Good Morning (or Afternoon)!

1. Good Morning (or Afternoon)! • Please grab your binder and the Unit 3 notes packet. • Bell Ringer: • What defined the Gilded Age? Make a list.

2. The Progressive EraLecture 1: Progressive Era Movements

3. The Progressive Era • In the late 1800s, rapid industrialization and unrestricted growth of cities led to major problems. • Progressive reformers attempted to find a remedy for the social problems industrialization caused. • Progressive reforms were introduced at the national level by Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. • In the following lesson you will find out what was done by these Presidents and others to help solve the problems during the Progressive Era of the early 1900s.

4. The Agrarian Movement During the late 1800s, the majority of Americans lived on farms. Today, less than 2% still live on a farm. • In the late 19th century, the extension of farming to the Great Plains and the greater use of machinery and fertilizer led to an abundance of crops. • Farmers experienced increasing difficulties as food prices began to drop, while their own expenses remained high. • For example, the price a farmer received for a bushel of corn went from 66¢ in 1866 to as low as 10¢ in 1889.

5. The Agrarian Movement The Problems of Farmers: 1870 - 1900 • Overproduction of Crops • The opening of the West greatly increased the amount of land cultivated. • Machinery and improved farming techniques increased productivity per acre. • As farmers produced more crops, food prices fell. (supply and demand) • Transportation Costs • Western farmers had to ship their crops to the Eastern markets, and railroads took advantage of the limited or lack of competition – charging high rates. • Indebtedness • Farmers were in debt from borrowing money to buy new machinery or make improvements. • During a poor harvest, farmers also borrowed, using their farm as security. • Banks viewed farmers as poor credit risks and charged them high interest rates. • Natural Disasters • Farmers were subject to droughts, floods, hail storms, and insects. One bad year to their crops could wipe out a family’s savings from many good years.

6. The Agrarian Movement The Grange Movement • In 1867, the Grange Movement was founded. • Its original purpose was to serve as a social club for farmers, with an aim to help them overcome rural isolation and to spread information about new farming techniques. • Within 10 years, the Grangers had over a million members, who began urging economic and political reforms.

7. The Agrarian Movement Granger Cooperatives • Grangers tried to eliminate middlemen by forming farmers’ cooperatives to buy machinery, fertilizers, and manufactured goods in large numbers at a discount. • The cooperatives also sold their crops directly to city markets. • However, because of a lack of business experience, many of the Granger cooperatives failed.

8. The Agrarian Movement The Impact of the Grange Movement • Farmers mainly blamed the railroads for their problems, as they felt they were being overcharged by railroads and grain storage facilities. • Farmers who belonged to the Grange Movement elected congressmen who promised reforms. • Once elected, these congressmen passed laws regulating the rates railroads and grain storage facilities could charge.

9. The Agrarian Movement The Granger Laws • Munn v. Illinois (1877) • The Supreme Court upheld the right of a state to regulate businesses that affected public interests within the state. • However, the Supreme Court later reversed itself, and ruled that only Congress had the power regulate interstate commerce – leading to the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act. • Interstate Commerce Act (1887) • This act prohibited railroads from charging more for short hauls than long hauls over the same route. • The Interstate Commerce Commission was created to enforce the new law. It became the first federal government agency to regulate unfair business practices. Teddy Roosevelt

10. The Populist Party: 1891-1896 • In 1892, farmers gave their support to the Populist Party. • It was a new national political party representing the “common man” – farmers, industrial workers, and miners – in the battle against banking and railroad interests (the rich). • For the first time, women also played an important role in politics – serving as speakers and organizers. • Populists believed that the rich had a stranglehold on government, and they wanted the government to take a larger role, ending oppression, injustice, and poverty.

11. The Goals of the Populist Party In 1892, the Populist Party held a national convention in Omaha, Nebraska, where they chose a Presidential candidate, and drew up a party platform.

12. Populists and Election Campaigns • Election of 1892 • Populists were successful in electing Senators and their Presidential candidate did well in the election (but he didn’t win). • Election of 1896 • Instead of running their own candidate, Populists supported William Jennings Bryan, a Democrat, for President due to his “Cross of Gold” Speech, in which he praised farmers and blamed bankers for economic troubles. • However, Bryan lost to William McKinley, a pro-business Republican. • Election of 1900 • Populists again supported Bryan, but he again lost to William McKinley. • This loss, along with new gold discoveries, higher farm prices and rural migration to the cities, virtually brought an end to the Populist Party.

