CHANGE IN AMERICA

Progressive Philosophy  Do not be satisfied with status quo  Always try to improve society/world  Government should lead changes  Expanded government regulation is needed

PROGRESSIVISM WANTED TO IMPROVE:  SOCIETY  EDUCATION  CONDITIONS FOR WORKERS  AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM

IMROVING SOCIETY  Pass Women’s Suffrage  End child labor  Provide help for immigrants  Improve living conditions in cities  Lessen poverty

IMROVING EDUCATION  Build more schools  Standardize textbooks  Better teacher training  Hands-on practical learning

IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS  Support the creation of unions  Raise wages for workers  Begin Workingman’s Compensation for workers  Shorten the workday and workweek  Safety regulations for work places

POLITICAL REFORMS  DIRECT PRIMARIES  RECALL  REFERENDUM  INITIATIVE

DIRECT PRIMARIES This new process allowed the voters in each political party to vote on the candidates that would represent their political party (Democratic/Republican) in the general election in November.

RECALL  This process allowed voters to remove a corrupt elected official from office before his term of office was over.  Elected officials knew that they could be punished for graft and other illegal activities.

REFERENDUM  This measure allowed voters to add an important issue or proposed new law to the election ballot so that the people could vote directly and make the government adopt changes when needed.  For instance, Kentucky put the issue of a State Lottery on the ballot and it passed.

INITIATIVE  This allowed citizens to propose new laws to the state legislature by having a certain number of citizens sign a petition.  Then the legislature had to debate it and vote on it.

FAMOUS PROGRESSIVE PRESIDENTS  THEODORE ROOSEVELT  WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT  WOODROW WILSON

Progressives vs. Conservatives  New ideas/methods v. Traditional Values  Big government v. Limited government  Conservation v. Economic use of resources  Labor Unions v. Company Management.

Teddy Roosevelt’s Square Deal  Antitrust Suit against Northern Securities  Bureau of Corporations  Hepburn Act (strengthened ICC and regulated the railroads)  Meat Inspection Act  Pure Food and Drug Act  Newlands Reclamation Act  National Forest Service

William Howard Taft  Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act  Children’s Bureau (investigated child labor)  Mann-Elkins Act (increased powers of ICC to regulate business)  Bureau of Mines (monitor mine safety)  Expanded National Forests ( only exception was the Ballinger-Pinchot Controversy)  Protected Waterpower Sites from private development

Woodrow Wilson  Underwood Tariff (reduced tariffs 30%)  Sixteenth Amendment (started income tax)  Federal Reserve System (to regulate banks)  Federal Trade Commission (regulate business)  Keating-Owen Child Labor Act (prohibited the employment of children under 14 years)  Adamson Act (established 8 hr workday for railroad workers)  Federal Farm Loan Act (low interest loans for farmers.