THE PROGRESSIVE ERATHE PROGRESSIVE ERA1900-19151900-1915

““The Search for Order”The Search for Order”

What are the origins of the Progressive Era reforms?

PROGRESSIVESPROGRESSIVESSOCIAL REFORMERS SOCIAL REFORMERS seeking solutions to social, seeking solutions to social, economic & political economic & political problems – look to experts, problems – look to experts, not common mannot common man

NOTNOT a political party … both a political party … both Democrats & Republicans Democrats & Republicans are progressivesare progressives

Mostly white, urban, middle-Mostly white, urban, middle-class, many womenclass, many women

Look to government as Look to government as agency of social welfareagency of social welfare

Goals of Socialists vs. ProgressivesGoals of Socialists vs. Progressives

SOCIALISMSOCIALISM = system = system where gov’t owns & where gov’t owns & controls production & controls production & distribution of all goods distribution of all goods producedproduced

Socialists want to do away Socialists want to do away with America’s capitalist with America’s capitalist system and replace it with system and replace it with socialismsocialism

Also will see rise of Also will see rise of anarchists, communists…anarchists, communists…

””Red Emma”Red Emma”

PROGRESSIVESPROGRESSIVESJust trying to improve Just trying to improve capitalismcapitalism

Sought to regulate big Sought to regulate big businessbusiness

Sought reforms to Sought reforms to improve the lives of improve the lives of workers…& attack workers…& attack problem of child laborproblem of child labor

Sought government Sought government reforms to give voters reforms to give voters more control over their more control over their governmentgovernment

Emma Goldman

MUCKRAKERSMUCKRAKERSWriters who investigate and Writers who investigate and expose social problems.expose social problems.– Do not attempt to solve the problems –Do not attempt to solve the problems –

just expose them.just expose them.– New $.10 & $.15 journals like New $.10 & $.15 journals like

McClure’s, Cosmopolitan, Collier’s McClure’s, Cosmopolitan, Collier’s

Term coined by Teddy Roosevelt Term coined by Teddy Roosevelt based on…based on…Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair – – The JungleThe Jungle– Unsanitary conditions in meat-packing Unsanitary conditions in meat-packing

plantsplants

Lincoln SteffensLincoln Steffens – The Shame of – The Shame of the Citiesthe Cities– Political corruption in city governmentPolitical corruption in city government

Ida TarbellIda Tarbell – – History of Standard History of Standard Oil CompanyOil Company– Expose of Rockefeller’s unethical Expose of Rockefeller’s unethical

business methodsbusiness methods

John SpargoJohn Spargo - - The Bitter Cry of the The Bitter Cry of the Children - Children - child labor abuseschild labor abuses

JACOB RIISJACOB RIIS– ““How the How the

Other Half Other Half Lives”Lives”

– Photo-Photo-journalistjournalist

– Exposed Exposed problems of problems of the urban the urban immigrantsimmigrants

Wealth in the Progressive YearsWealth in the Progressive Years

POLITICAL REFORMSPOLITICAL REFORMS

GOALS:GOALS:– To use government to curb trustsTo use government to curb trusts– to stem the Socialist threat by improving theto stem the Socialist threat by improving the

common person’s condition of life and laborcommon person’s condition of life and labor

WISCONSIN IDEAWISCONSIN IDEA – ROBERT LAFOLLETTE – ROBERT LAFOLLETTE– Management of public resources will be entrusted to non-partisan Management of public resources will be entrusted to non-partisan

civil servants – EXPERTS, mostly from faculty of U of WIcivil servants – EXPERTS, mostly from faculty of U of WI

DIRECT PRIMARYDIRECT PRIMARY– People (not bosses) choose who will run for officePeople (not bosses) choose who will run for office

INITIATIVEINITIATIVE– Voters/public Voters/public initiateinitiate/propose legislation/propose legislation

REFERENDUMREFERENDUM– Proposed legislation submitted to voters to Proposed legislation submitted to voters to ratifyratify/approve/approve

RECALLRECALL– Allows voters to remove an elected official from officeAllows voters to remove an elected official from office

What happened in municipal (city) politics?What happened in municipal (city) politics?

1717THTH AMENDMENT AMENDMENT– U.S. Senators were originally appointed by U.S. Senators were originally appointed by

state legislatures—the “Millionaire’s Club”state legislatures—the “Millionaire’s Club”– 1717thth Amendment provides for direct Amendment provides for direct

election of senatorselection of senators

BossesBossesof the of the SenateSenate

CHILD LABORCHILD LABOR

CHILD LABORCHILD LABOR

Problems exposed by John Spargo in Problems exposed by John Spargo in “Bitter Cry of the Children”“Bitter Cry of the Children”

1.7 million children under age 16 were 1.7 million children under age 16 were employed full-timeemployed full-time

Problems included:Problems included:– Low pay & long hoursLow pay & long hours– SweatshopsSweatshops– Unhealthy conditionsUnhealthy conditions– Dangerous minesDangerous mines

TEMPERANCETEMPERANCESocial problems resulting Social problems resulting from alcohol:from alcohol:– Money wastedMoney wasted– Physical abusePhysical abuse– Health problems / sicknessHealth problems / sickness– Poor performance at workPoor performance at work

Goal of Temperance Goal of Temperance Movement:Movement:– Laws to ban the manufacture, Laws to ban the manufacture,

sale or distribution of alcoholsale or distribution of alcohol– Movement led by women, Movement led by women,

WCTU, Frances WillardWCTU, Frances Willard

Workplace Safety ProblemsWorkplace Safety ProblemsNo safety regulationsNo safety regulations

