Progressive movement 2011.pptx
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Transcript of Progressive movement 2011.pptx
Why do you think people crave freedom, but get mad when people abuse their freedom?
Mark Twain called this era the “Gilded Age”
(gilded) means plated, so some that is made to look expensive and nice, but really is not
An alarm that beneath the surface lay corruption
Population boomRapid Urban GrowthCorruption in GovernmentNew needs of the countryCitizens demanding more rights
Not an organized movement A collection of different ideas
Believed industrialization and urbanization had created many social problems
Partially a reaction to “Laize-Faire”- (hands off) approach
People wanted the government to do more
Wanted political power given back to people Initiative—people propose legislation Referendum—people vote on legislation Recall—people can remove elected
officials Desire to decrease corruption (Political Machines)
The movement focused on applying moral principles to the improvement of industrialized society
particularly to reforms such as the abolition of: child labor, a shorter workweek factory regulation.
Idea that biblical ideas could improve cities and industries
“That danger, as we saw in our brief sketch of the industrial revolution, was immediately realized in the most sweeping measure. The people lost control of the tools of industry more completely than they ever lost control of the land. Under the old system the workman owned the simple tools of his trade. To-day the working people have no part nor lot in the machines with which they work. In capitalistic production there is a cooperation between two distinct groups: a small group which owns all the material factors of land and machinery; a large group which owns nothing but the personal factor of human labor power. In this process of cooperation the propertyless group is at a fearful disadvantage.”
Willing to expose corruption Journalists: Term coined by RooseveltAmong the first to call for actionSome reported on unfair business
practicesOthers reported on government
and political machinesStill others focused on society
Poverty, disease, and crime
Meant to show the harsh tones of: poverty, absence of social
programs, unpleasant living and
working conditions, and hopelessness among
the working class Instead, it lead to a
public outcry on the unsanitary conditions of the meat packing industry
Woman Suffrage was an important issue for progressives
Suffrage is the right to vote Early suffragists were accused of
being unfeminine and immoral Even physically attacked Form the National American Women
Suffrage Association (NAWSA) The big problem: How to convince
women to become politically active?
In 1919, NAWSA used it’s influence to defeat two anti-suffrage Senators
The following year, the 19th Amendment passed, guaranteeing women the right to vote
Campaign Against Child Labor Most emotional issue Children had worked on family farms Factory work was different
Monotonous tasks Unhealthy working conditions Dangerous
In 1900 there were 1.7 Million Children working under the age of 16 (Newsies)
Muckraker John Spargo’s Book The Bitter Cry of Children
showed how thousands of “breaker boys” 9-10, were paid 60 cents for a 10 hour day to sling coal
The work permanently bent their backs Often crippled their hands
Reports such as this created new changes:
Minimum working age Required children to be in school Maximum work hours for children
Health and Safety Codes Adult workers faced difficult
and dangerous working conditions
Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York
Killed 150 women from doors that wouldn’t open
Protests led to: New building codes Dealing with fire hazards, unsafe
machinery, and working conditions
Felt wealth was in the hands to too few people
Mainly trusts and big holding companies (Rockfeller)
Created the Sherman Anti-Trust Act Break up big companies to restore
competition Interstate Commerce Commission:
New government agency to watch big business
Socialism: Idea that the government should
own and operate industry for the community as a whole
Wanted the government to buy up large companies and industries Railroads and utilities
At its peak even had candidate run for president in 1912 for the Socialist Party
Connect to today…
“The rich should act as a steward (supervisor) to the poor.” –Andrew Carnegie
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
Short lived movement against banks, railroads, and elites
Farmers in crisisOverproduction from Civil War had left prices too low to surviveTwo party system couldn’t solve the nation’s problems
Farmer’s embraced populism, a movement to increase the farmer’s political power
Farmers banned together to create the people’s party
Nation found itself in bigger trouble when the railroads collapsed and defaulted on their loans
Nation was in debt and needed a way out
Populists suggested using silver to back the nations economy
However, as the depression faded and gold was discovered in Ca the movement faded
So did the populist party with little success at changing the strong industrial North
There were many different types of progressives
One group focus on the making government more efficient
They believe that if the government could run worked properly, problems in society would be fixed
Argued that modern cities needed experts, not politicians
Wanted LESS democracy, democracy=corruption
Not everyone agreed that society needed less democracy
What they needed was to be informed
Before the parties had chosen the candidates,
Hold direct primaries, where the people pick the candidates
“Democracy is based upon knowledge…the only way to beat the boss…is to keep the people informed”
RooseveltTaftWilson
Trustbuster- believed some trusts were hurting the public
Wanted to supervise big business without destroying it
Established Department of Commerce and Labor
Under Roosevelt’s presidency, Congress gave the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission the power to enforce regulation of railroad rates
Ordered break-up of Northern Securities Trusts
One of first presidents to protect environment
Laws to irrigate deserts and reserve forest land
Established National Parks
Crater Lake, Oregon
Wind Cave, South Dakota
Mesa Verde, Colorado
Yosemite, CA
Re-elected in 1904 In 1908, Roosevelt hand-
picked Taft as his successor
Legacies of Roosevelt: Increased power and
prestige of presidency Set rates and
regulations for the railroad industry
Agriculture Department Public Health Safety
Anti-Trust lawsuits under the Expedition Act
Lacked personality compared to Roosevelt
Really wanted to keep the “status quo”
Busted more trusts than Roosevelt
Trustbuster- Standard Oil in 1911
Created the Children’s Bureau child labor
Conservationist: forests and water
William Howard TAFT was the largest U.S. President.
7′ long and 41″ wide.
Replica of his custom bathtub For a reference as to
the scale, (10 yr old boy in background)
Woodrow Wilson was elected in 1912
Wanted to regulate trusts so small business could thrive
Wanted more competition in economy—New Freedom Program
Called for assault on tariffs, banks and trusts
Passed Underwood Tariff Bill—dramatic reduction in rates
Also began collecting income tax
Designed to equalize wealth
Tax money now larger source of income than tariffs
Wanted banks to end its monopoly and to be able to put more currency in market when necessary
1913 Federal Reserve Act Created Federal Reserve
Board—oversees regional reserve districts and banks
Each bank empowered to issue paper money if necessary
Most important piece of economic legislation between Civil War and New Deal
1914 Federal Trade Commission Act—outlawed unfair trade practices
1914 Clayton Anti-Trust Act, made sure labor unions weren’t being prosecuted
Progressivism changed the view many people had about government’s role on social issues
By the end of the progressive era American’s expected the government to do more in solving our problems
Passed laws to protect workers and work against child labor
Did not address the issues of African Americans and religion
16th allows Congress to charge an income tax without regard to the States
17th Amendment provides for the direct election of Senators by the people of a state rather than their election or appointment by a state legislature.
18th Prohibiting the sale of alcohol Prohibition
19th Gave women the right to vote
1. How might a modern day progressive deal with the issue of ________?
(pick 1: Health Care, Drugs, Crime, Executive Bonuses)
2. How are modern companies becoming more efficient?
(Give me 2 examples and explain HOW they increase efficiency)
3. What are you prohibited from doing at home? At school? By law?
(Give me 2 examples of each & tell me WHY do you think they are prohibited?)
4. A. What is a political initiative? B. What does it mean to take initiative
in a situation? (answer the 2 questions)