1. The Progressive Movement

2. The Movement Begins
Mostly middle-class city dwellers who believed that society could be studied and experts were relied upon to help create better laws and regulations
Reform shifted from the farm to the city; every level of government was affected
A product of the Industrial Revolution and a distinct break in the social classes

3. Industrialization created many social problems:
Problems to Reform
Why reform?
Industrialization created many social problems:
harsh working conditions
child labor
political corruption
overcrowding of cities
misuse of environment
abuse of consumers
Middle-class felt threatened

4. Jane Addams, Hull House in Chicago 1889
Social Reformers
Social Gospel Movement - focused on the needs of the poor
Protestant ministers led the charge
Fought against child labor & poor working conditions
Provided services to the poor (Salvation Army, YMCA)
Settlement Houses which provided immigrants with services like child care, nursing the sick, & English classes
Associations created to promote social changes & professional responsibility (NAACP, Anti-Defamation League)
Jane Addams, Hull House in Chicago 1889

5. Exposing the Underside of Reform
Muckrakers - investigative journalists who exposed abuses of industry & corruption of government via fantastic stories (Upton Sinclair’s - The Jungle; Ida Tarbell)

6. Reform & Government
Wanted to make politics/elections more democratic & big business more responsible
City - replace the political machines with public-minded leaders
States - made elections mor democratic by adding
Secret Ballots - no pressure or intimidation
Intiative - voters could directly introduce bills into state legislatures & vote on the bill
Referendum - compel legislators to place a bill on the ballot for approval
Recall - able to remove elected officials in a special election
Direct Party Primaries - special elections held to determine candidates
Direct Election of Senators - 17th Amendment

7. Congressional Reforming
Congress got involved by passing laws to limit the work day, protect children, as well as require safety standards for work and housing; also passed immigration restrictions
Other notable legislation:
Pendleton Act (1883) which created the Civil Service Commission which gave competitive exams for hiring and promotions on merit
16th Amendment(1913) which created the federal income tax
18th Amendment (1919) which began Prohibition (temperance had long been an issue of reformers)
19th Amendment (1920) which gave women the right to vote

8. Progressive Presidents
Theodore Roosevelt ( ) viewed the job of president as the ultimate representative of the people, who was the steward of the people’s interests
Coal Miner’s Strike of Roosevelt threatened to use troops and the dispute was settled
Sherman Anti-trust Act
Square Deal - laws created to protect people in (3) areas
Public Health - Meat Inspection Act; Pure Food & Drug Act (1906)
Transportation regulation by increasing power of the ICC
Conservation by creating the National Conservation Commission

9. Progressive Presidents cont.
After Roosevelt left office William Taft will take his place but was very ineffective as president
Election of Roosevelt will run against Taft and split the Republican party (Roosevelt will run under the Bull Moose Party); Democrats will nominate Woodrow Wilson who will become the next president

10. Progressive Presidents cont.
Woodrow Wilson ( ) believed in being a strong leader; was sympathetic to the small business owner; strong supporter of moral diplomacy
New Freedom promised to tame big business to allow greater & fairer competition, especially focused on tariffs, the bank system, and tariffs
Key legislation passed
Underwood Tariff (1913)
Federal Reserve Act (1913)
Clayton Anti-trust Act (1914)
Federal Trade Commission (1914)

11. The Women’s Suffrage Movement
Women also joined in the reform movement
Seneca Falls Convention (1848) led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Lucretia Mott began the fight for women’s right to vote
National American Woman Suffrage Association (1890) Stanton & Susan B. Anthony continued the fight