1. The Progressives

2. The Progressives pick up where the Populists left off
was a political idea not a political party
included many former Populists
conerned with environmental conservation
coupled with a religious revival—
Social Gospel—applying Christianity to reform movements

3. gets its start in Wisconsin with Robert M. LaFollette
Wisconsin was dominated by political machines and big business (timber/RR’s)
LaFollette was elected governor ( ) and then Senator ( )
fought machine politics and trusts
reformed civil service and increased public education
worked hard for improving the electoral system—increasing the numbers of voters and fairness in elections (Women’s Suffrage, voter registration reform, primary elections, rights of workers, and direct election of US Senators)

4. concentrate on reforming the relationship between business and government
Trusts/Monopolies were targeted by legislation and/or civil lawsuits
Government Service was based on the merit system
Public Health & Safety concerns led to the Food and Drug Act (1906) after author Upton Sinclair exposed the meat packing industry (The Jungle)

5. 8. 3 Progressive Presidents
Theodore Roosevelt
William Howard Taft
Woodrow Wilson
Progressive causes—environmental conservation, trust reform, business and labor reform, public health and safety (The Square Deal)
Progressive causes—similar to Roosevelt (not as aggressive)
Progressive causes—labor unions, election reform, economic reform (The New Freedom)
Scorecard on reform—successful in spite of opposition from BOTH parties on several issues (only short-coming may have been on race relations)
Scorecard on reform—mixed results (criticism from Roosevelt) led to a split in the Republican Party (1912)—Roosevelt formed the Progressive Party (Bull Moose Party)
Scorecard on reform—increased the regulatory power (control over business) of the government, helped push for the adoption of women’s suffrage, most racist President since Andrew Johnson—allowed federal agencies to adopt segregation as official policy and refused to outlaw lynching

6. The Progressive Movement controls American Politics from and are later seen in the reform movements of the later 2oth century
Progressives change US view of government’s role in looking out for the rights and well-being of citizens—The Public Good