1. The Progressive Era,

2. The Progressive Movement: Definition and Character
Goals
Political - Revitalize American Democracy
Make government responsive to people not special interests or bosses
Economic - Restore equity and opportunity to American capitalism
Social - Provide social justice to the poor
Progressive Philosophy
Did not believe in radical change (socialism)
But wanted fair competition and worker regulation
Operated on all levels of government
Included both democrats and republicans.

3. Composition Middle Class White Americans Farmers and Small Businessmen
Social Reformers
Professors & Lawyers
Not included: Racial Minorities, new immigrants, Labor Unions

4. Middle Class White Americans
Wanted to restore honesty and integrity to government
They wanted to end corruption at all levels.
Elimination of political machines
Institute civil service reforms
End special interest lobbyist in legislative bodies

5. Farmers and Small Business
People who wanted to use the government to regulate the abuses of corporations and trusts
Wanted trusts eliminated
Wanted government controlled railroads rates and banks
Currency reform
Had some success – but not enforced
Republicans embraced laissez-faire economics
Interstate Commerce Act
Sherman Anti-Trust Act

6. Social Reformers Government should alleviate social problems
Slums and tenements
Unsafe working conditions & child labor
Treatment of new immigrants
Some small scale success
Jane Addams (Hull House – Chicago)

7. Included Professors, Lawyers and Social Gospel Advocates
The industrial revolution brought on the need for corporate lawyers
Law was once a respected profession
Paid well to defend the interests of their company
Lawyers felt they were losing there identity
Intellectuals
Use University professors to make the society more efficient
Wealthy men – donate to Universities
in return - donor had expectations for curriculum
Many intellectuals were concerned about this

8. What Really Got Progressivism Moving?
Teddy Roosevelt’s Assumption of the Presidency in 1901
William McKinley is assassinated in Sept. 1901
Youngest president at 43 years old
Gradually provided a national focus on Progressivism
Rise of the ‘ Muckrakers”

9. Muckrakers “Investigative journalism”
Sensationalized Exposes on corporation corruption
Raised awareness
Magazines – McClure’s, Cosmopolitan
Ida Tarbell (1902) does and expose in McClure’s on Standard Oil
Illegal Monopoly
Novels
The Octopus by Frank Norris
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
How the Other Half Lives - Jacob Riis
The Muckrakers formula is…
Uncover a scandal
Attack it using facts to back up arguments
Has a tremendous impact on readers

10. Achievements of Progressivism
Many political machines are overthrown
The Shame of the Cities – Lincoln Steffens – said political machines serve their own interests and that of corporations, not the people
Thomas Nast
Leader of Progressive reform is Wisconsin – Robert LaFollette
Reduce gov’t corruption: Institutes the referendum, recall, primaries
Corrupt political practices acts passed – controls on campaign spending and lobbying
The universities must aid the state economists - come up with an effective tax system, highway system.
Child Labor Laws (one of the first states)
Building codes & controlled hours

11. Thomas Nast & Harper’s Weekly

12. Amendments to the Constitution
The 16th Amendment – 1913
Constitutional for the government to impose a personal income tax.
The 17th Amendment – 1913
Senators must be directly elected in a popular election.
The 18th Amendment – Jan 1919
Prohibition – Illegal to buy, sell or distribute hard spirits in the US.
The 19th Amendment – 1920
Prohibited states from denying women the right to vote.
Women did vote in certain states prior to this (In NJ in the late 1700s for a short time.
Also, some western states allowed women to vote)

13. Contradictions of Progressivism
Generally oppose political and social equality for racial minorities and recent immigrants
Many Progressives Oppose Women’s Suffrage
Woodrow Wilson was one of these guys. He felt it was a state, not a national issue.
Many Progressives Oppose National Labor Unions
Concerned about the plight of the working man, but at the same time opposed unions
Fear of Marxism – union leadership advocated changes that were too radical
Fear of radical uprisings
Many Progressives Support Tighter Immigration Restrictions