Chapters 22-23: Roosevelt, Wilson, and the Progressive Era AP United States History Week of April 4, 2016
The Spirit of Progressivism: What Was It? Progressivism, which lasted from the mid-1890s until the dawn of the First World War, was a movement in response to the effects of industrialisation, urbanization, social disorder, political corruption, and other issues that stemmed from a rapidly changing society and nation. Progressives, armed with faith in human nature, sought to cure the ills of society Progressivism touched all aspects of society Progressivism s characteristics: 1. Concern about effects of industrialization and urban living conditions 2. Optimism in human nature, progress, and people s ability to recognize and solve problems 3. Willingness to intervene in people s lives 4. Use of government (at all levels: city, state, federal) to effect reforms 5. Combination of evangelical Protestantism and natural and social sciences to cure the world of ills 6. Movement that touched the entire nation: middle-class, farmers, labourers, business
The Spirit of Progressivism, Part II: Rise of the Professions Much of the leadership of progressivism came from professions: law, medicine, business, religion, teaching and social work. Young, educated men and women in these fields formed associations and pioneered many of the reforms of the era The Progressive Era saw the formation of new professional societies Societies looked after members interests and governed entry into professions Examples: American Medical Association (1901), U.S. Chamber of Commerce (1912) Members of the professions impacted the era Example: Dr. Alice Hamilton (pictured), who researched lead poisoning and industrial diseases Led to Illinois state law (1911) compensating for diseases from poisonous fumes and dust
The Spirit of Progressivism, Part III: Social Justice Social justice focused national attention on issues such as tenement house laws, child labour legislation, and working conditions for women Social-justice reforms wanted social cures more than individual charity Problems were endless and interrelated Focus shifted to scientific analysis of neighbourhoods, occupations, and classes Lawrence Veiller helped shed light on poverty and slums Reformers formed National Conference of Charities and Corrections Became National Conference of Social Work Successful in passing laws limiting women s working hours and child labour
The Spirit of Progressivism, Part IV: The Purity Crusade, Women s Suffrage, Women s Rights Social-justice reformers were struck by how alcohol exacerbated the problems they studied. Women s work in this arena helped to pave the way for women s suffrage Women s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) worked to abolish alcohol consumption Combined with Anti-Saloon League Success: 18th Amendment (1920) Also worked to get rid of prostitution Although women formed many organisations, African American women were often excluded Since politics was an avenue for reform, women became active in suffrage movement National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) Carrie Chapman Catt, president Congressional Union Alice Paul, Lucy Burns Women argued that their sensitivity to moral issues would lead to them using their vote to improve society Nineteenth Amendment passed in 1920
The Spirit of Progressivism, Part V: Challenging The Status Quo The Progressive Era was also a time of new ideas, specifically as they pertained to the role of the environment in shaping behavior Pictured: Eugene V. Debs Pragmatism was a new doctrine that embraced truth and factual treatment of problems John Dewey applied pragmatism to education Emphasized personal growth and creativity Socialism also grew in popularity Urged workers to overthrow capitalist system Eugene V. Debs (American Railway Union) argued for a more moderate socialism
The Changing Face of Industrialism: The Ford Model T The new, innovative Ford Model T was not only the first mass-produced automobile, but also the result of a new approach to manufacturing and sales Ransom E. Olds and Henry Ford (pictured) used the assembly-line system Ford sought smaller unit profit on higher sales to drive revenue Democratized the automobile 248,000 sold in 1914, 9,109 on one day in 1925 Federal Aid Roads Act (1919) required states to establish highway departments
The Changing Face of Industrialism, Part II: Trusts and Management Between 1898 and 1903, a series of mergers and consolidations swept through the economy. Business formed trusts, as capital and organization grew more important in the industrial economy The common business structure was oligopoly Definition: market structure with a small number of competitors (not a monopoly) By 1909, 1% of firms produced 50% of goods Investment bankers, such a J.P. Morgan, grew important they controlled many businesses Debate emerged over what role government should have here Management focused on products and production speed, not worker safety Businesses developed research laboratories Industries were automated and operated continuously, trained professionals supervised workflow, labour management grew scientific The problem: jobs became monotonous and dangerous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911 highlighted need for increased worker safety
