1. The Progressive Movement

2. Learning Targets
Students will be able to discuss the origins of Progressivism
Students will be able to explain the successes and failures of the Progressive Movement
Students will be able to describe the administrations’ successes and failures of the Progressive Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson

3. Roots of Progressivism
The Progressive Era
In the period , many groups sought rights and reform in both society and government
Progressives were not a single group with a single goal – there were many groups each seeking different things
Progressives tended to be middle-class, educated, and urban
Progressives were against laissez-faire, believed government should do more for people

4. Roots of Progressivism
Muckrakers
Journalists who exposed social and political problems like poverty and corruption
Magazines often the venue of these muckraking articles
Ida Tarbell – published a series of articles exposing the Standard Oil Trust
Lincoln Steffens – exposed vote stealing and other corrupt practices of urban political machines

5. Roots of Progressivism
Jacob Riis – former police reporter wrote and took pictures about poverty of immigrants; wrote book How the Other Half Lives
These muckraking stories caused the American public to call for change

6. Roots of Progressivism
Progressive reforms took place first in cities and in government
They believed scientific management would be more honest and efficient
After hurricane destroyed Galveston, TX, progressives installed the commission plan – mayor replaced by city departments all reporting to a board of commissioners or a city manager

7. Roots of Progressivism
The state leading in Progressive reform was Wisconsin (“Laboratory of Democracy”)
Governor Robert M. LaFollette pressured legislature to make political parties choose candidates based on direct primaries – where all party members could vote for a candidate
Other states voted in initiatives – where citizens could propose legislation; referendums – where proposed legislation could be voted on by public; and recall – where voters could demand a special election to remove an elected official

8. Roots of Progressivism
Direct Election of Senators
US Constitution allowed state legislatures to choose the two state senators
Public believed this caused corruption
17th Amendment – people of the state now directly elected state senators
16th Amendment – income tax authorized

9. Roots of Progressivism
Women’s Suffrage Movement
1848 Seneca Falls, NY – first women’s rights convention
Suffrage – right to vote
Women worked hard for abolition of slavery – felt betrayed when 14th and 15th Amendments gave rights to blacks but not women
1890 Two major women’s groups join into National American Woman Suffrage Association

10. Roots of Progressivism
Suffrage movement grew – large middle-class support
Women gained right to vote in several states but wanted a Constitutional amendment to make it a national right
19th Amendment – passed in 1920, gave all women right to vote

11. Roots of Progressivism
Campaign Against Child Labor
Children had always worked in America but factory work unhealthy and exploitive
Muckraker articles exposed abuses in child labor
Many states began passing compulsory education laws
By early 1900’s child labor began to decline

12. Roots of Progressivism
Condition sunder which laborers worked were often unhealthy and/or dangerous
1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire – nearly 150 workers, mostly young girls, were killed in fire
Public outrage resulted in new safety regulations and worker’s compensation laws
Building codes and restaurant health codes also established

13. Roots of Progressivism
Prohibition Movement
Progressives believed alcohol cause of many social problems
Temperance Movement – wanted to moderate or eliminate alcohol consumption
Women’s Christian Temperance Movement – established by women to end the consumption of alcohol
18th Amendment – prohibited sale and consumption of alcohol

14. Roots of Progressivism
Progressives Against Big Business
Some Progressives wanted to regulate big business
Some wanted to bust up trusts and monopolies (Sherman Anti-Trust Act)
Some wanted to regulate monopolies (Interstate Commerce Commission)
Some advocated Socialism – political idea where government owns and operates industry for benefit of all
Eugene V. Debs – Socialist leader of railway union; Socialist Party nominee for president in several elections

15. Roosevelt in Office Youngest president at 42
Ascended to presidency upon assassination William McKinley
Theodore Roosevelt (TR) wanted US to become world power; TR also a Progressive
TR’s reform programs known as the Square Deal
Known as a “Trust-Buster” he was actually more of a Trust Regulator

16. Roosevelt in Office Coal Strike of 1902
United Mine Workers (UMW), a mining union, called a strike seeking better pay and fewer hours of work
Stoppage of coal production impacted US economy causing TR to intervene
TR wanted to arbitrate the disagreement – management refused
TR’s threat to use US Army to run mines caused mine owners to cave – strike ended

17. Roosevelt in Office
TR believed corporations actually provide a public good but wanted to regulate them
Congress established Department of Commerce and Labor and a division called Bureau of Corporations
Bureau investigated complaints against corporations and allowed corporations to fix problems – called Gentlemen’s Agreement by TR

18. Roosevelt in Office 1906 Hepburn Act – strengthened powers of the ICC
ICC given power to set railroad rates
Upton Sinclair – wrote book, The Jungle, exposing unsanitary meat packing industry
Caused TR to seek Meat Inspection Act
Also passed was Pure Food and Drug Act

19. Roosevelt in Office Conservation
TR was avid hunter and outdoorsman – wanted to preserve pristine American wilderness areas
Gifford Pinchot – friend of TR; appointed head of US Forest Service; added over 100 million acres to parks, created 5 new national parks, and 51 wildlife reservations

20. Taft Administration
William Howard Taft hand- picked by TR to succeed him as president
Had no desire to be president – wanted to be Chief Justice on Supreme Court
Taft honest, competent but not energetic and aggressive like TR

21. Taft Administration Ballinger – Pinchot Controversy
Taft angered many Progressives with his stance on the tariff
Taft replaced Sec of Interior Garfield with lawyer Ballinger
Ballinger opened up some wilderness lands to development
Pinchot charged him with corruption - Taft’s investigation showed Ballinger innocent
Pinchot leaked story to press – Taft fired him for insubordination
Many now believed Taft was traitor to the Progressive cause

22. Taft Administration
TR was nicknamed “Trustbuster” but Taft busted more than TR
Under Taft child labor was investigated and regulated
Congress passed Mann-Elkins Act which increased powers of ICC
Taft initiated anti-trust lawsuit against US Steel – TR turned against him as TR had approved US Steel deal
TR broke with Taft publicly and criticized/insulted him constantly

23. The Wilson Years Election of 1912
TR not happy with Taft – sought Republican nomination for president
Taft did not want to be bullied by TR – got Republican nomination
TR became nominee for the Progressive Party aka Bull Moose Party
NJ governor, Woodrow Wilson received nomination for Democratic Party

24. The Wilson Years
TR campaigned on program called New Nationalism – more powerful federal government; regulation of monopolies, and other progressive policies
Wilson campaigned on program called New Freedom – against all monopolies and too much federal power
Wilson won election – less votes than Taft and Roosevelt combined

25. The Wilson Years Wilson’s Administration
Signed Underwood Tariff into law – reduced tariff to about half of 1890’s tariff
Income Tax – allowed after 16th Amendment
US had not had central bank since 1830’s.
Wilson signed Federal Reserve Act establishing Federal Reserve System – central bank
Federal Reserve controlled interest rates and amount of money in circulation

26. The Wilson Years Anti-Trust Action
Congress established Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – could control competition through courts; acted against unfair trade practices
Clayton Anti-Trust Act – banned tying agreements and price discrimination
Act exempted unions

27. The Wilson Years Federal Aid and Social Welfare
Wilson retreated from Progressivism after completion of New Freedom
By end of Progressive Era, public expected government to protect workers, regulate the economy, and solve social problems
Progressives failed to help minorities – W. E. B. DuBois helped found National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)