Progressives and Politics:
From the cities to the states to
Washington, D.C.
Urban improvements
• Progressives in major cities pioneered the following programs,
in addition to many others, for the first time in American
history, making the municipal governments responsible for:
• Trash collection
• Street cleaning
• Tenement reforms
• Urban beautification:
A Progressive Era case study: The Triangle Shirtwaist
Factory in NYC
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What happened on March 25, 1911
and what was the impact? Summarize
here and add a photo.
“Direct democracy” reforms begin in states
• Progressives in many states worked to make elections more
honest and democratic and the government more accountable
to the people.
• By 1910:
• There were also four other important new ideas that were adopted in
many states:
• Direct primary:
• Initiative:
• Referendum:
• Recall:
More Progressive ideas take hold in states
• By 1903, child labor eliminated in 30 states
• Required school attendance in every state (except
Mississippi) by 1916
• 10 hour work day for
• Minimum wage laws
• Workmen's compensation laws
• Worker protection and factory safety laws,
• “Widow’s pensions”
• Railroad commissions to regulate shipping rates in
many states
Progressivism goes to Washington!
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September 6, 1901: Republican
President McKinley was assassinated
by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo,
NY
September 14: Vice President
Theodore Roosevelt sworn in as
President at age 42
“My God, that damned cowboy in the
White House!” -Mark Hanna
Elected on his own in 1904 with 57%
of the vote; promised a “Square Deal”
for the American people
What were the main components of
TR’s “Square Deal?”
TR: “Trust-Buster”
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We don’t wish to destroy corporations, but we do wish to make them
subserve the public good.” -TR
TR opposed “irresponsible corporate behavior”
What was the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, and how did TR use it?
Roosevelt’s Justice Dept. sued 44 companies for anti-trust violations
– Northern Securities vs. US (1902):
TR creates the Dept of Commerce and Labor to regulate business
Bureau of Corporations: regulate interstate businesses
What did new powers did the Elkins Act and Hepburn Act give the
government?
TR: Consumer Protection
• The Jungle opened TR’s (and the nation’s) eyes to
the safety of their food
• Milk distributors frequently added chalk or plaster to
improve the color of the milk
• Patent medicines and other products often
contained cocaine, opium, alcohol, etc. (Click here:
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/cocaine.asp)
• Pure Food and Drug Act (1906):
• The Meat Inspection Act (1906):
TR and nature
• “When I hear of the destruction of a species, I feel just as if all the
works of some great writer had perished.”
• TR set aside 150 million acres of public forest; created 53 wildlife
reserves, 16 national monuments, 5 new national parks
• Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902: irrigation projects for arid
regions; reclaimed land sold to settlers at low prices
• Antiquities Act of 1906: enabled the president to create national
monuments (Grand Canyon)
• How did the Teddy Bear get its name?
William Howard Taft (1908-1912)
• Mann-Elkins Act (1910):
Prosecuted 90 anti-trust
cases (even more than TR)
• He was perceived by many
reformers and
conservationists as too
timid.
The 1912 Election
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What was so unique about the 1912
Presidential election? Who won the
election?
Woodrow Wilson
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Created the income tax (only on
incomes of $4,000+; top rate was 6%
on $500,000!)
Federal Reserve Act of 1913: Federal
Trade Commission (1914):
Clayton Antitrust Act (1914):
Woodrow Wilson, cont.
• Child Labor Act (1916): banned the sale of products
from any factory that employed children under the
age of 14, from any mine that employed children
under the age of 16, and from any facility that had
children under the age of 16 work at night or for
more than 8 hours during the day. (declared
unconstitutional)
• Workmen’s compensation for federal employees
• Federal Farm Loan Act (1916):
Constitutional amendments passed during the Wilson
years
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16th (1913): income tax
17th (1913):
18th (1919):
19th (1920):
…begins in 1914,the U.S. enters
the war in 1917…
…and the Progressive Era
eventually comes to an end as we
refocus our energies abroad.