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory FireTriangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire – – NY, 1911 – employed 500 womenNY, 1911 – employed 500 women– 150 women trapped in factory150 women trapped in factory– Doors locked from the outsideDoors locked from the outside– Rear fire escape collapsedRear fire escape collapsed– Burned alive or jumped to their Burned alive or jumped to their

death….in just 15 minutesdeath….in just 15 minutes

Reforms resulting from this Reforms resulting from this tragedy:tragedy:– FIRE ESCAPES!FIRE ESCAPES!– Workers’ compensation lawsWorkers’ compensation laws

Most vivid symbol of need for Most vivid symbol of need for gov’t to ensure a safe workplacegov’t to ensure a safe workplace

Women's’ SuffrageWomen's’ SuffragePresident Wilson opposedPresident Wilson opposedAlice Paul & National Women’s Alice Paul & National Women’s Party:Party:– Picketed the White HousePicketed the White House– Blocked SidewalksBlocked Sidewalks– Chained themselves to lamppostsChained themselves to lampposts– Hunger strikes in jail; Force-fedHunger strikes in jail; Force-fed

WYOMING was the 1WYOMING was the 1stst state to give state to give women the right to votewomen the right to vote1919thth Amendment finally passed in Amendment finally passed in 1920 which gave suffrage to ALL 1920 which gave suffrage to ALL women in nationwomen in nation

Women's’ SuffrageWomen's’ Suffrage

Headquarters of an Anti-Suffrage Headquarters of an Anti-Suffrage Group (c.1910) Group (c.1910)

Anti-Suffrage Pamphlet (c.1910)Anti-Suffrage Pamphlet (c.1910)

Paul

"Kaiser Wilson""Kaiser Wilson"

Women’s Suffrage Map Women’s Suffrage Map

WYWY11stst!!

Women's Voting RightsWomen's Voting Rights

The Courts & Industrial ReformsThe Courts & Industrial ReformsLochner v. New York, 1905Lochner v. New York, 1905– Supreme Ct. invalidates NY law setting 10 hour workday Supreme Ct. invalidates NY law setting 10 hour workday

for bakersfor bakers– Master & employee are free to contract with each otherMaster & employee are free to contract with each other– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. dissent: if hours too long, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. dissent: if hours too long,

state CAN regulate private business in the interest of state CAN regulate private business in the interest of health ---- will be used later in:health ---- will be used later in:

Muller v. Oregon, 1908Muller v. Oregon, 1908– Ct. upheld OR law limiting # of hours women could workCt. upheld OR law limiting # of hours women could work– Louis Brandeis, attorney used sociological, medical & Louis Brandeis, attorney used sociological, medical &

scientific data to show need to protect womenscientific data to show need to protect women– Sexist ruling - Ct. agreed holding that women’s physical Sexist ruling - Ct. agreed holding that women’s physical

structure & performance of maternal functions put her structure & performance of maternal functions put her at a disadvantage…her physical well-being becomes an at a disadvantage…her physical well-being becomes an object of public interest and careobject of public interest and care

– First time courts rely on sociological evidenceFirst time courts rely on sociological evidence

CHANGES IN LABOR UNIONSCHANGES IN LABOR UNIONSBecome more radical - reject craft Become more radical - reject craft unionism & advocate socialismunionism & advocate socialismInternational Workers of the World International Workers of the World (Wobblies)(Wobblies)– Openly anti-capitalistOpenly anti-capitalist– Big Bill Haywood (IWW, Socialist Big Bill Haywood (IWW, Socialist

Party)Party)Mother Jones:Mother Jones:– Irish immigrantIrish immigrant– Husband & 4 kids died in yellow fever Husband & 4 kids died in yellow fever

epidemicepidemic– Built up dressmaking business – lost Built up dressmaking business – lost

everything in Great Chicago Fireeverything in Great Chicago Fire– Organizes coal miners union & works Organizes coal miners union & works

to get child labor prohibitedto get child labor prohibited

Transportation ReformsTransportation Reforms

At 7 p.m. on Oct. 27, 1904, the NY subway opened to the public, and more than 100,000 people paid a nickel each to take their first ride under Manhattan.

Today, some 4.5 million passengers take the NY subway each day. New York's subway is the only rapid transit system in the world that runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

LIMITS ON PROGRESSIVISMLIMITS ON PROGRESSIVISM

Wages of unskilled workers stay Wages of unskilled workers stay low – why?low – why?– IMMIGRANTS!IMMIGRANTS!Biggest limitation of Biggest limitation of Progressivism is its attitude Progressivism is its attitude toward racetoward race– All non-white races still believed to All non-white races still believed to

be inferiorbe inferior– Plessy v. FergusonPlessy v. Ferguson,, 1896 is the law 1896 is the law

on segregationon segregationSeparate but equal doctrineSeparate but equal doctrineSegregation is constitutional so Segregation is constitutional so long as separate facilities are long as separate facilities are equalequal

Booker T. Washington

Accomodationist

Educator, was a former Educator, was a former slave, wrote book, Up slave, wrote book, Up From SlaveryFrom Slavery

Proposed concentrating Proposed concentrating on economic goals rather on economic goals rather that legal and political that legal and political goals for equality.goals for equality.

Famous speech: Famous speech: Atlanta Atlanta Compromise, urged to Compromise, urged to learn trade, education learn trade, education then fight for full rightsthen fight for full rights

Booker T. Washington

Accomodationist

W.E.B. Dubois

Integrationist;Agitation & Litigation!

W.E.B. Dubois

Integrationist;Agitation & Litigation!

THE THE PROGRESSIVE PROGRESSIVE PRESIDENTSPRESIDENTS