The Progressives
11.2.9 Understand the effect of political programs
and activities of the Progressives (e.g., federal
regulation of railroad transport, Children's Bureau,
the Sixteenth Amendment, Theodore Roosevelt,
Hiram Johnson).
HOT ROC:



Make a list of the 5 most important
social/political problems that affect the United
States today.
Chose one to explain in greater detail and
provide a possible solution or desirable
change.
Is you answer a Conservative, Liberal, or
Radical solution to the problem?
Who were the Progressives?


Middle and upper class
began to notice the problems
with industrialization.
 Muckrakers report
problems
Vocab: Progressive
 Progressive: A member of
a social and political
movement of the early
1900s committed to
improving conditions in
American life
Who influenced the Progressives?
The Populists: Goals
1.
The Social Gospel
Movement:
Improve conditions
for farmers and
workers
2.
Curb the power of
big business
3.
Make government
more accessible
The Progressives:
1.
Want to improve
society
2.
Use political action
3.
Use the government
to solve problems
4.
Regulation of Big
Business
1.
Christianity
2.
Social reform
3.
Society must take
responsibility for the
less fortunate
Influences on the
Progressives:
The Populists




Angry farmers
Nationalize railroads
8 hour workday
Opposed the gold
standard
Influences on the
Progressives: Social Gospel
Movement

Dwight Moody—
preacher, evangelist


Spread Christianity
Billy Sunday—athlete,
preacher, evangelist

Traveled America
preaching to millions of
people
Challenge to Social Darwinism


Progressives strongly opposed
Social Darwinism
 Social Darwinism: belief that
the “fittest” (best) people and
corporations would thrive
 Laissez-faire business
policy leave business alone
Progressives believe that
domination by the rich and
powerful was distortion of
democracy
Some of the accomplishments of the
Progressives



Child labor outlawed in 1893
 States pass laws to make it illegal
 More high schools built as children stop working
Working Conditions improve
 Workers compensation: pay workers who get injured on the job
 Shorter hours and minimum wage
Fight corruption in government
 Replace corrupt politicians
 Clean up the police force
 Increased city services (like parks and garbage)
 Initiatives and referendums – political power in hands of the
people
Problem-Solving Activity

For each problem on the next few slides, say
which choice you think is best and then
explain why.
Scenario #1
The majority of workers live in tenement houses that are falling apart
and overcrowded. Because they are made mostly of wood and built
right next to each other without any fire escapes, they would be very
dangerous for people if a fire started. Lack of adequate plumbing has
led to there being a lot of sewage on the streets.
A.These buildings provide housing for people who have no where else to
live. If the housing were nicer then the new immigrants couldn’t afford it
and they would be homeless.
B.A law should be passed that requires the city to collect trash weekly and
also to require buildings to have a fire escape. Also, money should be
spent on roads and trolleys so it is easy to work in the city but live
somewhere else. This will keep the city from getting overcrowded.
C.Workers should be given a larger share of the profits made by the
companies where they work. No business owner should be able to make
more than 20 times as much money as his lowest paid employee. This will
empower workers to improve their living conditions.
Scenario #2
Democracy is no longer working well in local governments because of
the political machines. Elected officials are taking bribes from
businesses to make laws that favor those businesses. Also, people can
only be hired for government positions like mail carrier or teacher if they
pay a bribe. Lastly, elected officials are using tax money to pay
ridiculously high prices for building and contract work that is all being
done by their friends. Sometimes this leads to a kick-back where their
friends let them keep some of the money “paid” for the job.
A.Elect people into office who promise not to be corrupt and who will try
and change the laws that allow corruption.
B.Change how governments are run so that instead of electing a mayor,
the governor appoints 5 people to run the city together. The
appointment people are experts in their field – an engineer, a public
safety office, a financial advisor, etc.
C.Get rid of local government and instead have all meetings decided by
the entire town in local town hall meetings.
Scenario #3
State and federal governments allow monopolies to control an entire industry.
Once a monopoly exists in an industry they can charge consumers high prices,
pay workers low wages and pollute the environment.
A.Monopolies mass produce products wanted and used by society. By
becoming so large they are able to offer more products to more people and
employ more workers. Also, they have generated wealth and power that has
made the United States into a world power.
B.State governments should make laws that regulate businesses. These laws
could include requirements for working conditions, limits on the pollution that a
business can generate and making monopolies illegal.
C.The state should take control of essential businesses, like railroads, electricity,
and oil because these items are all necessary for people to eat, live in warm
houses and transport themselves and goods. Since no one would choose to
live without electricity it defies the rules of supply and demand, meaning an
electric company that was a monopoly could charge whatever they wanted and
people would still pay. For this reason, it should be run by the government and
equally distributed to all people for a reasonable price.
Scenario #4
80% of African-Americans live in the South in 1900 as tenant farmers
under Jim Crow laws that segregate their daily life, voting restrictions
that deprive them of their right to vote and the Ku Klux Klan that
terrorize anyone who tries to fight for a better life.
Decide first if this problem should be solved by government or by the
people themselves.
 If you think government should fix it, what steps can the
government take to enforce the laws and amendments that have
been passed?
 If you think the people themselves should fix it, describe what the
people can do themselves without relying on the government.
How will your plan be paid for and/or enforced?
Options
A.
B.
C.
Laissez-Faire, Conservative
Progressive
Radical