Progressive Era

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Progressive Era

• Weve got to start to make this world over.
  (Thomas Edison,1912 )

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THE BIG IDEA

• Beginning in the late 1800s, reformers known as
  Progressives worked to try to solve the problems
  of American Society

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Industrialization caused problems

• Unemployment and labor unrest
• Wasteful use of natural resources
• Abuses of corporate power

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Urbanization move from farm to city

• Cities full of problems poverty, disease, crime
  and political corruption
• Influx of immigrants and rise of a new manager
  class upset earlier class alignments
• Depression from 1893 1897 convinced people that
  equality of opportunity was a myth NO WAY OUT

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Who Were the Progressives

• New middle class of young professionals
• Apply professional principles
• Strong faith in progress and education
• Volunteerism can solve problems
• Most were city dwellers and focused on city
  problems

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Progressives included

• Socialists
• Labor Leaders
• Child Labor reformers
• Government reformers
• Muckrakers (Reporters)

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American Socialist Party
Government control of property and income End
capitalist system (inequality) Redistribute
wealth Nationalize industries No revolution
change through elections Socialist Party formed
1901
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GOALS OF THE PROGRESSIVES

• Prevent businesses from treating other companies
  unfairly
• Improve safety and working conditions
• Outlaw child labor
• Create programs to help sick, unemployed, and
  elderly
• Reduce government corruption
• Give women the right to vote

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The Muckrakers

• Why were they called Muckrakers?

• Who functions like a muckraker in our modern
  society?
• Who is a muckraker in Buffalo New York?

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Muckrakers

• Lincoln Steffens
• Ida Tarbell
• Upton Sinclair

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In 1890 Jacob Riis (1849-1914) published How the
Other Half Lives, including his photograph of
children sleeping on the streets of New York.
Photo courtesy of Library of Congress.
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Muckraking vs. Yellow Journalism
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Muckraking vs. Yellow Journalism

• The two are often confused
• What are the Similarities?

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Virtually the Same but
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There are Differences!
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Something to think about Homework
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Progressive Legislation

• 1890 Sherman Anti-Trust Act
• Outlawed monopolies and unfair business practices
• 1905 - U.S. Forest Service manage nations
  water and timber resources
• 1906 Meat Inspection Act Federal inspection
  of meat processing
• 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act outlawed
  dishonest labeling
• 1913 Department of Labor created promote
  welfare and safety of working people

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The Progressive Presidents
Theodore Roosevelt 26th President 1901 - 1909
Wm. Howard Taft 27th President 1909 - 1913
Woodrow Wilson 28th President 1913 - 1921
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Women can finally VOTE

• 19th Amendment passed in 1920
• Voting population is doubled
• Women take their rightful place in a democratic
  republic