Progressive Era
1890-1917 The Push to Reform
American Society
Causes
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Gilded Age political corruption
Negative views of laissez faire approach
Monopolies
Working conditions
Child Labor Abuses
Urban living conditions
Discrimination towards Women, African Americans,
and immigrants
Populist Movement
Goals of the Progressives
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Government Accountability
Regulation over monopolies and companies
Expansion of government power to help
citizens
End government inefficiency, corruption, and
patronage
Progressives were
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White Protestants
Middle class and native born.
College Educated Professionals
Social workers
Scholars
Politicians
Preachers
Teachers
Writers
Populists vs Progressives
Populists---rural
Progressives---cities
Populists were poor and uneducated
Progressives were middle-class and
educated.
Populists were too radical
Progressives stayed political mainstream.
Populists failed
Progressives succeeded
Social Reformers
Muckrakers exposed the problems
 Low living standards in cities
 Immigrants squalid living
 Health / Food Standards
 Child Labor / Working Conditions
 Key People: Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, Jacob
Riis, and Thomas Nast
Social Reformers
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Prison Reform
Shelters for homeless and mentally ill
Public Education system
Women’s entrance into public forum led to
emphasis on morality
Social and Political Crossover
Women’s Rights Groups Crusade for Change
 Suffragists / Suffragettes, NAWSA,
Congressional Union
 Temperance Movement
 Key people: Reformers- Jane Addams and
“Mother” Jones
 Key People: Suffragists- Susan B. Anthony,
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and
Alice Paul
Political Reforms
Progressive Changes to Government
 Basis for social welfare programs
-Welfare, unemployment, and Social Security
 Direct Primaries
 17th Amendment- Direct Senate Election
 Initiatives / Referendums
 Recalls
 Secret Ballots
Economic Reformers
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Muckrakers exposed corruption of some
monopolies
Rise of Labor Unions
Knights of Labor
American Federation of Labor
Better working conditions, shorter hours, more
pay
Progressive Presidents
•Theodore Roosevelt
1901 to 1909
•William Howard Taft
1909 to 1913
•Woodrow Wilson
1913 to 1921
Progressive Presidents
Teddy Roosevelt 1901-1909 Republican
 Active approach to executive branch
 “Square Deal”
 First to recognize unions
 Trustbuster
 Railroad Regulation
 Public Health
 Conservationist / National Parks
Progressive Presidents
William H. Taft 1909-1913 Republican
 Progressivism election strategy
 Failed on lower tariff promise
 Anti Trust Cases
 Reserved Public Lands
 Corruption and Scandals
 Received criticism from all parties and factions
Election of 1912
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Republicans- Taft
Progressive / Bull Moose Party- Roosevelt
Democrats- Wilson
Socialist- Debs
Republican Party Platform Taft
High import tariffs.
Put limitations on female and child labor.
Workman’s Compensation Laws.
Against initiative, referendum, and
recall.
Against “bad” trusts.
Creation of a Federal Trade Commission.
Stay on the gold standard.
Conservation of natural resources
because they are finite.
Progressive Party (Bull Moose Party) Platform Roosevelt
Women’s suffrage.
Graduated income tax.
8 hour work day
More regulation of big business
Lower tariffs.
Limits on campaign spending.
Minimum wage laws.
Abolition of child labor.
Workmen’s compensation.
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Socialist Party Platform Debs
Government ownership of railroads
and utilities.
Guaranteed income tax.
No tariffs.
8-hour work day.
Better housing.
Government inspection of
factories.
Women’s suffrage.
Democratic Party Platform Wilson
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Critical of big business and big
government
Tariff reduction.
Direct election of Senators.
Create a Department of Labor.
Strengthen the Sherman Anti-Trust
Act.
Did NOT support women’s suffrage.
Opposed to a central bank.
Election of 1912
Progressive Presidents
Woodrow Wilson 1913-1921
 Lowered Tariffs
 Graduated Income Tax
 Avoided WWI for first term
 Entered into WWI for second term (some say it
was calculated move)