1. Progressivism

2. Era of Progressivism
Progressivism: action-oriented political response to industrialization and its social by-products:
Immigrants’ suffering
urban growth
growth of corporate power
widening class divisions
Differed from Populism: urban movement, not agrarian
Never cohesive, aided by intellectuals, journalists, unionists, socialists

3. The “Social Gospel” Social Gospel Progressives believed that
Belief that Christians should work for social reform
Belief that desire for wealth had led to corrupted some Americans
Belief that society must take responsibility for the poor and less fortunate
Progressives believed that
government should actively defend average people from power of corporations and the rich
Capitalist system was good, but could be fairer
government could improve society

4. Jane Addams and Hull House
Jane Addams founded “Hull House,” a settlement house in Chicago
Worked to improve living conditions for Chicago immigrants
University women provided services to poor immigrants
Education, day care, medical care
Advocated for first public play ground in Chicago
Worked for a child labor law, women’s suffrage, occupational safety, mandatory education, and immigrant rights
Eventually became 13 buildings

5. Ending Child Labor
1893: Hull House worker Florence Kelly led Illinois to outlaw child labor
1904: She founded the National Child Labor Committee to pressure states to outlaw child labor
By 1912, 39 states had outlawed child labor
By 1930, half of US children attended high school
By 1915, 48 states had separate juvenile courts: help young delinquents

7. Jeanette Rankin, first female representative
Women’s Suffrage
1848: Seneca Falls conference women demanded right to vote
National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) worked toward national suffrage
Some states gave women right to vote
1876: Wyoming
1893: Colorado!
1914: Montana elected a woman to the House of Representatives
1919: Congress passed 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, giving women full voting rights
Jeanette Rankin, first female representative

8. Improving Life for Blacks
Opposing views held by prominent Black leaders
Booker T. Washington:
Blacks should work hard and improve their conditions themselves
Work with dignity, even if in low- paying agriculture
“Accommodate” to the existing system
W.E.B. Du Bois wanted to go further:
Push hard for civil rights through political action
Protest unfair treatment
Fight for equality