Progressivism Us history goal 7

MuckrackersMuckrackers TemperanceTemperance SuffragettesSuffragettes PopulistsPopulists MidclassWomenMidclassWomen LaborUnionsLaborUnions CivilRightsCivilRights

Four Goals of Progressivism e Protecting Social Welfare e Promoting Moral Improvement e Creating Economic Reform e Reforming Local Government e Protecting Social Welfare e Promoting Moral Improvement e Creating Economic Reform e Reforming Local Government “The 4”:

Progressives were  White Protestants  Middle class and native born.  College Educated Professionals  Social workers  Scholars  Politicians  Preachers  Teachers  Writers

Adopt Populist Ideas  Move away from laissez faire with government regulating industry  Make US government responsive to the people (voting)  Limit power of the political bosses.  Improve worker’s rights, conditions for poor and immigrants  Clean up the cities  End segregation and Jim Crow

Social Welfare Social Welfare Soften working conditions in industry, regulate unfair business practices, eliminate child labor, help immigrants and the poor

Promoting Moral Improvement Morality was the key to improving lives Alcohol was undermining American morals (Temperance/Prohibition) WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) Passed the 18 th amendment (abolish alcohol)  largest women’s group in U.S. history  245,000 members by 1911

Economic Reform American began to question the breaks that businesses got from the government. Fairness and opportunity in the work world, regulate unfair trusts and bring about changes in labor. Americans start to question the capitalist system and some embrace communism

CONSERVATION Preserve natural resources and the environment

Muckrakers were journalists and photographers who exposed the abuses of wealth and power. They felt it was their job to write and expose corruption in industry, cities and government. Progressives exposed corruption but offered no solutions. MUCKRAKERS

They believed that if the public could only see or read for itself….. There would be an outcry and people would want to help make conditions better….. Or demand the government to make reforms. “Digging up the dirt” = “Digging up the dirt” = Investigative Journalism

Notable Muckrakers Jacob Riis- photographs the horrid tenement living conditions; How the Other Half Lives Ida Tarbell- exposed Standard Oil Trust (McClure’s Magazine) Lincoln Steffens- “Shame of the Cities” – exposes political corruption Upton Sinclair- author of The Jungle – abuses in the meatpacking industry

Tenement Housing

Ida M. Tarbell – “Mr. Rockefeller has systematically played with loaded dice”

Lincoln Steffens: Most famous of the muckraking journalists ( )

Upton Sinclair – Exposes abuses in the meat packing industry

Reforming Government Reforming Government Give the government back to the people, get more people voting and end corruption with political machines.

Goal: Reform local and state governments by introducing direct involvement of the people. At the national level, women’s suffrage and direct election of the U.S. Senate

State Government Reform Robert La Follette – Wisconsin Governor loyal Republican at odds with political machine Elected governor in 1900 – backed “Wisconsin Idea” Wisconsin Idea use of direct primary increase taxes on railroads and public utilities commissions regulate enact laws that curb excessive lobbying labor reforms & protect natural resources States around the U.S. copy the model

Recall Allows voters to petition to have an elected representative removed from office. Initiative Allows voters to petition state legislatures in order to consider a bill desired by citizens. Referendum Allows voters to decide if a bill or proposed amendment should be passed. Ensures that voters select candidates to run for office, rather than party bosses. Privacy at the ballot box ensures that citizens can cast votes without party bosses knowing how they voted. Secret Ballot Direct Primary State Reforms