1. The Progressive Era 1890-1917 Dr. Megan Birk UTPA
Eyewitnesstohistory.com

2. Important topics American Imperialism Immigration Reform
Political divisions
Industrialization and Labor

3. What’s a Progressive?
Progressives were normally white, middle class people who wanted reform
Any type of reform during this period is considered “progressive”
Progressives often tried to force their own concepts of America onto others

4. Middle Class Middle Class known as “Victorians” Strict social rules
Improving the lower class while pretending to be the upper class
New features – department stores, electricity

5. Immigration Ellis Island in New York City Ellisisland.org
People from all over the world
Chinese Exclusion Act 1888

6. Children On west coast immigrants from Asia also increased dramatically. Their immigration was restricted in 1882 in the Chineese Exclusion Act because they were no longer needed for RR building or mining. Many of these immigrants were men called “birds of passage” who came to send money home and originally had no intention of staying.

7. Urban Boom Cities grow rapidly
Poor housing built quickly called tenements
In 1850 only 5 U.S. cities have over 100,000 residents, by cities have that many
Half the nation lives in a city by 1910
Horse poop factoid

8. The type of place progressive reformers visited – sent social workers – evaluated needs and faults in people

9. Work 2/3 of industrial workers made less than $12 a week
$15 the minimum for providing for a family
Seasonal farm workers came from Japan and Mexico
60% of city residents were immigrants

10. Sweeper boys in textile factory 1908

11. The “Gilded” Age
A small % of people gained enormous wealth using immigrant labor
John Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie decide to donate money
Wealthier than any Americans – ever

12. Theodore Roosevelt Considered the first true Progressive President
Served from 1901 until 1909
Used Sherman Anti-Trust Act to bust up big monopolies
Food and Drug Act
Also encouraged American expansion into new territory. The FDA and pure food and meat acts brought about by journalists who investigated the seeder side of american life.

13. Other Progressive issues
Workplace safety
Maximum hours-Minimum wages, child labor laws
Corruption
Temperance (Prohibition)
Australian ballots/initiatives and recalls, women’s voting
Government corruption sprang from the massive influx of people in cities who needed services. Contracts awarded for profit of politicians. Voters could be lured by favors or drinks. Boss Tweed in NYC most famous “machine” boss. His network lasted well after his arrest in the 1870s.
Pendleton Service Act of to help reduce patronage “spoils system” of political appointments. After assasination of Garfield.

14. Populists Common goal of improving life for farmers
Movement begins with Farmer’s Alliance in Texas
saw success in state and local elections before going national
Follow strong tradition of 3rd party politics – Greenbacks, Socialists
Populists gain strength after panic of ,000 businesses failed in 6 mo.
Third party issues popular on social studies requirements
Successfully eventually at getting an income tax passed and an amendment 17th that directly elected senators 14

15. Foreign Affairs
McKinley Tariff alienates other countries by restricting trade
The Influence of Sea Power in History by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Generally follow policy of isolationism
Europeans seeking out new colonies
U.S. joins Spanish-Cuban War to uphold Monroe Doctrine (1898)
Helps U.S. expand to Carribean and Pacific

16. Hawaii Island ruled by royal family American investors moved in
Business men overthrew queen
Pressured U.S. to annex territory
1898 Hawaii became U.S. territory
The Supreme Court concluded that this annexation was illegal and the overthrow of the queen wrong – this is what many Hawaiians use today for the movement to separate from the US.

17. Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy
Panama Canal
Will reinforce U.S
role in Western Hemisphere
American part started in 1904

18. Global activity World War I ends spirit of optimistic reform in U.S.
Progressive ideals divided – some effective, others not
Dominance of middle class ideals and business interests remains
Wilson leads US into WWI. During which time (and right after) the last two truly progressive ideas take hold – suffrage for women and prohib. The war takes away the sense of optimism and people begin to reject the heavy handed hypocrisy of the progressives .