Progressive Reforms

Progressive Reforms1890-1920BackgroundHomestead Act of 1862160 acres of public landOklahoma, April 22, 1889 1000s of boomers gathered along the border. When the signal was given, they charged in to stake their claims.Much to their chagrin, much of the best land had already been taken by the sooners, who had sneaked into the territory and staked their claims before the official opening1890 census concluded US no longer had a frontier (uninhabited wilderness where no white people lived)National Identity CrisisWho were we?From the earliest days of colonization, Americans had defined themselves as pioneers

Economic DepressionPanic of 1873a public loss of confidence in the financial structure. Panics are characterized by a general rush of investors to convert their assets into cash, with runs on banks and a rapid fall of the securities market. Bank failures and bankruptcies naturally follow.Post-Civil War inflationRampant speculative investmentsRailroadsLarge property losses in the Chicago (1871) and (Boston) 1872 fires put a massive strain on bank reserves--the currency deposits which are not lent out to the bank's clients. A small fraction of the total deposits is held internally by the bank or deposited with the central bank. Minimum reserve requirements are established by central banks in order to ensure that the financial institutions will be able to provide clients with cash upon request

Economic DepressionThe Panic of 1893worst to dateSimilar to the Panic of 1873Collapse of railroad overbuilding (the Bubble)Shaky railroad financing

ProgressivismProgressivismis a general political philosophybased on the idea of progressthat asserts that advances in science, technology, economic development, and social organization, can improve the human conditionProgressives came from many walks of lifeAll political partiesGrowing middle-classDissatisfied industrial workersWealthy Americans with the desire and means to helpUse Government to improve societyMuckrakers Lincoln Steffens:Wrote The Shame of the Cities, which exposed political corruption such as cities like Philadelphia allowing utility companies to over charge customers Jacob Riis:Photographer for the New York Evening SunPublished How the Other Half Lives, shining light on the filth and overcrowding of tenementsIda Tarbell:Published The History of Standard Oil, exposing the ruthless business practices of John D. RockefellerJacob Riis Photographs

Novelists Upton Sinclair-Published The Jungle, which highlighted the unsanitary conditions of stockyards and the Chicago meat packing industry

There was never the least attention paid to what was cut up for sausagethere would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in the dirt and sawdust, where the workers had tramped and spit uncounted billions of consumption germs-The Jungle Upton SinclairSocial Gospel RoleWalter Rauschenbush- believed Christianity should be the basis of social reformPublished a book called Christianity and the Social CrisisOutlined his Social Gospel, which called for charity and justiceThis led people to push for the end of child labor, shorter work weeks, and limit corporations and trusts.Settlement HousesCommunity houses/ Settlement houses:Provided services such as parenting classes, English classes, nursery school, kindergarten, and arts classesJane Addams: Led the Progressive movement to establish more settlement housesHull House in Chicago operated by Addams was praised for their successInspired many middle-class women to become social workers

Child Labor Florence Kelley led the fight against Child laborFormed National Child Labor Committee which lobbied for the US Childrens Bureau in 1912Keating-Owens Act- Banned child Labor, but was ruled unconstitutional Child labor was not officially ended until 1938John Dewey pushed for Educational ReformWanted schools to incorporate history, geography, carpentry,etc.Industrial ReformTriangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire:March 25, 1911Fire killed 146 workers due to locked doors, and broken fire escapesReforms were pushed through to create safer work places for factory workersWorkers Compensation FundsLimit work day to 10 hoursSupreme Court Case Lochner vs. New York ruled that many of the new laws were unconstitutional Political MachinesA corrupt organization, headed by an authoritative boss, that controlled the activities of political parties

Government Reform1900 hurricane left Galveston, TX in ruinsgreatest national calamity in American historyKilled more than 8,000 peopleCity commission formed to rebuild GalvestonIt worked very well

Galveston PlanElected a 5 person Commission to replace mayors and other city officials to help in rebuilding their cityMany other cities saw the success and followed suitHelped get rid of corruption and bossesMany cities bought utility (electric, gas, water) to stop overcharging By 1918, 500 cities had adopted some form of this plan

Government ReformInitiative, Referendum, and RecallInitiative gave people the right to propose new laws directly on the ballotReferendum gave people the right to approve or reject laws proposed by legislatureRecall allowed voters to remove elected officials from officeRobert La Follette: established direct primaries Election where citizens choose the nominees for upcoming elections Women Enter the WorkforceIn 1900s growing number of women wanted to do more than just fulfill their roles as wives and mothersWanted to expand their roles in the communityEducation the keyWomens colleges establishedBryn Mar CollegeTeachers, Nurses, Community ActivistsWomen and Working ConditionsBut for most women, working meant long hours away from home, dangerous working conditions, and low wagesFactories making clothingFactories rolling cigars by handLaundressesDomestic servantsAnd even if they earned the money, it was managed by their husbandsWomens ReformsFlorence Kelly- thought that women were hurt by high prices on needed goodsFormed the National Consumers League which labeled products goods produced under fair, safe, and healthy working conditions She also fought for the Womens Trade Union which wanted shorter work days and minimum wagesImproving Family LifeTemperance Movement (never drinking alcohol)Womens Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was formed in the 1870sMen spent their earnings on alcohol, neglected their children and abused their wivesCarrie Nation18th AmendmentsProhibitionThe Volstead Act, Jan, 17, 1920

Family Life & HealthMargaret Sanger:Fought for women to be informed on family planning and birth control practices Jailed many times for her public speakingIn 1916 she opened the first birth control clinic In 1921 she founded the American birth control league Ida B. Wells:Established the National Association for Colored WomenProvided day care and education for black children while mothers workedSuffrage Carrie Chapman Catt: Traveled around the country encouraging women to join the National American Suffrage AssociationIntroduced the Society Plan which recruited wealthy, well-educated women who became known as suffragettes to fight for the voteAlice Paul:Worked to build the National Womens Party Which held protest marches (first group to march with picket signs outside the White House)Both women led the NWP to support the war effort during World War I which led Congress to support their cause 19th Amendment was passed in 1919 allowing women to vote. DiscriminationThe Progressive Era was not progressive for allNonwhites were discriminated againstBooker T. WashingtonSuggested that African Americans move slowly toward racial progressHe thought eventually African Americans would receive full citizenship and voting rights promised by lawW.E.B Du BoisSuggested that African Americans demand immediate change and their rights NAACPAfter numerous cases of violence against blacks (1908 Springfield Riot), African American leaders and white progressives alike formed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909Helped to get jobs for African AmericansHelped African Americans get higher educationWorked toward social and political justiceOther Ethnicities Anti-Defamation League- This group worked to defend Jewish citizens against physical and verbal attacks. Wanted to secure justice and fair treatment for all citizens.Mutualistas- Groups that aided Mexican Americans with financial issues, and legal assistance. These groups offered insurance programs as wellSociety of American IndiansWorked to protest federal Indian policies, and urged Native Americans to retain their culture and avoid dependency on the government