Progressivism, WWI, and the “Roaring Twenties” (1900-1929)

Chapters 28-31

Progressives dominated the first two decades of American politics Built on the Populist movement which

advocated reform through government Progressives were urban, middle-class

reformers Roots lay in a number of associations and

organizations who hated corruption they saw in business, politics, and urban life

Marked a turning point in American history because it increased government involvement in citizens’ daily lives

Muckrakers revealed widespread corruption and misconductLincoln Steffens exposed corruption of

urban management Ida Tarbell focused on the oil industryUpton Sinclair attacked the meatpacking

industry Achieved great success on the local and

national levelsChanged public attitudes about education

and government regulation

Aided by many individuals and groupsW.E.B. DuBois founded the NAACPWomen’s organizations fought for suffrage

and gave birth to the modern feminist movement Margaret Sanger promoted the use of

contraceptives Eventually helped women achieve suffrage with

the 19th Amendment in 1920

Robert La Follette set a great example for Progressive state leaders Implemented plans for direct primary

elections, progressive taxation, and rail regulation

Introduced new practices which spread to other states: Initiative—Voters could propose new legislation Referendum—Allowed public to vote on new

laws Recall—Voters could remove officials from office

States introduced work day limits, minimum-wage requirements, child labor laws, and urban housing codes Also adopted progressive income taxes

Included three presidents—Teddy Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson

Teddy was the most prominent Progressive leaderFirst leader to successfully use the Sherman

Antitrust Act against monopolies Distinguished between “good” and “bad” trusts

Strengthened food and drug regulationsAdvocated conservation through the

creation of federal parks and protection of land from overdevelopment

Policies were called New Nationalism

Taft continued Teddy’s policies and expanded themSpearheaded the drive for two

constitutional amendments 16th Amendment instituted a national income tax 17th Amendment provided for the direct election

of senatorsPursued monopolies more vigorously than

Teddy

Wilson continued Progressivism, although he was a Democrat Defeated Teddy, who ran on the Bull Moose

ticket in the Election of 1912 Policies were called New Freedom Saw trusts as monopolies which violated

freedom for workers and consumers Sought to restore competition through greater

government regulation of the economy and lowering of the tariff

Created the Federal Trade Commission Enforced the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 Helped create the Federal Reserve System,

which gave the government more control over the economy

Progressivism continued until the end of WWI (1918)Weary nation stepped back from its moral

crusadeAchieved many of its goals but was

eventually abandoned by the people it had served

Roosevelt was a bigger imperialist than McKinley Believed he should “walk softly and carry a big stick”

Roosevelt Corollary (to the Monroe Doctrine) stated that the US would intervene when its interests were threatened

Platt Amendment (1903) committed Cuba to American semicontrol Resulted in a number of Marine invasions and

occupations Supported construction of the Panama Canal in lands

controlled by Colombia US encouraged Panamanians to revolt against the

Colombians Panama gave the US a better deal after their revolt

succeeded

US continued to adhere to the Monroe DoctrineUS had the right to intervene anywhere in

the Western Hemisphere to protect national security

Also stated that the US didn’t want any part of Europe’s disputes

US became a close ally of Britain

Wilson won the Election of 1912 by defeating two other candidates (Teddy and Taft)

WWI broke out because of:MilitarismAlliances Nationalism ImperialismAssassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to

the Austro-Hungarian throne

Wilson proclaimed that the US would remain neutralUS shipped supplies to both sides

Britain responded by blockading ships heading for Germany and confiscating them and their cargoGermany countered the blockade using U-

boats Violated international law because they didn’t

warn ships before attacking and they targeted all ships

Sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 provoked intense condemnation, which caused the Germans to abandon submarine warfare for a while

Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in 1916

Wilson campaigned for the Election of 1916 with the slogan “He kept us out of war” Asked Congress to prepare for war, just in

case, after the Germans san the Arabic Zimmerman Telegram was intercepted in

1917 Stipulated that if Mexico declared war on the

US, Germany would help them regain lands lost during the Mexican War

US declared war on the Central Powers one month later

Power of the government expanded greatlyTook control of the telephone, telegraph,

and rail industries Massive new bureaucracy was created

War Industry Board was created to coordinate all facets of industrial and agricultural productionWould help supply all of the Allies

Individual and civil liberties were curtailed Espionage Act (1917) prohibited anyone from

using the US mail system to interfere with the war effort and draft Upheld by the Supreme Court in cases like

