The Progressive The Progressive EraEra

What is a progressive?What is a progressive?

Promoting or favoring progress toward Promoting or favoring progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods.or methods.

Positive change.Positive change.

Progressive PresidentsProgressive Presidents

1901-1909 Theodore Roosevelt (R)1901-1909 Theodore Roosevelt (R)

became Pres when McKinley was became Pres when McKinley was assassinated; TR elected 1904assassinated; TR elected 1904

1909-1913 William Howard Taft (R)1909-1913 William Howard Taft (R)

elected 1908; lost reelection bid in 1912elected 1908; lost reelection bid in 1912 1913-1921 Woodrow Wilson (D)1913-1921 Woodrow Wilson (D)

elected 1912; reelected 1916elected 1912; reelected 1916

Populist Influence??Populist Influence??

Problems Leading to Problems Leading to Progressive ReformsProgressive Reforms

Political?Political?Social?Social?Economic?Economic?

Progressivism was a result of the dark side of the Gilded Age.

Goals of the ProgressivesGoals of the Progressives

Political:Political: restore control of the gov’t to restore control of the gov’t to the peoplethe people

Social:Social: correct abuses and injustices correct abuses and injustices brought into lives of people by brought into lives of people by urbanization and industrializationurbanization and industrialization

EconomicEconomic: restore greater equality of : restore greater equality of economic opportunity; draw up new economic opportunity; draw up new rules for the conduct of businessrules for the conduct of business

Muckrackers

Goo

Goos

Temperance

Suffragettes

Populists

Midclass

Women

Labor

Unions

Civil

Rights

Roots of ProgressivismRoots of Progressivism

1880’s-90’s –debates on how to reform 1880’s-90’s –debates on how to reform society-nature v. nurture, James, Addams, society-nature v. nurture, James, Addams, etc.etc.

Journalists, Socialists, labor leaders and city Journalists, Socialists, labor leaders and city gov’t reformers offered ideasgov’t reformers offered ideas

MuckrakersMuckrakers investigated and exposed investigated and exposed abuses; alerted public to wrongdoing in abuses; alerted public to wrongdoing in politics and business and raised social politics and business and raised social issuesissues

Leading Muckrakers and Leading Muckrakers and their workstheir works

Jacob RiisJacob Riis – – How the Other Half Lives; The How the Other Half Lives; The Battle with the Slum Battle with the Slum (urban issues)(urban issues)

Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair – – The Jungle The Jungle (consumer (consumer protection – abuses in meatpacking)protection – abuses in meatpacking)

Ida TarbellIda Tarbell – – A History of the Standard Oil A History of the Standard Oil Trust Trust (monopolies and trusts)(monopolies and trusts)

Lincoln SteffensLincoln Steffens – – Shame of the Cities Shame of the Cities (political (political machines, corruption, voting fraud)machines, corruption, voting fraud)

Lewis HineLewis Hine – photographs exposed child labor – photographs exposed child labor

Article/questionsArticle/questions

Jungle clip

Local Political ReformsLocal Political Reforms

Machines work with voters: registration; Machines work with voters: registration; improved city services; public health improved city services; public health programs; enforced tenement codesprograms; enforced tenement codes

Cities take over utilities: efforts to Cities take over utilities: efforts to regulate or dislodge monopolies regulate or dislodge monopolies providing city services; provided providing city services; provided residents w/ more affordable utilitiesresidents w/ more affordable utilities

City-supported welfare services created City-supported welfare services created

State Level Political State Level Political ReformsReforms

Direct primaryDirect primary InitiativeInitiative ReferendumReferendum RecallRecall Australian BallotAustralian Ballot – standard ballot – standard ballot

printed by gov’t at public expense; cast in printed by gov’t at public expense; cast in secretsecret Reduced “vote buying” and fraud in elections Reduced “vote buying” and fraud in elections

National Level Political National Level Political ReformsReforms

1717thth Amendment (1913): direct popular Amendment (1913): direct popular election of U.S. Senators; previously election of U.S. Senators; previously chosen by state legislatureschosen by state legislatures

1919thth Amendment (1920): women’s Amendment (1920): women’s suffragesuffrage

Social Reforms: Social Reforms: Consumer ProtectionConsumer Protection

Pure Food and Drug ActPure Food and Drug Act (1906): medicine and (1906): medicine and food must be safe; contents must be labeled; food must be safe; contents must be labeled; FDA establishedFDA established

