The Progressive Era

Chapter 6, section 1

The Progressive Era

• 1890-1920• Progressivism was a collection of

ideas/activities about how to fix the problems in American society

• Believed the gov’t should take a larger role in helping problems caused by industrialization

Muckrakers• Era was helped by the muckrakers (term

coined by Teddy Roosevelt)• They put pressure on politicians to

introduce reforms

Muckrakers

• Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle, which put pressure on the gov’t to regulate meatpacking industry

The Progressive EraProgressives wanted more democracy in

society• Reforms:• 1. Direct primary (Robert La Follette,

governor of Wisconsin)• 2. initiative• 3. Referendum• 4. Recall• 5. 17th Amendment

The Suffrage Movement

• Movement for women’s voting rights

• Suffrage is the right to vote

• Many Progressives joined the movement

The Suffrage Movement

• Began in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention, which was organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

• Became unified in 1890 with creation of NAWSA

The Suffrage Movement

• 2 main arguments against movement:• 1. Women powerful enough• 2. Blur distinctions between genders

• **Not all women supported suffrage

The Suffrage Movement

• Leaders worked to get constitutional amendment, but failed

• Had success getting individual states to accept women’s suffrage

The Suffrage Movement

• Wyoming—1st state to allow women’s suffrage

• Movement had more success out West

The Suffrage Movement

• Will be helped by WWI• Women provided help in industries, still

performed “gender duties”• 1920—19th Amendment ratified

Social Welfare Progressivism

• Many Progressives focused on social problems

• Created charities to the poor, but also pushed for new laws to help fix problems

Social Welfare Progressivism

• Child labor• 1900—Over 1.7 million children under 16

worked in factories• Considered very unhealthy• States began to pass laws to limit child

labor, such as compulsory education laws

Social Welfare Progressivism• Safety codes:• Many adults also worked in bad

conditions• 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory incident• States began to pass building and fire

codes• Progressives able to get states to adopt

workers’ compensation laws

Social Welfare Progressivism

• The Prohibition Movement• Many Progressives believed alcohol was

responsible for many problems in American life

• Temperance movement emerged

Social Welfare Progressivism

• The Prohibition Movement• Very successful• Alcohol consumption dramatically

dropped in the 1800s• 18th Amendment

Social Welfare Progressivism

• Progressives also were against big business

• Believed that wealth was concentrated in hands of a small group of people

• 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act

Social Welfare Progressivism

• Many progressives supported idea of socialism (gov’t should own and operate industry)

• Gained national support, Socialist Party formed

• Eugene V. Debs ran for President in 1912