Progressivism1890-1920

Chapter 21

Progressive Reformers• Progressive beliefs / conservative direction

- the array of disgust/ need for change

• Progressive reformers

- muckraker- reporters

- “robber barons” & “ghettos”

• Increase in newspaper and magazine circulation

Rise of Progressivism

• Large middle-class movement

- pressured government

- cut down on corruption

- deal with “trusts” (power in the hands of the few)

- movement centered around exposed abuses & inequality

Progressive change

• Settlement houses

- Jane Addams (1889)

- care for poor & immigrants

- more than 400 models established

• Prohibition of alcohol

- many pubs shut down

Political Reform in state gov’t

• Corrupt party bosses (A-3)

• *(trusts-money-boss-senator-legislation)

Restoring Sovereignty to the People

• 17th amendment (1913)- election of senators (A-8)

• “recall” – check on public officials• helped ensure honest politicians &

strengthened power of voters

• voting- a precious benefit• open vs. “secret” ballot (1890s)• register to vote laws (1890s) - excluded corrupt - also excluded hardworking people• disenfranchisement - difficult becoming a US citizen - southern “Jim Crow” laws - voting inequality - decline in voting (p 545)

Voting laws

Women Suffrage

• 1890- NAWSA- Nat’l American Woman Suffrage Assoc.

- led by Susan B. Anthony/ Eliz Stanton

• Wyoming in 1890- women right to vote

• Women’s vote would cleanse democracy

• National movement

• protest of white house (Alice Paul)

- arrest / hunger strikes

• 19th amendment / 1920

African American Progressivism

• policies of Booker T. Washington

• W.E.B. Du Bois

• Niagara Falls Movement (1905)

- right to vote / abolition of segregation

• rise of the NAACP (1910)

- beginning of modern civil rights movement

- thousands join NAACP by 1914

Presidential Agenda

• McKinley / Roosevelt ticket in 1900

• What happened to McKinley in Sept 1901?

• Roosevelt becomes youngest chief executive in US history

Teddy Roosevelt• outdoorsman / combat veteran

• breaking up “trusts”

- dissolved Northern Securities Com

• regulation of Industries / expansion of powers

- fix the ICC act of 1887

- pure food & drug act

- meat Inspection Act (1906)/ The Jungle

- preservation of nat’l parks

The Taft Presidency

• Teddy’s decision not to seek reelection in 1908• Roosevelt endorsed his secretary of war• William H. Taft• How did Taft view politics? • promoted “dollar diplomacy” (p 581)

- substitute “bullets for dollars”• Roosevelt displeased w/ Taft (1910)• Roosevelt campaigned against Taft• Bull-Moose Party split Republican party

Rise of Woodrow Wilson

• Well educated / President of Princeton

• Governor of New Jersey (1910)

• Election of 1912

- republican party split

- Taft barely campaigned

- democrats best chance in 20 years

Presidential election, 1912

Federal Reserve Act

• Federal Reserve Act (1913)

• established 12 regional banks, which make loans to member banks

• established Federal Reserve Board

• strengthened nations financial market

The twelve federal reserve districts

Wilson Administration

• 1st federal workmen’s compensation bill

• 1st federal law outlawing child labor

• 1st federal law guaranteeing 8-hr work day

• Wilson cared as much about the powerless as powerful

• strengthened image of democratic party

• won reelection in 1916

Conclusion

• Progressives accomplishments: enfranchised women, reform local & nat’l gov’t

• enlarged executive branch (p 558)

• emergence of new nat’l gov’t

- power directed toward Washington