Chapter 17 – “The Progressives resPond”
GuidetoReadingNotes
The following are possible answers for each section of the Reading Notes.
Note: The term “enacted” means that something was put into place and into action.
Section 3: Progressives Fight for Social Reforms
Problems: poor living conditions; garbage in the streets; children working instead of attending school; unfair
treatment in the justice system; dangerous work conditions
Proposed solutions and strategies: provide safer housing; make cities cleaner; keep children out of
factories and in school; improve the justice system; provide safer working conditions
Enacted reforms and solutions: Tenement House Act; city trash collectors (White Wings); child labor laws;
National Child Labor Committee; creation of new high schools; establishment of a juvenile justice system;
limits on work hours for women (upheld in Muller v. Oregon); workers’ compensation laws
Section 4: Progressives Push for Political Reforms
Problems: corrupt local government; bribery of elected officials; political machines controlled elections;
corrupt state government; average citizens lacked power
Proposed solutions and strategies: improve city government; elect reform-minded mayors; restructure
city government; improve the election process; elect reform-minded governors
Enacted reforms and solutions: establishment of a minimum wage for city workers; improvement of city
services; expansion of parks and playgrounds; creation of city managers and city commission; adoption of the
secret ballot, direct primary, recall, initiative, and referendum; limit power of railroads; implementation of
eight-hour workday for women
Section 5: Progressives Confront Social Inequality
Problems: lack of suffrage for women; no voice for women in local and state government; racism against
African Americans; disenfranchisement of African Americans; lynching of African Americans
Proposed solutions and strategies: demonstrate for women’s suffrage; work to gain suffrage state by
state; use the courts to fight against racism; publish articles supporting rights of African Americans; call
attention to lynching
Enacted reforms and solutions: full voting rights for women in 16 states by 1918; formation of the NAACP;
the NAACP published The Crisis