1. The Progressive Era

2. The Spirit of Progressivism
6 Characteristics that define Progressivism
Concern with the effects of industrialization and the conditions of industrial life
Fundamental optimism about human nature- people recognize problems and want to take action to solve them
Willing to intervene in people’s lives, thought it was the right thing to do
Turned to authority/government to achieve reform
Drew on combo of evangelical Protestantism and science to change environment (moral and science)
Touched virtually the whole nation- mass base

3. Why the need for reform?
Lack of regulation at the end of the 1800s led to the need for reform in society
Working Conditions
Living Conditions/Urban Areas
Health/Food
Civil Rights
Government Corruption
Child Labor
Monopolies

4. Who are the Progressives?
Urban, educated, middle class people push the government to intervene to make change

5. Muckrakers Journalists exposing the “filth” in society
Investigated social conditions and political corruption
Jacobs Riis- How the Other Half Lives (tenements)
Upton Sinclair- The Jungle (meatpacking industry)

7. The Spirit of Progressivism

8. The Changing Face of Industrialism

9. Society’s Masses Farmers, Women, African Americans

10. A New Urban Culture

11. Reform in the Cities and States

12. Theodore Roosevelt Square Deal 1st “Muckraking President
Reasserts power to the Presidency
Takes on Big Business- tries to break up trusts (monopolies)
Sets up National Park system- Conservation Acts

13. William Howard Taft More “Progressive” than T.Roosevelt
T.R. expected Taft to do what he wanted (puppet President)- Taft had own ideas and policies

14. Woodrow Wilson Most “Progressive” Democrat Income Tax
Federal Trade Commission- stop unfair business practices
1st law regulating Child Labor
Federal Reserve
President during WWI