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Progressive Era
1898-1920
Power Point created by Robert Martinez
Primary Content Source:Mastering the Grade 11TaksSocial Studies Assessment
Reform movement: attempts to introduce or
correct political, social, and economic
changes to end abuses and improve
people’s lives.
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Populist Party
• The Populist Party represented farmers,
laborers, and industrial workers in their struggle
against banking and railroad interests. Their
presidential Candidate was William Jennings
Bryan.
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Populist Ideas
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Bimetallism (cheaper currency, silverites.)
Direct election of Senators
Term Limits for President
Graduated Income Tax
Immigration Quotas
Shorter Work Day of 8 hours.
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• Progressives were mainly middle-class
dwellers, who believed government should
increase its responsibility of human welfare
by protecting workers and consumers.
• The rise of industry brought many new
problems – brutal working conditions, child
labor, political corruption, urban
overcrowding, and the abuse of consumers
by big business.
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• Progressives believe government had been
corrupted by big business and political
“bosses.”
The “Tiger” was the symbol for the powerful and corrupt
Democratic political machine of “Boss” Tweed in New York City.
• Progressives sought to correct political
and economic injustices by using the
power of government.
Progressives hunting down the powerful and corrupt
Tammany Hall “Tiger” in New York City.
Muckrakers
• Muckrakers are investigative reporters of
the Progressive Era who exposed
government corruption and the abuses of
industry.
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Good Bye - “Boss Rule”
• Progressives replaced the rule of “bosses” with
public minded mayors. The machine used its
control of the city to steal from the public
treasury through bribes and padded contracts.
Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall,
New York City, NY.
• Political machines provided immigrants
with jobs, housing, help in obtaining
citizenship. In exchange, these residents
voted for candidates recommended by
party boss.
Reforming the State
Government
• Progressive governors took steps to free their
state governments from corruption and make
them more democratic.
• Examples:
- introduced the secret ballot
- initiative: allowed voters to directly introduce
legislation.
- recall: elected officials could be removed by
voters.
- referendum: voters could vote for legislation by
ballot.
• Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal ,
proposed new laws to protect consumer
health, to regulate industry, and to
conserve the nation’s natural resources.
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The Jungle
• Novel by muckraker Upton Sinclair describing
the unhealthy practices in the meat-packing
industry. Roosevelt introduces the Meat
Inspection Act in 1906.
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• Trust busting is the act of breaking up the
illegal trusts and monopolies that
flourished during the Gilded Age. The most
famous “trustbuster” was Teddy
Roosevelt.
Roosevelt as
Trustbuster
• Roosevelt revived the Sherman Antitrust
Act to break up big business trusts. TR
Filed lawsuit to break up Rockefeller’s
Standard Oil Company.
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• Both Republicans and Democrats would
carry out Progressive reforms: Sixteenth
Amendment – Congress can collect income
taxes: Seventeenth Amendment – direct
election of U.S. senators.
Republican President Taft
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• Woodrow Wilson was a Progressive
Democrat promising “New Freedom.”
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Wilson’s New Freedom
• Wilson’s New Freedom included the Federal
Reserve Act ,reforming the banking industry by
establishing Federal Reserve Banks (controls
the amount of money in circulation) & the
Clayton Antitrust Act ,establishing the Federal
Trade Commission to investigate abuses and
regulate business practices.
The Federal Reserve
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• The lack of voting rights was seen as a
symbol of women’s inferior status and as a
violation of democratic principles which
led toward the Suffrage Movement.
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World War I &
the 19th Amendment
• When men went off to fight in WWI, millions of
women took their places in factories and
workshops. Women’s contribution to the war
was the final argument in favor of women’s
suffrage.
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Nineteenth Amendment
• The 19th Amendment guaranteed women’s
suffrage (right to vote) throughout the
United States.
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• Susan B. Anthony emerged as the chief
advocate for women’s rights. In 1872, she
was convicted of violating New York State
laws by attempting to vote and sent to
prison. Anthony formed the American
Woman’s Suffrage Association.
Watchdog of Business
• For the first time, Americans looked to federal and
state governments for protection from unfair
business practices and monopolistic abuses. New
agencies were created to break up abusive
monopolies and maintain free competition
(example: Sherman Anti-trust Act).
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Progressive Era Reforms:
Role of Protector
• The government assumed the role of
protector of consumers, children, women,
small business, and the environment.
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Expanded
Democratic participation
• Progressives placed greater power in the hands
of the people. The 17th Amendment introduced
the direct election of Senators. Primary elections
gave citizens greater influence in the selection of
candidates.
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• The 16th Amendment introduced the
graduated income tax, changing the whole
way the federal government financed its
operations, and became a means of
correcting social inequalities through a
limited redistribution of wealth.
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