1. Origins of Progressivism
What were the goals of Progressivism?

2. I. The Progressive Movement
A. 1890s: Due to political & business corruption, & economic depression Americans looking for change
B. “Muckrakers” (Investigative Journalists) questioned the domination of corporations in particular
C. Four Goals of Progressivism
1. #1 Promoting Social Welfare
a. Social Gospel Movement: Preached salvation by helping the poor
b. Settlement Houses established to help the poor
c. YMCA: opened libraries, sponsored education
d. Salvation Army: fed the poor in soup kitchens, cared for children
e. Florence Kelly pushed for improved labor condition, stop child labor

3. 2. Goal #2 Promoting Moral Improvement
a. Prohibition Movement: “Alcohol is undermining American Morals!”
b. Women’s Christian Temperance Union used peaceful & violent means to end alcohol use
c. Anti-Saloon League began endorsing politicians who favored prohibition of alcohol
Carry Nation

4. 3. Goal #3 Reforming Big Business & Gov’t
a. Muckrakers: journalists who exposed corruption in business (especially workplace) and politics
b. American Socialist Party forms (1901): claims to be the alternative to Demos. & Repubs.
c.  Formed by labor leader Eugene V. Debs, argued both parties hurt workers

5. 4. Goal #4 Make Business More Efficient
a. Limit hours/day & work week and improve pay
b. end child labor
c. Use science & economics to make business run more efficiently
d. Henry Ford introduces the automobile assembly line  more efficiency  cars become more affordable and there are bigger profits!

6. II. Reforming Government
A. Local/Municipal: use a non-elected manager to run day to day city operations, elect progressive mayors & city councils
B. State: elect Governors who want business regulation like Robert La Follete of Wis. (R, P) & James Hogg of TX (D, P).
C. Federal: Reform election process:
 1) Ballot initiative/referendum and power to recall bad leaders
 2) 17th Amendment (1913): Direct election of Senators

7. III. Women’s Rights
A. 1890s: 1 in 5 women had a job, earned 1/3 of men in the 1890s
B. Typical female jobs:
1. Office worker – filing, secretarial
2. Nurse
3. School teacher (K-8)
4. Telephone Operator
5. Maid, cook, seamstress (esp. African Americans)
C. Women want change, including suffrage (right to vote)
1. Leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

8. D. Plan for Women’s Suffrage
Convince individual states to allow women to vote
a. Already in Wyoming,
Utah, Colorado & Idaho
Challenge laws in court
a. 14th Amend says citizens have equal rights
b. 15th Amend says all citizens can vote
c. Aren’t women citizens?
Push for a Constitutional
Amendment
* Women eventually get right to vote with 19th Amendment in 1920!