13. The Legacy of Populism • The Populist Party would soon fade away, but it was somewhat successful in its efforts, even though a Populist President was never elected. • The Populist Party did leave its mark on American history with the idea of third parties. • Third parties provide an outlet for minorities to voice their grievances and generate new ideas that the main stream (Democrats & Republicans) usually doesn’t support. • Later on, many Populist ideas, such as a graduated income tax or direct election of senators, were adopted by the larger political parties.

14. The Progressive Movement1890 - 1920 • The Progressive Movement flourished from 1900 to the start of World War I. • Progressives took their name from their belief in “progress.” • Although Progressives borrowed ideas from the Populists and the labor movement, they were different in many ways. • They were mainly middle-class city dwellers, rather than farmers and factory workers, and their activities reflected the rising influence of the middle class. • Writers, lawyers, ministers, college professors, and even Presidents became the Progressive leaders.

15. The Progressive Movement1890 - 1920 • The primary goal of the Progressives was to correct the political and economic injustices that had resulted from America’s industrialization, such as the increasing inequalities between the wealthy and the poor. • They did not oppose industrialization, but they wanted to use the power of government to correct its evils so that all Americans, not just the wealthy, could enjoy better lives. • To achieve this, the Progressives felt: • People could rely on science and knowledge to improve society. • Government should fix these problems, but it had become corrupted by big business and political machines. So, the government itself had to be reformed.

16. The Progressive Movement1890 - 1920 • Progressivism arose out of a combination of Protestant Evangelicalism, the activities of journalists, Populism, and the reaction of the educated middle class to abuses in industry and government. • Progressives felt threatened by the rise of big business, large labor unions and corrupt political bosses. • They acted out of a sense of moral responsibility, often based on their religious beliefs. • Progressives placed great confidence in the ability of using a a scientific approach to solve social problems. • Rather than accept corruption and poverty, they believed the government should take positive steps to identify problems and promote progress.

17. The Social Gospel Movement • The Social Gospel Movement started when Protestant ministers began calling for social reforms, including the abolition of child labor and for safer working conditions. • They objected to the harsh realities of unregulated free enterprise and emphasized the ancient idea that each man was his brother’s keeper. • Ex. Groups, like the Salvation Army, emphasized the Christian duty to help those who were less fortunate. • The Social Gospel Movement also strongly supported the Temperance Movement , which aimed at banning alcoholic beverages.

18. Socialism • The abuses of industrial society led some critics to demand an end to the free enterprise system, also known as capitalism. • Socialists believed that government should take over basic industries, while Communists believed that workers should seize control by force and abolish all private property. • Progressives rejected these extremes, but argued that some reforms were necessary if a social revolution was to be avoided.

19. Good Morning (or Afternoon)! • Please grab your binder and a Muckraker Chart from the Resource Table. • Bell Ringer: • On your worksheet from yesterday (Movements Chart), check your answers on the side board. • If you did not write your answers yesterday, please copy down the answers on your worksheet from the board.

20. Read the following excerpt and record your reaction in 3 complete sentences. “The meat would be shoveled into carts, and the man who did the shoveling would not trouble to lift out a rat even when he saw one – there were things that went into the sausage that in comparison with which a poisoned rat was a tidbit. There was no place for the men to wash their hands before they ate their dinner, and so they made a practice of washing them in the water that was ladled into the sausage.” – Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle

21. The Progressive EraLecture 2: Muckrakers & Reformers

22. The Muckrakers • As the cities continued to expand the newspapers and magazines began to reach a larger audience. • Investigative reporters, writers, and social scientists exposed the industrial and governmental corruption. • These writers became known as Muckrakers, because they raked up all the muck or the dirt of American life. • They examined the rise of industry and the abuses that were often used in the effort to become rich. • They examined business practices and the negative effect they had on the consumers and the lives of the very poor. • They are often considered to be the first Progressives.

23. Muckrakers and Their Influences Upton Sinclair He exposed dangerous working conditions and unsanitary practices in meat packing industry in his book The Jungle. As a result of his work, the government passed: Meat Inspection Act – law that set standards of cleanliness and required federal inspection of meat plants. Pure Food & Drug Act – law that required foods to be pure and accurately labeled.

24. Muckrakers and Their Influences Jacob Riis He exposed the poverty, living conditions, and disease of the urban poor in his book How the Other Half Lives. As a result of his work, New York City passed building codes to promote safety and health.

25. Muckrakers and Their Influences Thomas Nast Political cartoonist who exposed the corruption of NYC’s Tammany Hall led by Boss Tweed. Problem: Governments had become corrupt with political machines. As a result of his work, Boss Tweed and other corrupt government officials went to jail for corruption.

