The Progressive Era
The Progressive Era
• 1890-1920
• Political and social reform movement
• Did not seek to overthrow capitalism, but
rather address the massive problems of
urbanization and industrialization
• Mainly a white, middle-class movement.
Did NOT address racial issues.
The Muckrakers
• Journalists who exposed social
problems and political corruption but
did not propose solutions
– Thomas Nast – cartoonist known for
exposing Boss Tweed
– Upton Sinclair – His book The Jungle
exposed unsanitary conditions in the
meatpacking industry
– Ida Tarbell – journalist who wrote about
the Standard Oil Company
– Lincoln Steffens – exposed corruption in
city government in St. Louis
Progressive Reforms—
Political
• Problem: Politics controlled by political
machines (bosses)
• The most famous political machine,
Tammany Hall, was brought down by the
most famous political cartoonist, Thomas
Nast.
• Political cartoons are often most effective
because they inspire emotion and reach
populations of all educational levels
•Solutions:
–17th Amendment: people, NOT
state legislatures elect senators
–Recall: Remove a corrupt
elected official
–Referendum: Allows voters to
approve/reject a law (taxes)
–Initiative: Allows voters to
propose laws
–Secret ballot: end control of
bosses
Progressive Reforms—Social
• Problem: child labor, working
conditions, women’s lack of the right to
vote, domestic violence
These mill girls are in their early teens
These are Bobbin Boys; small children could fit into small
places.
These boys work in a canning factory; note the
condition of their hands.
This young man is 5 years old. He is a
shrimp picker.
The whole family was important as far as income; note
the four year old girl standing on the board and the
child care.
These Breaker Boys work in the coal mines
These young ladies are fruit pickers
This family is doing piece-work, as is the next.
This newsie is 5 years old and 41 inches tall.
This young man is 8 years old. He has just
recovered from his second bout with pneumonia.
Labor Reform
• Workers quickly realized
that they must join
together to protect
themselves
• Sought to eliminate
horrific sweatshop
conditions – public
attention drawn to the
issue by the 146 deaths,
mostly of teenage girls, in
the 1911 Triangle
Shirtwaist Factory fire
• Limits placed initially on
the child labor (under 14)
and the hours of women
Family members try to identify
fire victims in the morgue.
These families are trying to identify victims of
the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1912)
• Solutions:
– 16th Amendment: legalized income tax
– 18th Amendment: Prohibition (no alcohol)
– 19th Amendment: Women’s Suffrage
– Newlands Act: Protect Environment
Progressive Reforms—
Economic
• Problem: trusts and monopolies controlling
the economy
• Solutions:
– Sherman Anti-Trust Act: made
monopolies/trusts illegal—1st enforced in 1902
– Hepburn Act: created Interstate Commerce
Commission—controlled interstate trade
– Pure Food and Drug Act: established FDA truth
in labeling
– Meat Inspection Act: Government inspection of
meat (The Jungle)
– Federal Trade Commission: Regulated unfair
business practices
Legal Weapons of the
Progressives
• Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)
– Outlawed monopolies
– First used by T. Roosevelt—”trustbuster”
• Northern Securities Company (1902)
– 1st case brought by TR
– TR started 44 anti-trust lawsuits
– Made him very popular
• United Mine Workers Strike (1902)
– TR mediated strike
– “Square Deal” each side receive fair treatment
and consideration
Legal Weapons
• Department of Commerce and Labor
elevated to Cabinet Level (1903)
• Hepburn Act (1906)
– ICC created—to set “just and reasonable
RR rates”
– Can investigate/regulate express/sleeping
car co.s, oil pipelines, ferries, terminals,
and bridges that cross state lines
– Limited ability for RR to give free passes
Legal Weapons
• Meat Inspection Act (1906)
– Direct result of The Jungle
– Government inspectors check all meat crossing
state lines
• Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)
– FDA
– Direct result of The Jungle
– Banned manufacture, sale, or shipment of impure
meat or mislabeled food/drugs across state lines
Legal Weapons
• 16th Amendment (1913)
– Established Federal Income Tax
• 17th Amendment (1913)
– Popular election of senators
• Federal Reserve Act (1913)
– Required federal and asked state banks to
put their $ in district banks
– Government control of the money supply
Legal Weapons
• Federal Trade Commission (1914)
– Prevented unfair business competition in interstate
commerce
• Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914)
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Different stock prices for different people
“tying contract”
Interlocking directories
Stock purchases lessened competition
Later Outlawed
Legal Weapons
• 18th Amendment (1919)
– Forbid manufacture, sale, or transportation
of alcohol—prohibition
• 19th Amendment (1920)
– Women’s Right to Vote