The Progressive Era 1900-1920
4 Goals of Progressivism Protecting social welfare Promoting moral improvement Creating economic reform Fostering efficiency
Protecting Social Welfare YMCA and the Salvation Army Opened Libraries, sponsor classes, built swimming pools. Fed the poor in soup kitchens, provided child care, tried to instill middle class values among the poor. Florence Kelly Advocate for women and children Helped pass Illinois child labor laws and limited women s working hours
Promoting Moral Improvement Prohibition Woman s Christian Temperance Union Founded 1874 in Cleveland Carry Nation
Creating Economic Reform Examined the fact that big business often received favorable treatment from government officials and used their economic power to limit competition. Muckrakers Ida Tarbell (Standard Oil/John D. Rockefeller) Lewis Hine (Child labor) Upton Sinclair (The Jungle/Meat Packing Plants) Lincoln Steffens (The Shame of the Cities) Jacob Riis (How the Other Half Lives) Thomas Nast (Political Cartoons/Boss Tweed) Ida B. Wells (Lynching)
Muckrakers Thomas Nast Ida Tarbell Upton Sinclair Ida B. Wells Lincoln Steffens Lewis Hine Jacob Riis
Cutting fish in a sardine cannery. Large sharp knives are used with a cutting and sometimes chopping motion. The slippery floors and benches and careless bumping into each other increase the liability of accidents. "The salt water gits into the cuts and they ache," said one boy. Eastport, Me.
Fostering Efficiency Scientific Management Belief that science would make society and the workplace more efficient Examined the high cost of long working hours for both the individual and society Henry Ford Reduced hours to 8 per day and paid 5 dollars a day
Child Labor Reform National Child Labor Committee Formed in 1904 to research and gather evidence of children working in harsh conditions. Joined by labor unions, who felt that child labor brought down wages. Keating-Owen Act 1916 Prohibited the transportation across state lines of goods produced by child labor
Two girls wearing banners with slogan "ABOLISH CH[ILD] SLAVERY!!" in English and Yiddish, one carrying American flag; spectators stand nearby. Probably taken during May 1, 1909 labor parade in New York City. George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).
Cleaning up Government Started at the Local level After natural disasters in both Galveston, Texas and Dayton, Ohio cities changed the way cities were governed. City commissions or councils ran cities or appointed experience city managers Progressive Mayors reformed cities like Detroit and Cleveland Mayor Johnson of Cleveland focused on moving away from private ownership of public utility companies to public ownership. He also encouraged citizens to question city management and held large meetings in circus tents.
Reforming Elections Secret Ballot Initiative Citizens originate a bill Referendum Voters vote on the initiative Recall Voters to remove public officials from elected positions by forcing them to face another election before the end of their term. 17 th Amendment 1913 Popular election of state senators
Segregation and Discrimination Poll Tax Grandfather clause Jim Crow Laws Plessy v. Ferguson 1896- separate but equal did not violate the 14 th amendment
Booker T. Washington Born a Slave Founded Tuskegee University in Alabama Focused on skills in agriculture, domestic and mechanical work as well as training teachers (Industrial Education) Believed that African-Americans should create an independent society. He believed this would prove to whites their economic value. African-Americans should start at the bottom and work up to the top. Dignity in hard work (farming)
You could not force change, equality would happen slowly Hard work and labor was the way to equality Rights would come in time, and that those rights would be granted by southern whites.
W.E.B. DuBois First African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard One of the founding officers of the NAACP (1909) Wanted immediate social and economic equality Founded the Niagara Movement Promoted liberal arts education, he believed this was important in creating good community leaders Talented tenth
Wanted immediate inclusion into white society Believed African Americans had the fight for respect and equality Believed Washington s plan had failed African Americans did not have the vote Bias and prejudice will not just go away with time African Americans must insist on voting rights and that discrimination was barbaric.
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois Wanted to end discrimination Education was the key Equality Political Rights (Voting and representation) Importance of economic prosperity