Aim: What was the Progressive Movement?Do Now: Brainstorm. What does progressive mean?

PROGRESSIVE

Read Aloud

• The Progressive Era describes a period in American history when individuals organized to make reforms to our country. The progressives wanted to address the problems caused by the rapid growth of cities and industries. Some of the problems they addressed were poverty, the spread of slums, poor working conditions, and the unfair practices of some big businesses.

What was the Progressive Movement?

• 1890 – 1920 a response to social, economic, political, and environmental problems.

• Problems caused by rapid growth, caused a lot of human suffering, went against the nations beliefs, threatened to destroy society

• Journalists, rights activists, politicians, and others raised public awareness which resulted in reforms.

Causes of the Progressive Movement.

• Social Problems

• Economic Problems

• Political Problems

• Environmental Problems

Social Problems

• Poverty caused by unemployment and unfair wages led to homelessness, crime, and alcohol abuse.

• Alcohol abuse continued the vicious cycle of poverty and family problems.

• Racial segregation and Inequality: African Americans were not treated equally and were subjected to “Jim Crow” laws

Economic Problems

• Corporate Trusts: big businesses formed trusts (combination of business) and destroyed competition by raising prices to make unfair profits that hurt customers.

• Child Labor: many child worked in dangerous mines and factories for over 12 hours a day

• High Rates of Unemployment: many workers were forced to accept dangerous, grim jobs at unfair wages.

Political Problems

• Patronage: elected officials often received votes in exchange for government jobs and contracts.

• Limited Suffrage: women did not have the right to vote and many African-Americans were prevented from voting.

Environmental Problems

• Industrial pollution and abuses led to impure food, water, and air.

• Unregulated use of natural resources (coal, timber, water, etc.) led to further economic, social, and environmental problems.

• Poor sanitation caused disease and death.

Some Reformers/Muckrakers

• Nellie Bly

• Upton Sinclair

• Jane Addams

• Susan B Anthony

• W.E.B. DuBois

Nellie Bly

• Newspaper journalist

• She reported on abuses that she saw at the – “Women’s Lunatic Asylum” in NYC– Slums– Factories– Prisons– Nursing homes

Upton Sinclair

• Author, wrote “The Jungle”

• Described poor sanitary conditions in the meat packing industry.

Jane Addams

• Founded Hull House

• Hull House provided social services to the poor and unemployed.

Susan B Anthony

• President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) from 1892-1900.

• She fought for the women’s right to vote (19th amendment)

W.E.B. DuBois

• A founder of NAACP

• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People– Helped end segregation– Fought against segregation– Ended many “Jim Crow” laws