A movement to improve American life by

expanding democracy and achieving economic

and social justice

FarmersWorkersWritersPolitical LeadersBut most of all, the Urban Middle Class

Writers exposing the ills of society◦They did so through popular magazines and novels◦Ida Tarbell - History of Standard Oil◦Lincoln Steffens - Shame of the Cities◦Upton Sinclair - The Jungle

By 1920, ½ of all Americans live in cities

Cities unable to provide services Housing◦Tenement Act of 1901 Landlords to install lighting in public hallways

Expanding the fight to include the rights of women and children

1904 – National Child Labor Comm. Workday limited to 10 then 8 hrs. in

some states The fight for minimum wage (40% of

workers lived in poverty)◦1912- Mass. Passed min. wage law

Lochner v. New York (1905)◦Ruled in favor of business. Law limiting

workday of bakers to 10 hrs. violated their ability to enter into a contract

Muller v. Oregon (1908)◦Ruled in favor of workers claiming that a

law limiting women to 10 hrs. protected their health

International Workers of the World

Founded in 1905 and made up of unskilled labor

Known as the “Wobblies”Connection to violence and socialism

City Govt.◦Commission System◦Council-manager system

State Govt.◦Wisconsin – “lab of democracy” under Robert La Follette Campaign spending

Election reforms◦Direct primary◦17th Amendment◦Secret ballot◦Initiative◦Referendum◦Recall

Women were moving out of the “caring professions” and into the business world

Since many women were denied access to traditional education and certain professions, they turned to reform movements

Very active in the Prohibition movement and Suffrage◦Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the Anti-Saloon League◦1917 – Congress passed the 18th Amendment (ratified in 1919)◦1869 – NWSA forms

Promoted the belief that govt. has the responsibility to act for the people’s welfare

Marked the transition from laissez-faire to govt. regulation of the economy

Demonstrated the ability of democracy to deal with problems