Picturing the Progressive EraBy: Annamarie Ciccarello and Cooper Filhaber

Political Reform

http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0700/frameset_reset.html?http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0700/stories/0701_0105.html

Political Reform Analysis

Symbolizes how the people were losing faith in the party systems and were extremely against monopolies

This gave rise to special interest groups, and new forms of government such as the Commission Plan and the City-Manager Plan

So What: The rise of special interests and their influence over the government would shape the way politics were conducted through the creation of special interests groups such as the professional organizations, trade associations representing particular business and industries, labor organizations, farm lobbies and many others.

Women’s Rights

http://courses.wccnet.edu/~jrush/122outline19.html

Women’s Rights Analysis

Represents women’s desires for the vote and for even more rights than they had before

Heavily demanded suffrage as well. Formed groups such as the NAWSA, Anna Howard Shaw and Carrie

Chapman Catt were the leaders. Suffrage, some supporters began to argue, would not challenge the “separate sphere” in which women resided. It would allow women to bring their special and distinct virtues more widely to bear on society’s problems.

So What: Gave women the right to vote which is very important to politics and rights in general for women all across America. It was the starting point for a change in women’s rights and gave way to the Equal Rights Amendment for suffrage.

Temperance Movement

http://www.ushistoryscene.com/tag/progressive-era/

Temperance

Increased pressure on congress to outlaw the sale of hard liquor and alcoholic beverages

Heavily supported by household wives, high-ranking employers, and critics of trusts who viewed the alcohol trust as one of the most vile in the country

Displays what many considered to be the steps taken to being overcome by chronic consumption of the drink

So what: Eventually led to the prohibition (eighteenth amendment), which in turn gave way to the rise of bootleggers all across the country

Immigration

https://www.hws.edu/academics/mediaandsociety/curriculum.aspx

Immigration Analysis

The nativists heavily opposed the influx of immigrants into the U.S. and saw it as a threat to their way of life

There were large disagreements on how to deal with the immigration population- many progressives believed in assimilation, but many nativists believed in restricting immigration

Many nativists had support from large political figures: Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, etc

So what: Many immigrants would come to find harsh opposition from the nativists throughout the progressive era- not dissimilar to efforts to restrict immigration today. The picture displays how many saw their apparent repression as a violation of their rights and demanded citizenship.

Business Reform

http://www.digitalpencil.org/projects_AllGrades/History_TheProgressiveMovement/History_ProgressiveMovement.aspx

Business Reform Analysis

Public outcry to limit the power of trusts and monopolies was growing Many saw the need for a balance between big business and free

competition. Government argued that the thing to do was not outright crush the

scale of the corporations, but to limit the power it has to prevent further abuses

A supporting argument was the distinction between “good trusts” and “bad trusts”- simply encourage the good trusts while disciplining the bad.

So what: Most everyone saw that the trusts posed as a serious problem for the American Economy and the rights of laborers- it was inevitable that the government would act, but it was unclear how at first, as many of the trusts had the nation in the palms of the corporate hands. Theodore Roosevelt became increasing popular in his efforts to limit the corporations.

Works Cited

Brinkley, Alan. American History: A Survey. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003. Print.

Covkin, Serena. Temperance as a "maternal Struggle". How the Woman's Christian Temperance Union Reflected and Defined Women's

Roles in the Public Sphere. N.d. Photograph. History Scene, n.p. MDSC 315 Intro to Social Documentary. N.d. Photograph. Hobart and

William Smith Colleges, n.p. Progressive Movement. N.d. Photograph. Nebraska Studies, n.p. The Progressive Movement: A Cry for Reform. N.d. Photograph. Digital

Pencil, n.p. Women's Rights. N.d. Photograph. Washtenaw Community College, n.p.