Why Change? From the 1890s to 1920, a reform movement swept the
nation as many individuals focused on improving the conditions
within the United States. By 1900, the United States was a rich and
powerful nation. Industrialization, urbanization, and immigration
had transformed the nation into a major world economy. However,
these changes to American society brought about many problems. The
Progressive movement was made up of groups and individuals who
worked to change the negative effects of industrialization and
urbanization.
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What Issues Needed to Be Fixed? Powerful monopolies restricted
competition and controlled prices Labor unrest and violence
Unhealthy and unsafe living and working conditions Increasing gap
between living standards of the rich and poor Urban poverty, crime,
congestion, and poor sanitation Political corruption and lack of
government responsiveness Abuse of the nations natural
resources
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Effects of Business Practices The corporate world grew
increasingly wealthy and more powerful. Industrial leaders believed
that economic success demonstrated fitness to lead, that Social
Darwinism explained why some were rich and others were poor. Those
who succeeded earned their position, and those who failed deserved
their failure. Social Darwinists believed that the government
should not intervene in this process, also known as laissez-faire
economics.
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Conditions for Industrial Workers Working conditions for
factory workers continued to be harsh. Many laborers worked 60-hour
weeks on machinery, often in unsafe, unhealthy conditions. Getting
hurt on the job often resulted in the worker being fired. Workers
earned low wages, and women and children were paid even less than
male workers. Workers had little security because their employers
could fire them at any time. Soon, workers grew less tolerant of
these terrible working conditions and began to form labor unions.
Many businesses fired workers who attempted to form these labor
unions, and strikes by the workers were often met with armed
attacks from factory security guards.
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Life for the Urban Poor The gap between living standards of the
rich and the poor increased widely during this period, especially
in the cities. As the rich grew richer, building lavish townhouses
in relatively safe and clean neighborhoods, the poor grew even
poorer. The poor lived in urban slums characterized by poverty,
crime, congestion, and poor sanitation. Housing in cities was
segregated by social and economic status, by race, and often by
ethnic background.
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Who Were the Progressives? The Progressives set out to tackle
the problems of their era. The Progressive movement was made up of
many different movements, and the Progressives were many different
kinds of Americans. The Progressives tended to be educated
professionals like that of; doctors, lawyers, teachers, and clergy.
All Progressives believed in the following ideas; Abuses of power
by government and business could be ended New developments in
technology and science could be used to improve life Belief in
strong government that could correct abuses and protect rights
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Muckrakers Muckrakers helped bring reform issues to the
attention of the public. Most were journalists and writers, but
others were also artists and photographers. Muckrakers investigated
and exposed corruption and injustice through articles in magazines.
They also wrote novels dramatizing situations that demanded reform.
Because of the effort of the Muckrakers, important laws were passed
to protect the rights of consumers in the United States including;
the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act These laws
were passes due to the unsanitary conditions within the
meat-packing industry exposed by Upton Sinclair in his novel The
Jungle
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Muckrakers ______________-The Jungle ___________-How the other
Half Lives ___________-The Octopus _______________-History of the
Standard Oil Company _______________-The Shame of the Cities
__________and ________conditions in the ___________industry
Conditions of the _______living in________. _____________railroad
practices Ruthless practices of_________________
___________Corruption in city government
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Upton Sinclairs- The Jungle This novel exposed the unsanitary
working conditions in the meatpacking industry. This novel caused
the government to pass two important laws protecting the rights of
consumers: 1.) Pure Food and Drug Act 2.) Meat Inspection Act
http://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=Xxe9nosWawM
http://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=nyH7D9DF0Mc
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Jacob Riiss- How the Other Half Lives
http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-
of-us/videos/jacob-riis?m=51896f797a81d
Community Improvement -Other reformers founded groups intended
to correct the problems of society. -In Chicago, Jane Addams
started Hull House, a settlement house designed to provide
education and services to the poor
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Temperance Movement The temperance movement, which opposed the
sale of alcoholic beverages, began in the 1820s. Over the years,
its chief goal became prohibition- outlawing the manufacture and
sale of alcoholic beverages. Under the leadership of Francis
Willard, the Womens Christian Temperance Union was a strong
advocate for prohibition. These individuals believed that through
prohibition, problems of disease and poverty could be eased, family
life improved, and the national economy made more productive. The
temperance movement led to national prohibition with the passing of
the 18 th Amendment, which banned the manufacturing, sale, and
transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States as of
1920.
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African American Progressives Booker T. Washington Former slave
and founder of Tuskegee Institute, urged African Americans to get
vocational training in order to establish themselves financially.
This strategy was thought to increase the self-esteem of African
Americans and earn the respect of the white society. W.E.B. Du Bois
A Harvard educated professor, shared Washingtons view of the
importance of an education, however Du Bois believed in a broad,
liberal education rather than a vocational one. Started the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP),
which further fought for the rights of African Americans.