The Progressive Era
History M25 - Krister Swanson - Moorpark College
Progressive Movement
- origins: populists, social gospel, muckrakers
- work to solve problems of late 1800s, early 1900s (wide variety of people
& groups)
- Guided by thinking that gov’t is agent of social change, belief that
things will continue to progress
- Led by middle class: pressured from above & below, wants solutions to
these problems
- Teddy Roosevelt & Wilson are most progressive presidents
Problems they addressed:
- Monopolies/Trusts
- Disease/Crime
- Racism(economic, social, political)
- Women’s Rights (voting, working)
- Working/Labor Relations
- Political Corruption (local, state, national)
Monopolies/Trusts
- Roosevelt’s "Trust Busting"
- Hepburn Act helps with regulating Railroad Rates
- Federal Trade Commission
- Clayton Anti-Trust extends powers of Sherman antitrust act
- Underwood-Simmons refines tariffs and reinstates income tax
Health & Conservation
- Pure Food & Drug Act
- Meat Inspection Act
- Forest Service - 194 million acres set aside & beginnings of National Park
System
Racism
- Ida B. Wells attacks lynching as a form of racial oppression
- W.E.B. DuBois forms NAACP to push for social & political equality
- B.T. Washington builds programs for equality through economic advancement
(Tuskegee)
Women’s Rights & Social Reform
- Addams’ push for better housing
- Push for Suffrage- (Catt’s NAWSA) 19th Amend in 1920
- Nat’l Birth Control League & Dennett’s Planned Parenthood
- Women’s Christian Temperance Union
- Kelley pushes for max hrs. & min. wage
Working/Labor Relations
- Sinclair’s The Jungle
- Roosevelt’s arbitration of the Coal Strike
- WW’s workmen’s compensation
- Kelley’s Work Inspection Law
- Jones minimum wage
- More radical: IWW & the socialists
Political Corruption
- LaFollette’s direct primary lets voters choose candidates
- Recall laws for corrupt politicians
- commission system for governing cities
- initiative & referendum laws
- 17th Amen. (direct election of Senators)
Roosevelt and Taft
- The Square Deal (trust busting, arbitrates coal strike) shows willingness
to assert authority of presidency
- Roosevelt and Conservation
- Roosevelt’s Diplomacy: Big Stick - assert power of U.S. around the world
(Panama Canal, Roosevelt Corollary)
- Taft too conservative - TR challenges with Bull Moose Party in 1912 -
Wilson wins