1. The Progressive Movement and the Populist Party
Age of Reform
The Progressive Movement and the Populist Party

2. INDUSTRY/GROWTH IN CITIES
Led to a new era
1000’s left farm and small towns to work in manufacturing

3. Areas of Reform: Reform-changes made to improve something
Industrial Revolution caused some unique problems that created a need for reform
Areas of Reform:
Labor (Work)
Education
Alcohol Abuse
Women’s inability to vote

4. Average worker - $225 yearly 12 hours a day 6 days a week
TEXAS WORKER
Average worker - $225 yearly
12 hours a day
6 days a week
Lower than U.S. worker
Advantage in town-- newspaper

5. Wages and Working Conditions of U.S. Worker
Low Wages and Long Hours
No Job security
Impersonal
unsafe work environment…limited compensation

7. Abuses in labor led to formation of labor unions

9. 1870 industry employed twice as many children as women
CHILD LABOR
1870 industry employed twice as many children as women

13. Railroad Abuses
Took land given to them by the government and sold it at high prices to farmers
Charged higher rate for short hauls than for long hauls
Allowed political friends to ride free
Gave rebates to preferred customers
RR controlled prices

14. James Hogg Fights for Reform
Fought Insurance Companies that weren’t following TX Law
Broke up the Texas Traffic Assn-a Railroad trust
Argued that trusts created a monopoly- one company’s complete control of over a product or service in the market
Passed anti-trust laws making monopolies illegal

15. The Problems of Monopoly
Monopoly blamed for creating high prices and unstable economy
emergence of new rich class
conspicuous consumption
1% controlled 88% of US wealth
10 mil lived below the poverty line
standard of living was rising, but the gap was widening between the haves and have-nots

16. Populism
Farmers felt they were being ignored by government- formed the Farmers’ Alliance which spread throughout the South.
Populism- was a nationwide movement of rural citizens who had not benefited from the modern lifestyle made possible from growth in industry- a political movement of the common people that resulted in the formation of the “People’s Party” (political)

17. Populist’s Reforms Govt Regulation of Businesses
Public ownership of RR, telegraph, and telephone lines
Elimination of national banking system; implementation of greenbacks
Storage of excess crops to cause prices to increase
Graduated income tax (16th Amendment)
Direct election of U.S. Senators (17th Amendment)

18. Temperance Movement led to Prohibition-18th Amendment
Temperance-the avoidance of alcohol
Citizens began expressing concern over the consumption of alcohol on society
This movement was led by women such as WCTU-Women’s Christian Temp Union
Prohibition- A ban of the manufacturing, sale, transport or use of alcoholic beverages

19. Women’s Suffrage Suffrage - the right to vote
By 1918 women in TX could vote in primaries
June TX legislature ratified the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, allowing women the right to vote

20. Improving Education
Constitution of funds for public lands and poll taxes were revenues for public schools
1 Million students in public school by 1910
Universities, Texas A & M, and UT were established by 1880’s

21. DESTRUCTION

22. Disaster Leads to Change
The City of Galveston was struck by a devastating hurricane in 1900.
It was the worst natural disaster to ever hit the U.S.

23. DESTRUCTION

24. Winds – excess 120 miles per hour
NUMBERS
Winds – excess 120 miles per hour
Waves – 20 feet higher than normal

25. DESTRUCTION

26. 15 foot storm surge washed over city
NUMBERS
15 foot storm surge washed over city
6000 – number of people who died

27. DESTRUCTION

28. OTHER INFO
Worst natural disaster to hit US ever
“Where 20,000 people lived on the 8th (of September), not a house remained on the 9th”

29. DESTRUCTION

30. 17 foot seawall was built to break the waves during storms.
SOLUTIONS?
17 foot seawall was built to break the waves during storms.

32. All weather bridge connects island to the mainland today for evacuation purposes

33. Progressives Push for Change!
Banned co’s from issuing “scrips” instead of money for wages
Limited number of hours employees work in one day
Child labor laws- <12 couldn’t work in industrial plants in TX
Blacklists were outlawed-used to alert employers of union activity

34. Farmer Jim as Governor
No political experience; self-educated lawyer and banker
Ignored prohibition; concentrated on poor tenant farmers
First governor of TX to be impeached-to bring charges of misconduct to remove a public official from office