Introduction to the Progressive Movement

Introduction to the Progressive Movement

Unit 2

The Progressive Era, or Age of Reform: A new reform “mood” swept America during the early 1900’s. With great optimism and faith in scientific efficiency, reform set out to conquer the negative effects of industrialization and rapid urbanization, unsafe working conditions, long work hours, poor wages, child labor, and slum housing to name a few.

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle pushed many Americans to demand federal laws prohibiting unhealthy conditions in food-processing industries.

The Progressive movement of 1900-1920, was not a single movement with gust a single goal. Rather it was a collection of reform minded individuals and groups dedicated to bettering life in America. The Progressives publicized the ills of industrial society and sought to fix them.

Progressivism focuses on major urban concerns like unsafe working conditions, bad sanitation, and corrupt political machines. The movement wanted to restore the government to the people.

Progressivism proposed the eight hour workday, income taxes for the filthy rich, and minimum wages.

Progressivism sought a more democratic government, a check on corporate power, and solutions to social problems.

Many women were attracted to this new movement; some of the reasons included: reform work for college educated women, and this also allowed women to become involved in politics.

Journalists, or “Muckrakers” exposed political and corporate corruption, difficult working conditions, crowded slums, and racial injustice.

Most Progressives sought reforms of local government, business, and city life to ensure that the full promise of the American dream and democracy became available to all citizens.

Reforming the New Industrial Order

The New industrial Order changed American society in deep and disturbing ways. Many workers felt victimized by unhealthy working conditions, poor wages, and long workdays.

At times Progressive reformers and labor unions joined forces to change American society, but most of the time they worked independently, for the betterment of the working class.

In the early 1900’s the average worker worked about 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for about $1.50 a day. Women and children were paid far less.

The Progressive movement and labor unions campaigned for laws to change the make up or rules of the workforce, mosltly child labor and working conditions for the working women.

By 1912, 39 states had passed new laws dealing with child labor issues, a major victory for the Progressive movement.

The Progressive movement also worked hard to shorten the “normal” workers workday from 10 hours a day, 6 days a week to more reasonable hours. In 1903 things began to change for the better.

In 1912 the Progressive movement helped Massachusetts pass the countries first minimum wage law. 1938 saw the passing of the countries national minimum wage law, 26 years later.

Safety laws were also created with help and pressure form the Progressive movement. Today New York has one of the toughest fire safety codes in America.

Again, Progressives sought laws to end child labor, limit working hours, raise wages, and improve safety, among other things.

The Progressive movement did many things to reform the “old” America but it wasn’t easy. Each of their fights was a battle, sometimes a brutal battle. And they did loose from time to time.

On the grounds of property rights and freedom of contract, the Supreme Court struck down much, but not all of the Progressive legislation.

Progressive reformers were not the only ones fighting for workers rights, labor unions contributed as well.

The American Federation of Labor’s membership grew from 500,000 in 1900 to 2 million in 1914.

Labor unions like the AFL worked within the system and focused on skilled workers, while the IWW opposed capitalism and focused on unskilled workers all in an attempt to help the “average” worker and working conditions.

Reforming Society

Progressive reformers were convinced that as citizens they were responsible for the well being of their communities.

While white reformers were concerned with housing, working conditions, public health, and personal morality, non-white reformers were dealing with issues of discrimination and trying to fight against it.

By 1920, for the very first time in American history more than 50% of the population was living in cities; because of this increase in urban living basic services of the cities began to decline.

Cities now began to show many problems, and some were serious.

Many reformers believed cities needed a plan to become more organized, healthful, and livable; the term coined was “municipal housekeeping”.

With this idea in mind, many organizations formed. Chicago’s Woman’s City Club was one and they vowed to help each other clean up the city, literally and morally.

Progressives believed that by cleaning up the cities, the cities would produce better citizens. From this idea came the city planning movement.

The thought was that through wise planning, cities could get rid of the unwanted elements of slums, crime, ect… and increase beautification, and patriotic citizens.

Many parts of the planned cities are still with us today: parks, public land, patriotic citizens, public buildings, roads, sanitation, and zoning.

In short, Progressives sought to clean up cities by enlarging the functions of the government to include housing standards, public health, and city planning.

Besides cleaning up the physical cities, many reformers wanted to clean up the immoral behavior of the day.

With this in mind, many reformers pushed for prohibition, a ban on selling alcoholic beverages and also closing the saloons of the day.

By closing the saloons, the reformers believed they would solve a few more problems, unemployment, crime, and stop the break-up of families.

Drawing on America’s spirit of patriotic sacrifice, prohibitionists achieved their goal during WWI. The 18^th Amendment was passed in 1917 and ratified in 1919; this barred the sale, manufacture, or importation of alcoholic beverages.

This Amendment was later repealed in 1933.

Reforming Government

The Progressive movement sought to extend their reform ideas into government. They wanted to take away from corrupt political machines and gain influence in government to improve American life.

On the national level, these presidents tried to embrace the Progressive ideal: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.

During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the Progressive movement found corruption at all levels of government, from city hall to Washington D.C.

Corrupt political bosses and machines accepted bribes from special interest groups like rail road companies and lumber companies and big business in return for government favors.

Government corruption outraged the people, more so the reformers. To restore honest government, they demanded “give the government back to the people!”

The Progressive movement began to reform politics, more importantly, reform the way in which candidates were chosen for public office. Direct Primary, where voters chose the candidates.

The state of Wisconsin adopted the direct primary in 1903, and by 1916 most of the other states had done the same.

