1. The Progressive Era in America

2. Problems in American Society
With the rapid growth of American cities and industry,
Americans faced numerous problems as a society.
Child Labor
Disease was rampant
Violent Labor Strikes
Political Machines like Tammany Hall
Bogus medicines
Unsafe food sources
Lack of Woman’s Suffrage
Anti-immigrant hostilities
Government Corruption
High levels of crime
Alcoholism
Trusts and Monopolies
Low Child mortality
Segregation and Jim Crow Laws
Unemployment
Pollution and devastation to our environment
Tenements and Slums

3. Problems in American Society
With the rapid growth of American cities and industry,
Americans faced numerous problems as a society.
Child Labor
Disease was rampant
Violent Labor Strikes
Political Machines like Tammany Hall
Bogus medicines
Unsafe food sources
Lack of Woman’s Suffrage
Anti-immigrant hostilities
Government Corruption
High levels of crime
Alcoholism
Trusts and Monopolies
Low Child mortality
Segregation and Jim Crow Laws
Unemployment
Pollution and devastation to our environment
Tenements and Slums

4. Goals of the Progressive Movement
To Promote Social Welfare
Help the poor and unemployed
Improve the healthcare
Increase education among immigrants and the working class
Prohibition (ends sale of alcohol)
To Expand Democracy
Direct Primaries, Initiatives, Referendums
Recalls, Pendleton Civil Service Act, 17th Amendment
Woman’s suffrage ( 19th amendment)
To Create Economic Reform
Sherman Anti-trust Act, Clayton Antitrust Act
Meat Inspection Act, Pure Food and Drug Act
16th Amendment (income tax), Federal Reserve Act
Conservation of Natural Resources

5. MUCKRAKERS
During this era, several journalist will make an effort to expose the ills of our society. They are known as “Muckrakers”, and they investigate and write about the plight of America’s poor, the filth of the slums, the corruption of our government and the greediness of Big Business.

6. Muckrakers (cont.) Upton Sinclair
Best known for exposing the horrid conditions in the meat packing industry in Chicago. His book The Jungle reveals many unsanitary practices used.
Roosevelt reads the book and is shocked…leading to big changes like……
The PURE FOOD & DRUG ACT (1906)
The Meat Inspection Act (1906)

7. Muckrakers (cont.)
Nellie Bly: Faked a mental condition to gain entry into a mental asylum in order to confirm the reports of abuse to the patients.
Ida B Wells: Wrote about the wrongs of lynching in the South.

8. Muckrakers (cont.)
Jacob Riis: A photojournalist who takes pictures of the tenements and slums of our big cities. Complies them in a book called How The Other Half Lives. It will shock millions who had no idea of the squalor in the slums.
Ida Tarbell: Writes a series of articles exposing the Standard Oil Trust, among others. She details the enormous greed and ruthless business practices of trusts and monopolies of America

9. Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890
The Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 made it illegal for corporations to form Trusts. However, our government didn’t enforce the law at first….Until Teddy Roosevelt took office as President.
When Roosevelt became president, he focused much of his energy on fighting against Corruption and promised reform.
Using the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, Roosevelt busted up Railroad Trusts. He also broke up the Standard Oil Trust and a Tobacco Trust.
All together Roosevelt will break up 44 corporations during his time as President.

10. “Square Deal” for workers, consumers, and big business
Theodore Roosevelt
Hero Of the Spanish-American War
Became Governor of New York (1898)
Became Vice President (1900)
Became President in 1901 after McKinley was assassinated.
Entered politics at early age and was known to fight against corruption
“Square Deal” for workers, consumers, and big business
(His platform)

11. Theodore Roosevelt continued
Meat Packing Industry: After reading The Jungle, Roosevelt starts an investigation into the Meat packing industry leading to the creation of the Meat Inspection Act
Food and Drug Industries: Roosevelt also signs the Pure Food & Drug Act which bans the sale of impure foods and bogus medicines
Conservation: A strong crusader for conserving our natural resources. Preserved 194 million acres and created the U.S. Forest Service
Grand Canyon, Muir Woods, Pelican Island

12. William Taft Was handpicked successor to Roosevelt
Continued attacks on Trusts
Taft pursued almost twice as many