Progressive Era

Progressives

Progressives: Reformers work to change/address problems

created by industrialization Three main goals:

1. Improve living conditions2. Regulate business3. Make the gov’t responsive

Muckrakers

Journalists who exposes “raked up” garbage

Publicized social problems

Muckraker Journalists

Ida Tarbell Exposed Rockefeller’s oil co. for

poor business practices Lincoln Steffens

Shame of Cities > corrupt city gov’t

Upton Sinclair The Jungle > poor meat & food

conditions Jacob Riis

How the Other Half Lives > photos chronicled urban poor

Social Reformers

Ida B. Wells Against discrimination &

lynching

Jane Addams Settlement houses (Hull

House)

Florence Kelly Against harsh child labor

practices

Labor Reforms

1908 Muller v. Oregon 10-hr work day for women

1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Safety issues! 140 died *Turning point for reform

Unions

International Ladies Garment Workers Union 1900 ILGWU organized unskilled (including women) Won shorter work week & higher wages

Industrial Workers of the World 1905 IWW organized unskilled Known as “Wobblies” > used traditional & radical tactics

(sabotage) Lost support because of “radical extremes”

Political Reformers

Robert LaFollete “Wisconsin Idea” Wanted election reforms (limit

campaign spending, state regulatory commissions)

Frances Willard Led WCTU > temperance &

women’s rights Susan B. Anthony

NWSA > campaigned for constitutional amendment for women’s suffrage (voting)

Election Reforms

17th Amendment Voters directly elect U.S. Senators

Initiative Voters put a proposed law on ballot

Referendum Citizens place recent law on ball to approve or

reject Recall

Remove an elected official

Anti-Discriminatory Organizations

NAACP Nat’l Advancement for the

Association of Colored People WEB DuBois helped organize Equality and rights for minorities

ADL Anti-Defamation League Led by Sigmund Livingston Reduce prejudice against Jews