The Progressive Era

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The Progressive Era
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The Progressive Era

• 1890-1920
• Political and social reform movement
• Did not seek to overthrow capitalism, but rather
  address the massive problems of urbanization and
  industrialization
• Mainly a white, middle-class movement. Did NOT
  address racial issues.

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The Muckrakers

• Journalists who exposed social problems and
  political corruption but did not propose
  solutions
• Thomas Nast cartoonist known for exposing Boss
  Tweed
• Upton Sinclair His book The Jungle exposed
  unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry
• Ida Tarbell journalist who wrote about the
  Standard Oil Company
• Lincoln Steffens exposed corruption in city
  government in St. Louis

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Progressive ReformsPolitical

• Problem Politics controlled by political
  machines (bosses)
• The most famous political machine, Tammany Hall,
  was brought down by the most famous political
  cartoonist, Thomas Nast.
• Political cartoons are often most effective
  because they inspire emotion and reach
  populations of all educational levels

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• Solutions
• 17th Amendment people, NOT state legislatures
  elect senators
• Recall Remove a corrupt elected official
• Referendum Allows voters to approve/reject a
  law (taxes)
• Initiative Allows voters to propose laws
• Secret ballot end control of bosses

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Progressive ReformsSocial

• Problem child labor, working conditions,
  womens lack of the right to vote, domestic
  violence

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These mill girls are in their early teens
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These are Bobbin Boys small children could fit
into small places.
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These boys work in a canning factory note the
condition of their hands.
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This young man is 5 years old. He is a shrimp
picker.
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The whole family was important as far as income
note the four year old girl standing on the board
and the child care.
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These Breaker Boys work in the coal mines
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These young ladies are fruit pickers
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This family is doing piece-work, as is the next.
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This newsie is 5 years old and 41 inches tall.
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This young man is 8 years old. He has just
recovered from his second bout with pneumonia.
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Labor Reform

• Workers quickly realized that they must join
  together to protect themselves
• Sought to eliminate horrific sweatshop conditions
  public attention drawn to the issue by the 146
  deaths, mostly of teenage girls, in the 1911
  Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
• Limits placed initially on the child labor (under
  14) and the hours of women

Family members try to identify fire victims in
the morgue.
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These families are trying to identify victims of
the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1912)
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• Solutions
• 16th Amendment legalized income tax
• 18th Amendment Prohibition (no alcohol)
• 19th Amendment Womens Suffrage
• Newlands Act Protect Environment

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Progressive ReformsEconomic

• Problem trusts and monopolies controlling the
  economy
• Solutions
• Sherman Anti-Trust Act made monopolies/trusts
  illegal1st enforced in 1902
• Hepburn Act created Interstate Commerce
  Commissioncontrolled interstate trade
• Pure Food and Drug Act established FDA truth in
  labeling
• Meat Inspection Act Government inspection of
  meat (The Jungle)
• Federal Trade Commission Regulated unfair
  business practices

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Legal Weapons of the Progressives

• Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)
• Outlawed monopolies
• First used by T. Roosevelttrustbuster
• Northern Securities Company (1902)
• 1st case brought by TR
• TR started 44 anti-trust lawsuits
• Made him very popular
• United Mine Workers Strike (1902)
• TR mediated strike
• Square Deal each side receive fair treatment
  and consideration

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Legal Weapons

• Department of Commerce and Labor elevated to
  Cabinet Level (1903)
• Hepburn Act (1906)
• ICC createdto set just and reasonable RR rates
• Can investigate/regulate express/sleeping car
  co.s, oil pipelines, ferries, terminals, and
  bridges that cross state lines
• Limited ability for RR to give free passes

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Legal Weapons

• Meat Inspection Act (1906)
• Direct result of The Jungle
• Government inspectors check all meat crossing
  state lines
• Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)
• FDA
• Direct result of The Jungle
• Banned manufacture, sale, or shipment of impure
  meat or mislabeled food/drugs across state lines

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Legal Weapons

• 16th Amendment (1913)
• Established Federal Income Tax
• 17th Amendment (1913)
• Popular election of senators
• Federal Reserve Act (1913)
• Required federal and asked state banks to put
  their in district banks
• Government control of the money supply

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Legal Weapons

• Federal Trade Commission (1914)
• Prevented unfair business competition in
  interstate commerce
• Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914)
• Different stock prices for different people
• tying contract
• Interlocking directories
• Stock purchases lessened competition
• Later Outlawed

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Legal Weapons

• 18th Amendment (1919)
• Forbid manufacture, sale, or transportation of
  alcoholprohibition
• 19th Amendment (1920)
• Womens Right to Vote