Schenck v. United States (1919)Liberties could be curtailed if they posed a

“clear and present danger” to others Sedition Act (1918) made it illegal to prevent

the sale of war bonds or speak disparagingly about any American institution

Violated the 1st Amendment like the Alien and Sedition Acts of the 1790s

The US turned on individuals and organizations with unpopular ideas Anti-Communist paranoia swept the country Radical labor unions, like the International

Workers of the World, became enemies of the state Leaders were incarcerated

Socialist leader Eugene V. Debs was imprisoned for criticizing the war

FBI was created to protect radicals from taking over

Civil liberties were discarded in the Palmer Raids in early 1920 4,000 suspected radicals were arrested

Government created the Committee on Public Information (CPI) to spread propagandaCaused an increase in the violence against

German immigrants WWI had a tremendous impact on

American societyCreated new opportunities for women, who

worked in factories in large numbers500,000 southern blacks migrated north to

the major cities to work in factoriesBlack soldiers enlisted and joined

segregated units in menial labor

American entrance into WWI tipped the scales in favor of the Allies

Wilson’s Fourteen Points outlined his post-war worldview before the war ended and called for:Free trade through lower tariffs and

freedom of the seasReduction of arms supplies on all sidesSelf-determination (end of colonialism)Creation of the League of Nations Initially guided the peace negotiations

Treaty of Versailles punished Germany who had to:Cede German and colonial territories to the

AlliesDisarmPay huge reparationsAdmit responsibility

The Treaty of Versailles set the stage for WWII because it left Germany humiliated and in economic ruin

League of Nations was approved but when Wilson refused to compromise, the Senate wouldn’t approve US membership in the organizationUS didn’t sign the Treaty of Versailles

US retreated into a state of isolationism

American economy grew rapidly after WWIElectric motor helped with the boom

Republican administrations were pro-businessGovernment regulatory agencies often

assisted business instead of regulating it All three presidents—Harding, Coolidge,

and Hoover—pursued pro-business policies

Harding was hounded by scandals and differed from Wilson In the Teapot Dome Scandal, oil companies

bribed the secretary of the interior so they could drill on public lands

Conservative economically but more liberal on civil rights issues

Tried to help farmersDied in office

Coolidge was elected in 1924 and continued Harding’s policiesConservative economicallyPushed for lower income-tax rates

Pro-business atmosphere led to a temporary decline in the popularity of labor unionsMembership levels droppedBusinesses wooed workers with pension

plans, stock options, and company parties These practices are called welfare capitalism

The automobile typified the new spirit of the nationHenry Ford made automobiles available to

everyone through mass production Allowed for the rise of suburbia, highways,

and a larger police force Radio changed families and introduced

large-scale advertising More women (15% total) entered the

workforce so that families could enjoy luxuriesWorked in traditional “female” jobs

The flapper represented a new image of American womenChanged dress, smoked, drank, and danced

Entertainment became vitalMovies and sports became importantUS authors gained prominence and many

became expats as part of the “lost generation”

Harlem Renaissance featured a cultural awakening among black artists in NYC Jazz became popular

Not all Americans eagerly embraced change Ku Klux Klan grew and widened its targets Anti-immigrant groups grew and targeted

southern and eastern European immigrants Displayed by events like the Sacco and Vanzetti trial Emergency Quota Act of 1924 set immigration quotas

based on national originsDiscriminated against “new immigrants”

Scopes Monkey Trial illustrated the social tensions of the decade Argued by Clarence Darrow and William Jennings

Bryan Featured the debate between “progress” and tradition

The 18th Amendment created Prohibition This ushered in the gangster era

Hoover won the Election of 1928 Economy crashed in 1929 because of:

Drop in pricesLack of buyersBanks and corporations couldn't pay

employees or guarantee bank depositsManufacturers and farmers had

overproduced for years Workers were laid off and farmers’ crops were

worth less Production outpaced demand

DeflationUnemploymentBusiness failuresGovernment didn’t regulate large

businesses which led to the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few

Prolonged drought in the Great Plains that led to the Dust Bowl

Americans suffered a lot and lost jobs, homes, and life savings Homeless built Hoovervilles

Hoover initially did nothing because he didn’t want to violate the American ideal of rugged individualism Eventually, he initiated a few farm assistance

programs and campaigned for federal works projects

His Hawley-Smoot Tariff was passed to strengthen business, but worsened the economy Highest protective tariff in US history

Bonus Expeditionary Force marched on Washington in 1932 when Congress considered early benefit payments to war veteransRefused to leave when the bill was defeatedHoover attacked these war veterans with

federal troops, killing 100