Society s Masses: Farmers, Women, Children As businesses expanded in the early 1900s, they needed more workers, and the labour force expanded to keep pace; workers in factories, mines, and forests By 1920, fewer than one third of Americans lived on farms Rural free delivery (1896) and parcel post (1913) helped connect farms with cities Tenancy increased as land and crop prices rose (many African-Americans in South were tenant farmers) Federal government, private landholders worked to irrigate land of west Newlands Act of 1902 Women and children worked in larger numbers, mostly single women A larger percentage of black women worked In 1900, nearly 20% of children ages 5-15 worked Women s Trade Union League lobbied government to investigate child labour Investigation saw greater needed for maternal, infant health 1921: Shepard-Towner Maternity and Infancy Protection Act; Margaret Sanger became involved in birth control movement
Society s Masses, Part II: Niagara Movement and the NAACP In 1900, most African-Americans still lived in rural areas of the South, where they worked as sharecroppers, suffered under Jim Crow laws, were disenfranchised by poll taxes, and often subject to mob violence In 1905, a group of African-Americans met near Niagara Falls, NY W. E. B. DuBois led meeting, which focused on equal rights and education of youth Niagara Movement rejected Booker T. Washington s gradualist approach In response to violence, reformers called for formation of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909 Became most important civil rights organization in the country Pressured employers, unions, and government on behalf of African-Americans Legal victories: overturned grandfather clause in OK (1915), segregation law in Lousiville, KY (1917)
Society s Masses, Part III: Immigrants Much of the increase in the labour force came from outside the United States mostly Europe and Mexico From 1901-1920: 14.5 million immigrants entered Labour agents recruited immigrant workers, found them jobs Some immigrants settled, many returned home Employers sponsored Americanization classes Labour unions countered: Women s Trade Union League (WUTL) Starting in 1910, Mexicans migrated in large numbers Settled in California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico Built highways, dug irrigation ditches, laid railroad track, worked in agriculture Anti-Chinese laws, hostility, limited Chinese immigration Men outnumbered women; population was elderly Nativist sentiment grew in response: 1902 prohibition on Chinese immigration, literacy tests to stem European immigration passed over veto in 1917
Conflict in the Workplace While assembly lines, long hours and low pay dramatically increased productivity, output, and profit, they also gave rise to labour unrest Labour productivity dropped from 1915 to 1918 Samuel Gompers American Federation of Labour (AFL) was the largest union Very few female workers were members of unions Margaret Dreier Robins helped form WUTL in 1903 Backed strikes at Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, and Hart, Schaffner and Marx Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) welcomed everyone, but urged social revolution Leaders included Mary Harris Mother Jones; IWW led major strikes Some business leaders used violence, to quell labour unrest; some worked to please employees Henry Ford instituted increased pay ($5 day in 1914, $6 day in 1919) and cut workday Amoskeag Company mills in NH took paternal interest in its workers
New Urban Culture As jobs were plentiful and incomes higher, the growing middle class of the 1910s and 1920s took advantage of new lifestyles, inventions, and forms of entertainment Advertising and mass production revolutionized industries Businesses advertising revenue skyrocketed Ready-to-wear clothes and standard sizes became popular Although life expectancy increased, infant mortality remained high Cities grew; downtown featured department stores, warehouses, and hotels Zoning ordinances kept factories, skyscrapers and suburbs separate Zoning also led to racial and ethnic segregation New pastimes: sports (NCAA in 1910), movie theatres, music industry, vaudeville, jazz, art, poetry
Progressive Reform in the Cities Progressives believed that government could be a crucial agent in accomplishing their goals. They wanted to curb the influence of special interests in politics, and worked actively to effect change at the local and state level Time of decline of political party influence Voter turnout dropped substantially people had found the interest group Reformers reordered municipal government Developed regulatory commissions and municipal departments Broadened utility regulation, hired engineers, city planners, other experts to run city government Galveston, TX (1900) pioneered commission form of government commission of appointed experts ran city Mayors also turned to public ownership of utilities gas, water, electricity, transportation