Meat Inspection ActMeat Inspection Act (1906): (1906): The JungleThe Jungle influenced Roosevelt and Congress to act; influenced Roosevelt and Congress to act; strict sanitary conditions set; rating system for strict sanitary conditions set; rating system for meat; fed gov’t given authority to inspect meat meat; fed gov’t given authority to inspect meat crossing state lines (interstate commerce)crossing state lines (interstate commerce)

Social Reforms: Labor Social Reforms: Labor

State LevelState Level: labor depts created; : labor depts created; workers’ compensation laws; child labor workers’ compensation laws; child labor laws (by 1914, all states except 1); min. laws (by 1914, all states except 1); min. age lawsage laws

National LevelNational Level: U.S. Dept of Labor : U.S. Dept of Labor created (1913); 8 hr day for federal gov’t created (1913); 8 hr day for federal gov’t workersworkers

Social Reforms: Social Reforms: Conservation MeasuresConservation Measures

Roosevelt interested in conservationRoosevelt interested in conservation Congress created U.S. Forest ServiceCongress created U.S. Forest Service Gifford Pinchot (expert forester) appointed Gifford Pinchot (expert forester) appointed

head of Forest Servicehead of Forest Service Set aside 200 mill. acres of land for nat’l Set aside 200 mill. acres of land for nat’l

forests, mineral reserves & water projectsforests, mineral reserves & water projects National (Newlands) Reclamation Act passed National (Newlands) Reclamation Act passed

(1902): set aside $ from sale of public lands to (1902): set aside $ from sale of public lands to fund construction of irrigation systems in arid fund construction of irrigation systems in arid statesstates

Social Reforms: Social Reforms: ProhibitionProhibition

1818thth Amendment (1919): Amendment (1919): outlawed outlawed manufacture, sale, transportation of manufacture, sale, transportation of intoxicating liquorintoxicating liquor

Reformers believed would protect society from Reformers believed would protect society from poverty and violence associated with alcohol poverty and violence associated with alcohol consumptionconsumption

Miserable failureMiserable failure; led to bootlegging; ; led to bootlegging; widespread lawbreaking; speakeasies; rise of widespread lawbreaking; speakeasies; rise of organized crimeorganized crime

Repealed in 1933Repealed in 1933 (21 (21stst Amendment) Amendment)

Economic Reforms: Tariff Economic Reforms: Tariff ReformReform

Progressives wanted to lower tariffs (reform); Progressives wanted to lower tariffs (reform); Conservatives opposed reformConservatives opposed reform

Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909):Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909): failed attempt to failed attempt to lower tariff rates; actually raised rates on more lower tariff rates; actually raised rates on more items than lowereditems than lowered

Taft sided with conservatives in Rep. Party Taft sided with conservatives in Rep. Party Signed bill; this began rift between Taft and Signed bill; this began rift between Taft and

progressives in his partyprogressives in his party Underwood Tariff Act of 1913Underwood Tariff Act of 1913: tariff reform : tariff reform

finally achieved; lowered tariff rates on finally achieved; lowered tariff rates on thousands of items: lowest tariff since Civil Warthousands of items: lowest tariff since Civil War

Economic Reforms: Economic Reforms: Banking ReformBanking Reform

Federal Reserve Act (1913Federal Reserve Act (1913): created ): created the Federal Reserve System – the Federal Reserve System –

Created a decentralized nat’l banking Created a decentralized nat’l banking system; 12 district banks distributed system; 12 district banks distributed throughout country (see $1 bills)throughout country (see $1 bills)

Established a flexible currency – Fed Established a flexible currency – Fed controls amount of $ in circulation by controls amount of $ in circulation by controlling district banks’ lending-how?controlling district banks’ lending-how?

Economic Reforms: Economic Reforms: Business ReformBusiness Reform

Hepburn Act of 1906Hepburn Act of 1906: ICC could : ICC could regulate RR rates; made ICC effective for regulate RR rates; made ICC effective for 11stst time time

Mann-Elkins Act of 1910Mann-Elkins Act of 1910: gave ICC : gave ICC power to regulate lines of communication power to regulate lines of communication such as telephone and telegraph ratessuch as telephone and telegraph rates

Business Reforms (con’t)Business Reforms (con’t)

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914):Clayton Antitrust Act (1914): finally created finally created effective law gov’t could use to prosecute effective law gov’t could use to prosecute monopolies; specified illegal business activities monopolies; specified illegal business activities & contained protections for unions& contained protections for unions

Federal Trade Commission Act (1914):Federal Trade Commission Act (1914):

created FTC to set up fair trade laws and created FTC to set up fair trade laws and enforce antitrust laws; could punish companies enforce antitrust laws; could punish companies for unfair business practicesfor unfair business practices

