bosses and powerful businesses
Progressives wanted to rid government of this corruption and to give people more control over their government and make it more effective and efficient in serving the public
In 1900, Galveston, Texas was hit by a massive hurricane that left more than 8,000 people dead.
In response, new form of government, called commissions, were created to help city planning and curb political corruption

14. Progressives pushed to reform the election process
Before  party leaders picked candidates for state and local office
By 1916  most states established direct primaries: an election in which citizens themselves vote to select nominees for upcoming elections
Introduced in Wisconsin by Governor Robert La Follette
Progressives also introduced three other political reforms:
Initiative  citizens introduce legislation for vote
Referendum  citizens vote on legislation
Recall  special election to remove an official
1913 – The 17th Amendment of the Constitution was ratified
Establishes the direct election of US senators by the people rather than state legislature

15. By the early 1900’s, several dynamic Progressives became state leaders; governors
Robert La Follette (WI): forced railroads to lower fees and pay higher taxes; improved state education; made factories safer; and adopted the direct primary  Laboratory of Democracy
Hiram Johnson (CA): ended the Southern Pacific Railroad’s stranglehold on state government; put in the direct primary, initiative, referendum, and recall
MY BOY  Theodore Roosevelt (NY)