The next step to reform government came with the passing of the 17^th Amendment which gave the people a direct say in voting for their Senators. This cut out of the “funny business” and “shady deals” behind closed doors.

The Progressive movement pushed for three more reform adoptions: Initiative, Referendum, and Recall.

Initiative gives voters the power to introduce legislation, Referendum, the placing of a measure on a ballot for public vote, and Recall which lets voters remove an elected official from office.

Progressives supported the direct primary, the direct election of U.S. Senators, the secrete ballot, and the initiative, referendum, and recall.

On a local level, many American cities elected reform managers, formed city commissions, and hired city managers to increase government efficiency.

The reform movement even hit Wisconsin. Governor Robert La Follette turned Wisconsin into “the laboratory of democracy.”

La Follette proposed a state reform project known as the Wisconsin ideal. He brought direct primary to Wisconsin and raised taxes on big business and began to regulate them. He fought for the conservation of Wisconsin’s natural resources and passed pro labor legislation.

La Follette’s Wisconsin Ideal provided a model for reforming local and state governments and regulating big business for the good of the people.

Roosevelt and the Square Deal

The first president to bring the Progressive movement into the White House was Theodore Roosevelt. During his two terms as president, he promoted the regulation of big business and helped preserve natural resources for future generations.

Roosevelt felt it was the president’s duty to speak out on vital issues and in this manner he helped the Progressive movement.

Roosevelt created a slogan as president, “The Square Deal” he promised to “see to it that every man has a square deal, no less, and no more.” With this slogan, Roosevelt showed his belief in balancing the interests of labor, business, and the people.

Roosevelt’s square deal limited trusts, promoted public health and safety standards, and improving working conditions. All of which were supported by the progressive movement.

In short, Roosevelt’s square deal pledged fair treatment for business, workers, and the public.

In 1902, Roosevelt began to practice what he preached; he began to go trust busting. Trust busting was a legal way in which large monopoly-like trusts were taken apart for the good of the public. He defended this by stating “We draw the line against misconduct, not against wealth.”

Roosevelt administration also promoted railroad regulation and to do this Congress passed two laws. The Elkins Act and the Hepburn Act.

The Elkins Act of 1903 forbade shippers from accepting rebates or money secretly given back to the shippers for their business.

The Hepburn Act of 1906 set up railroad rates and also regulated interstate commerce. Making fees standard and fair.

Roosevelt also turned his attention to healthcare where he and Congress enacted to make consumer protection laws in 1906. The Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.

The Meat Inspeciton Act requires government inspection of meat shipped from state to state.

The pure Food and Drug Act forbids the manufacturing, sale, and transportion of food and patent medicine containing harmful ingredients. And that all containers of food and medicine carry ingredient labels.

Roosevelt is probably known for his work with natural conservation. He understood that America’s natural resources were limited and needed to be saved. He set up over 150 million acres of forestland and turned much of them into national forest parks.

In short, Roosevelt saved public lands from destructive development and crested wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. “A nation is obligated to manage its resources for the greatest good of the greatest number of people over the long run.”

Imperialism and the Spanish American War

Unit 3

April 20, 1898 the United States declares war on Spain, 11 days later, on May 1^st, the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines had begun. It would be the first battle of the Spanish American War.

The Spanish American war also began America’s policies on the world.

In the late 1800’s the United States emerged as the world’s leading producer and agricultural exporter. This economic success encouraged the nation to establish overseas colonies, just as the European powers were doing. The United States hoped colonization would provide new markets for its goods and new sources of raw materials. U.S. involvement in Samoa and a short war with Spain in 1898 increased the American role in the Pacific and in the Caribbean.

Between 1876 and 1915 much of Africa, Asia, and Latin America fell under the control of a handful of industrial nations in a race to acquire overseas colonies.

The reasoning behind the idea of imperialism is hard to understand. Power and prestige play a part, as well as economics and the need for raw materials and resources, and of course, the idea of becoming rich.

Some believed America should enter the ring of colonization to gain islands for naval bases which would increase the power of our navy. Others believed we needed to spread the ideas of Democracy and the religion of Christianity to others around the globe.

The quest for an empire was fueled by strategic, economic, and cultural motives.

Knowing about imperialism, the Samoan leader, Teo’ Tuvale stated: “ Be kind and don’t start a war in Samoa, because if you do…[the powers]… will take over the conduct of the country… and things that you have been accustomed to will be of no further use”. In the end Samoa was split between the United States and Germany. Today western Samoa is still under American influence.

Nearer to home, Cuba was trying to revolt against Spain. About 200,000 Cuban lives were lost in the rebellion.

Threats to the United States investments and business in Cuba concerned many to aid the Cuban rebels against Spain and eventually go to war against the Spanish.

President McKinley tried desperately to keep us out of the war but two events ended that idea.

On Feb. 9, 1898, the American USS Maine stations in Cuba blew up killing about 260 sailors. Desturction of warship Maine was the work of the enemy! Was the papers headline. America blamed Spain. “Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain” was a common battle cry.

April 20, 1898 Congress sent U.S. forces to help Cuba.

Congress also adopted the Teller Amendment which stated that the United States would not be able to keep Cuba as its own possession after the conflict was over.

The 1^st battles of the Spanish American war were fought near the Philippines. On May 1^st Dewey’s “The Great White Fleet” easily defeated the small Spanish fleet.

In order to capture the Islands themselves Dewey had to hire a rebel leader, Emilio Aguinaldo who had been fighting against the Spanish for some time. Spanish forces in the Phillippines surrendered on Aug. 14, 1898.