The Progressive Era
1900-1920
Progressivism
• Progressivism- aimed to
return control of the
government to the
people, restore
economic
opportunities, and
correct injustices in
American life.
• Progressivism was a
response to the
problems about by the
industrialization,
urbanization, and
immigration of the
Gilded Age.
Main Goals of Progressive Reform
• Most Progressives saw dangers in the rising
power of Big Business, violence with labor,
concentration of wealth, political machines,
unrest of the poor, moral decay, racism, and
discrimination.
• Wanted to improve society and quality of life.
• Wanted to put government back into the hands
of the people.
• Wanted to end abuse of power and social
injustice.
• Wanted to regulate business and expand
democracy.
State Reform
• Robert M. La Folletteprogressive reform
governor of Wisconsin
and later Senator who
worked to drive business
from government.
• Efforts to limit child labor
and working hours.
• Reforming elections:
• Initiative- legislature from
the people on the ballot.
• Referendum- vote on an
initiative.
• Recall- voters could force
politicians to face another
election before end of
their term. Enabled
removal of public
officials.
Constitutional Amendments
• 16th AmendmentIncome tax collected on
individuals and
businesses to make up
for revenue lost on
reduced tariffs.
• 17th Amendmentallowed for the direct
election of Senators
Women in Public Life
Women began to work
outside of the home
usually out of economic
necessity.
They also joined clubs, went
to college, and led reform
movements such as the
National Association of
Colored Women (NACW)
and the National
American Woman
Suffrage Association
(NAWSA).
• Susan B. Anthony was a
leading proponent of
women’s suffrage, the
right to vote. Another
leader of this movement
who worked closely with
Anthony was Elizabeth
Cady Stanton.
Muckrakers
• Journalists who
exposed the evils,
inequities and injustices
in government,
business, and society
• Ida M. Tarbell- The
History of the Standard
Oil Company
• Lincoln Steffens- The
Shame of the Cities and
The Struggle for SelfGovernment.
• Upton Sinclair- The
Jungle exposed the
unsanitary conditions of
the meat packing
industry. It led to the
Meat Inspection Act of
1906.
Three Progressive Presidents
• Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909
• William Howard Taft 1909-1913
• Woodrow Wilson 1913-1921
Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt
• Square Deal- Govt. is to
serve all people.
• Elkins Act (1903)Stopped RR rebates and
increased power of ICC.
• Hepburn Act (1906)fixed RR rates and
increased power of ICC.
• Trust Busting
• Northern Securities Case of
1904 (Morgan)
• Duke Tobacco
• Swift Meat-Packing
• Standard Oil Trust
(Rockefeller)
• Consumer Protection
• Pure Food and Drug Act
(1906)
• Meat Inspection Act (1906)
• Conservation
• Increased use of Forest
Reserve Act 1891
• Newlands Reclamation Act
1902
• Creation of national
Conservation Commission
1908
• Antiquities Act
• New Nationalism (1912)- a
radical program of reform
calling for more govt.
regulation . Big Business
needed Big Govt. as an
equalizer.
William Howard Taft
• Continuation of Square Deal
• Mann-Elkins Act 1910increased powers of ICC to
freeze rates of RR,
telephones, etc.
• Continuation of trustbusting
• U.S. Steel
• Split in the Republican
Party
• Payne- Aldrich Tariff 1908
• Pinchot-Ballinger Affair
1910- dispute over
private development of
lands in Alaska, nonforested lands.
• Speaker Joe Cannon
dispute.
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Conservation
Bureau of Mines
Set aside federal oil lands
Labor
Federal Children’s Bureau
Department of Labor
8 hour workday for govt.
workers
Woodrow Wilson
• New Freedom- emphasized
economic morality by trying to
bring back conditions of free
and fair competition; opposed
all trusts; advocated smaller
govt. and smaller business and
an end to corruption
• Trust-Busting
• Clayton Anti-Trust Act 1914exempted unions
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
1914- monitored unfair trade
practices of corporations.
• Tariff Reduction
•
• 16th Amendment- Income tax •
• Underwood-Simmons Tariff
1913 (possible due to 16th
Amendment).
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• Bank Reform
•
• Federal Reserve Act 1914established fed. Banking
system.
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• Conservation
•
• National Park Service
•
Social Reform
Keating-Owens Act 1916- Child
labor law later ruled
unconstitutional
10 Hour Act 1910- women
labor law
18th Amendment 1919Prohibition
Expansion of Democracy
17th Amendment 1913- People
vote for U.S. Senators
19th Amendment 1920Women’s Suffrage