Progressive Progressive MovementMovement

Industrialization ProblemsIndustrialization Problems

Goals of the Progressive Goals of the Progressive MovementMovement

• A government controlled by the people

• Guaranteed economic opportunities through government regulation

• Elimination of Social Injustices

Industrialization Industrialization ProblemsProblems

• Laissez-Faire Capitalism created unfair working conditions and led to poor standards of living for working families

Labor ProblemsLabor Problems

• Dangerous Working Conditions

• Child Labor (children often worked 40+ hours a week)

• Long Hours, low wages, no job security, no benefits

Labor ProblemsLabor Problems

• Employment of women

• Company Towns – towns owned by businesses

– your job controlled your life

– People had to leave town when they were fired

Solutions to Industrial Solutions to Industrial ProblemsProblems

• Muckraking literature –news articles describing abuses

of child labor and other problems

• Child labor laws–Put limits on child labor

(working permits)

Progressive Movement - Progressive Movement - IndustrializationIndustrialization

• Labor unions – groups formed by workers to protect

their rights

– Used strikes to protest working conditions

Labor UnionsLabor Unions

Knights of Labor

• First union in America

• Founded by Terrance Powderly

American Federation of American Federation of LaborLabor

• Founded by Samuel Gompers

• First skilled workers union

American Railway UnionAmerican Railway Union

• Founded by Eugene V. Debs

• First railroad workers union

International Ladies International Ladies Garment Workers UnionGarment Workers Union

• First Women’s Union in United States

• Founded by Jewish women in NYC

Haymarket Strike (1886)

1. First violent strike (unions were labeled as violent groups)

Homestead Strike (1892)1. Employers used a private police

force to attack strikers2. Strikers tried to kill company

president3. Americans still viewed unions

as violent

Pullman Strike (1894)

1. Workers went on strike after company cut wages and raised rent on workers homes

Pullman Strike (1894)

2. Government forced railroad strikers back to work after mail couldn’t get delivered

3. Companies often asked for court orders to stop strikes

Industrial Gains of Progressive Movement

• End of Child Labor

• Regulated Work Conditions– Set safety standards

– Limited work week to 40 hours

– Government began to protect unions

Industrial Gains of Progressive Movement

• Anti-trust laws

–Sherman Anti-trust Act (1890) – outlawed monopolies

–Clayton Anti-trust Act (1914) – closed loopholes in Sherman Act by outlawing price fixing (trusts)