Progressive Reform in the States Progressives believed that government could be a crucial agent in accomplishing their goals. They wanted to curb the influence of special interests in politics, and worked actively to effect change at the local and state level State-level reforms included labour laws for women and children, strengthening railroad commissions Also: imposing corporate, inheritance taxes, improving mental, penal institutions Commissions regulated businesses and had power to initiate investigations Political reforms democratized government Seventeenth Amendment: direct election of senators Direct primary: voters not nominating conventions choose candidates for office Referendum: citizens can approve or reject a law at the ballot box Initiative: allowed citizens to propose new laws Recall: citizens can remove officials from office Robert LaFollette, Wisconsin governor, was a champion reformer Established industrial commission to regulate factory safety and sanitation Drew on expert advice; relied on academics to help draft legislation
Progressivism under Theodore Roosevelt After William McKinley s assassination in 1901, the energetic Theodore Roosevelt, pictured, assumed the presidency. Pledged to protect good trusts and control bad trusts 1902: Justice Dept. brought suit against Northern Securities for violating Sherman Antitrust Act Followed up with other antitrust suits 1903: asked Congress to create Department of Commerce and Labour Roosevelt intervened in labour dispute between United Mine Workers and mining companies Coal companies in northeastern PA refused to wage increases, eight-hour workday Roosevelt invited both sides to White House Company agreed to independent commission s recommendations Called his actions a square deal
Progressivism under Theodore Roosevelt, Part II Roosevelt won the 1904 election in a landslide, and continued his reform policies Roosevelt stepped up railroad regulation Passed Elkins Act: prohibited railroad rebates, increased power of ICC Passed Hepburn Act: strengthened rate-making power of ICC Upton Sinclair s The Jungle drew attention to conditions in meatpacking industry Meat Inspection Act of 1906 set rules for sanitation, government inspection Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) required manufacturers to list certain ingredients on label Continuity: eventually led to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1930 Roosevelt loved nature, and was instrumental in conservation Established conservation policy, dedicated land to national parks To Roosevelt, conservation meant wise use of resources; he met opposition from those who felt resources should be locked away and protected John Muir, for example, was a conservationist, and on a camping trip with the president, convinced him to turn land over to the Yosemite National Park
The Ordeal of William Howard Taft During Taft s presidency, the Republican party experienced a split between the progressives and conservatives. Taft ended up alienating the progressives, which greatly hurt his legacy Republicans were divided over tariffs House Republicans lowered rates, Senate protectionists raised them Brought anger from LaFollette, other progressives Taft eventually signed Payne-Aldrich Act, with higher rates than House bill Act discredited Taft among progressives Ballinger-Pinchot Affair over conservation also affected Taft Ballinger (Taft s Interior Secretary) offered one million acres of land for sale Pinchot (Taft s chief forester) protested, and asked Taft to intervene Taft supported Ballinger, eventually fired Pinchot Newspapers and muckrakers accused Taft of surrender to J. P. Morgan
Woodrow Wilson and the Election of 1912 Democrats nominated NJ governor Woodrow Wilson (pictured) to run against Taft. Roosevelt entered the race on the Progressive, or Bull Moose Party ticket Roosevelt s platform was New Nationalism, Wilson s was New Freedom New Nationalism: national approach to issues, efficiency in government and society, forceful executive Women played a role in his campaign New Freedom: business competition and small government, reining in federal authority Still echoed Progressive party social-justice objectives Result: Wilson won, Roosevelt 2nd, Taft 3rd, Debs 4th
Wilson Moves to New Nationalism Roosevelt eventually adopted many of Roosevelt s New Nationalism policies Other progressive accomplishments Nominated Louis Brandeis to the Supreme Court Accepted a rural credits bill to establish farm-loan banks Signed Adamson Act (1916) creating eight-hour day on interstate railways Keating-Owen Act first federal child-labour law Finally came out in support of women s suffrage However Disappointing record on race; allowed segregation within his administration