The Progressive Era New
Ideas For a New Century
1900-1917
Definition: An attempt of politics to catch up with the social and economic changes of the last half of the nineteenth century
Conflicts in society: large businesses/ small businesses; urban/ rural; immigrants/ older population; working class/middle class; labor management
Leaders: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Robert Lafollette, George Norris, the Muckrakers
General Characteristics: attacks on bossism, slums, child labor, urban orientation, middle class, leadership, affects all areas of society, reforms at the
local, state and national levels o government.
Historical interpretations: William Allen White, Hofstadter/ Mowry, Schleisinger, Kolko
National Reforms
TR’s first term
Northern Securities Case
Dept. of Labor and Dept. of
Commerce
Anthracite Coal Strike, 1902
The Square Deal 1905-1909
Hepburn Act
Muckrakers
Pure Food and Drug Act 1906
Meat Inspection Act
Employment Liability
Conservative concerns
Reclamation Act
TR’s Foreign Affairs
Big Stick Diplomacy
Panama Canal
Roosevelt Corolary to Mon. Doctrine
W.H. Taft 1909-1913
Mann Elkins Act
Payne Aldrich Tariff
New Nationalism of T.R.
Woodrow Wilson 1913-1921
Election of 1912
Wilson’s New Freedom
State/Local Reforms
LaFollette-Wisconsin Idea
Charles Evans Hughes---NY
Responsible government
Underwood Simmons Tariff
Federal Trade Commission
Clayton Anti-trust Act
Federal Reserve System, 1913
Brandeis (Jew) to Supreme Court
Child Labor Laws
Workman’s Comp.
Federal Highway Act
WW Foreign Affairs
Dollar Diplomacy
Wilson into Mexico
Hiram Johnson---Calif.
Woodrow Wilson---New Jersey
Initiative, referendum, recdall
Closed primary, open primary
Public Service Commission
Workman’s Compensation
10 hour day for women---Oregon
Child Labor Laws
Australian Ballot
16th Amendment, 1913
17th Amendment, 1913
18th Amendment, 1919
19th Amendment, 1919
The Progressive Era is a take off point for today’s United States.