Roosevelt as TrustbusterRoosevelt as Trustbuster

Did not believe gov’t should attack all trusts, Did not believe gov’t should attack all trusts, only those that were “bad”only those that were “bad”

Even those that were “good” should be Even those that were “good” should be controlled / regulatedcontrolled / regulated

Directed his Attorney General to file antitrust Directed his Attorney General to file antitrust suit against Northern Securities Co. – 1904 suit against Northern Securities Co. – 1904 gov’t won case & company dissolvedgov’t won case & company dissolved

42 antitrust suits were filed during TR’s 42 antitrust suits were filed during TR’s presidencypresidency

Split in the Republican Split in the Republican Party - 1912 Party - 1912

Taft did not continue to vigorously push Taft did not continue to vigorously push progressive reformsprogressive reforms

Progressives in Republican Party Progressives in Republican Party became upset with Taft: major causes:became upset with Taft: major causes:

1.1. Tariff – Taft signed Payne-Aldrich TariffTariff – Taft signed Payne-Aldrich Tariff2.2. Taft’s firing of Gifford PinchotTaft’s firing of Gifford Pinchot3.3. Taft’s support of conservative Speaker Taft’s support of conservative Speaker

of the House Joe Cannonof the House Joe Cannon

Impact of the SplitImpact of the Split

1912 Election – Progressive Republicans 1912 Election – Progressive Republicans did not want to support Taftdid not want to support Taft

Split from the party and formed a 3Split from the party and formed a 3rdrd party party called the Progressive Partycalled the Progressive Party

Nominated T. Roosevelt (“Bull Moose” Nominated T. Roosevelt (“Bull Moose” Party)Party)

This split the Republican vote in 1912; This split the Republican vote in 1912; Wilson won (42% the popular vote)Wilson won (42% the popular vote)

1912 Election: Wilson v. 1912 Election: Wilson v. Roosevelt Roosevelt

Wilson (D) – New FreedomWilson (D) – New Freedom Roosevelt (P) – New NationalismRoosevelt (P) – New Nationalism Roosevelt called for stronger, more active role Roosevelt called for stronger, more active role

on part of federal gov’ton part of federal gov’t Wilson portrayed Roosevelt’s ideas as “radical” Wilson portrayed Roosevelt’s ideas as “radical”

(more like socialism)(more like socialism) Wilson’s platform more conservative, but still Wilson’s platform more conservative, but still

focused on reforms – enforce antitrust laws focused on reforms – enforce antitrust laws without threatening free economic competitionwithout threatening free economic competition

Evaluating the Evaluating the Progressive Progressive Era: Political Pros / Cons Era: Political Pros / Cons

Accomplishments:Accomplishments: Voting rights protected & participation Voting rights protected & participation

expandedexpanded Some success against polit. MachinesSome success against polit. Machines

Outstanding IssuesOutstanding Issues:: Machines & corruption still existedMachines & corruption still existed African Americans rights still deniedAfrican Americans rights still denied

Social Pros / ConsSocial Pros / Cons

Accomplishments:Accomplishments: Labor reforms (esp. child labor laws and workers’ Labor reforms (esp. child labor laws and workers’

compensation)compensation) Consumer protection Consumer protection Conservation – TR considered this his greatest Conservation – TR considered this his greatest

achievementachievementOutstanding Issues:Outstanding Issues: Little done to address plight of farmersLittle done to address plight of farmers Non-union workers saw little changeNon-union workers saw little change Nativism still existedNativism still existed Jim Crow system continued (segregation)Jim Crow system continued (segregation)

Economic Pros / ConsEconomic Pros / Cons

Accomplishments:Accomplishments: Tariff, tax, banking reform achievedTariff, tax, banking reform achieved Stronger, more effective antitrust laws Stronger, more effective antitrust laws

enactedenacted

Outstanding issues:Outstanding issues: Trusts continued to dominate economyTrusts continued to dominate economy

The End of ProgressivismThe End of Progressivism

For most part, WW I ended Progressive For most part, WW I ended Progressive Era; nation’s attention shifted to foreign Era; nation’s attention shifted to foreign affairs (war began 1914; US declared affairs (war began 1914; US declared war 1917)war 1917)

Final reform of Progressive Era was the Final reform of Progressive Era was the 1919thth Amendment – women’s suffrage Amendment – women’s suffrage (1920); changing roles of women due to (1920); changing roles of women due to WW I gave suffrage its final momentumWW I gave suffrage its final momentum