The Progressives 1898–1920

Chapter 6, TOPIC 3--REFORMS

Topic 3 Reforms

1. Lesson Objective

Analyze how Progressives introduced reforms to address the ills associated with industrial capitalism.

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Reforming Society

What was the Tenement Act of 1901?What effect did it have on people’s health?

Housing reforms

Tenement Act of 1901 was legislation (a law) that forced landlords to install lighting in public hallways, the law required at least one toilet for every two families.

Outhouses were eventually banned from New York City slums.

Within 15 years, the death rate in New York dropped dramatically

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REFORMING THE WORKPLACE

2. Court decisions varied from State to State concerning workplace lawsuits. What were the major differences between

the outcomes of Lochner v. New York and Muller v. Oregon?

• Lochner, court sided with business owners

• Muller, court sided with workers

Joseph Lochner at work in 1905

OREGON HISTORICALREFORMING THE WORKPLACE

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3. Briefly summarize the New York and Oregon labor cases.

• New York (Lochner)—court refused to limit bakers’ workday to 10 hours

• Oregon (Muller)—established 10-hour workday for women working in laundries and factories

• Oregon (Bunting)—protected 10-hour workday limit for men working in mills and factories

REFORMING THE WORKPLACE

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The Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire

4. Why was the Triangle Shirtwaist fire important?

It exposed unsafe work conditions—tough fire-safety laws were passed

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

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REFORMING THE WORKPLACE

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

The fire on the eighth floor was higher than the fire department’s ladders could reach.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

5. Why couldn’t firefighters reach those who were trapped in the building?

REFORMING THE WORKPLACE

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Triangle Shirtwaist fireSTORY OF US:38.50-45.18 Shirtwaist fire

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

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6. Why was the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire a landmark in labor history?

The tragedy led to New York State reforms of safety measures, factory inspections, and sanitation standards that became a nationwide model.

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7. What improvements in working conditions was Florence Kelley

instrumental in promoting?

She promoted prohibiting child labor and limiting the number of hours women could work

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8. How did Progressives fight

to reform the workplace?

• campaigned to prohibit child labor

• limit working hours• initiate minimum

wage

REFORMING THE WORKPLACE

Child labor

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Child LaborThe unions What unions emerged during the Progressive Era?Read

REFORMING GOVERNMENT

Cartoon portraying the time needed to pass the 17th Amendment allowing the direct election of U.S. senators

By Spencer, for the Omaha World Herald, 1912

City government reforms

• Riis’s fame helped him press the city to improve living conditions for the poor and to build parks and schools.

9. How did Riis’s “How the Other Half Lives”, help bring about city government reforms?

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State government reforms

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire resulted in new state laws to be passed requiring dramatic new fire safety measures, factory inspections, and sanitation improvements

10. Because of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, what new state laws were passed?

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Election reforms

11. What characterized the secret ballot?

• printed all candidates’ names on a single piece of paper, instead of each political party printing its own ballot on colored paper

vs

Election Reforms

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12. How did election reforms enhance Democracy?

Election reforms gave voters greater direct participation in government

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13. Define: Seventeenth Amendment

(1913) a constitutional amendment allowing American voters to directly elect U.S. senators

The Seventeenth Amendment was ratified, providing for the direct election of Senators. Until this time, Senators had been chosen by state legislatures. The problem with letting representatives choose representatives is corruption

Election Reforms

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14. Define: Initiative

• a method of allowing voters to propose a new law on the ballot for public approval

Election Reforms

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15. Define: referendum

• allows voters to approve or reject a law already proposed or passed by government

Election Reforms

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16. Define:recall

• a vote to remove a political official from office

Election Reforms

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How did the Progressives reform elections to make them fairer and make politicians more accountable to

voters?

• pushed for the direct primary

• backed the Seventeenth Amendment

• fought for the use of the secret ballot

• urged states to adopt three additional election reform measures: the initiative, the referendum, and the recall

Election Reforms

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REFORMING GOVERNMENT

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How did Progressives reform government at the national, state, and local levels? Pp 174-175

• ANSWER: Progressives attacked government corruption at all levels (local, state, and federal)

REFORMING GOVERNMENT

"Caricature showing politicians and people representing different professions revolving around head of Richard "Boss" Croker as the Sun.“—example of local corruption

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