26. Muckrakers and Their Influences Ida Tarbell Tarbell exposed Standard Oil’s ruthless business tactics of forcing others out of business and thereby creating a monopoly in her book, The History of Standard Oil. Problem: Trusts and monopolies had an unfair advantage among businesses. As a result of her work, the government passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act outlawing monopolies.

27. Muckrakers and Their Influences Lincoln Steffens Writer who exposed corruption in city and state governments in his book, The Shame of the Cities. Problem: City and state leaders were often corrupt, took bribes or broke the law. As a result of his work, corrupt government officials went to jail for corruption.

28. Reformers • Progressives were so upset by the evils that had fallen on the American public thanks to the Industrial Revolution that they began demanding reforms. • Reforms were based on the idea that society can be made better. • Social Reformers attempted to help solve the problems that faced the American society. • Municipal Reformers focused their attention on solving problems at the city government level. • State Government Reformers focused on freeing states from corruption and the influence of big business.

29. Social Reformers • Jane Addams • Founded a settlement house called Hull House to help immigrants and needy find a place to live, jobs, or get an education. • Beginning of social services like youth shelters and food banks.

30. Social Reformers • W.E.B. DuBois • Help found the NAACP to aid African Americans in gaining civil rights. • First African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. • W.E.B. felt African Americans should achieve immediate racial equality and supported open protests.

31. Social Reformers • Booker T. Washington • Booker agreed with W.E.B. that African Americans should seek their civil rights, but he disagreed on how they should achieve those rights. • He argued that African Americans should gain equality by focusing on job training, not by demanding.

32. Social Reformers • Ida B. Wells • Lynching (murder by hanging) was a common tactic used to intimidate African Americans, especially in the South. • After 3 of her friends were wrongfully lynched for crimes they didn’t commit, she started a national anti-lynching campaign.

33. Social Reformers • Anti-Defamation League • Jewish organization opposed to religious prejudice.

34. Municipal Reforms • Some Progressives focused on the abuses found at the Municipal, or city, level of government. • Progressives wanted to limit the control of political machines and get rid of corruption and inefficient government. • They wanted to replace the political bosses and machines with real public servants. • Reformers wanted to expand city services to deal with overcrowding, fire hazards, and sanitation issues.

35. Reforming State Governments • At the state level, several Progressive governors took steps to limit corruption and the influence of big business. • Robert LaFollette, the Progressive governor of Wisconsin, and Theodore Roosevelt of New York both took steps to limit the powers of big business within their states.

36. Political Reforms The purpose of Progressive political reforms was to end corruption and to make state governments more directly accountable to the people.

37. Social Legislation • States also passed laws to overcome some of the worst effects of industrialization. • These laws regulated conditions in urban housing and abolished child labor. • They also regulated safety and health conditions in factories, limiting the number of hours women could work and forcing employers to give compensation to workers injured on the job. • Still other state laws passed by Progressives conserved state natural resources and created wildlife preserves.

38. Civil Service Reform • Much of the corruption in government could be traced to the spoils system, in which government jobs were used to reward people who made contributions to politicians or who helped in their campaigns. • These people were often not qualified for the job, and, as the government grew larger, there was a need for a more qualified group of permanent civil servants. • When President Garfield was assassinated by an office-seeker, Congress decided it was time to act.

39. Civil Service Reform • The Pendleton Act (1883) was passed by Congress – creating the Civil Service Commission. • This commission gave exams that selected government appointees based on merit, not on who they knew. • This helped to rid government of corruption and made it more efficient.

40. Good Morning (or Afternoon)! • Please grab your binder and the Progressive Presidents Worksheet. • Bell Ringer:

41. The Progressive EraLecture 3: Progressive Presidents & Labor

42. The Progressive Presidents Between 1901 and 1919, three Presidents began a series of Progressive reforms. Teddy Roosevelt William Howard Taft Woodrow Wilson

43. Theodore Roosevelt1901 – 1909 • Teddy Roosevelt came from a rich family, but had grown up a sickly child. • Teddy overcame his illness by being actively involved in sports and hunting. • His accomplishments included: • New York City Police Commissioner • Rancher in the Dakotas • Officer in the Spanish-American War • Governor of New York • He became President after the assassination of Pres. William McKinley in 1901.

44. Theodore Roosevelt1901 – 1909 His economic agenda was called the Square Deal. This Progressive legislation limited the operation of the laissez-faire economy.

45. Theodore Roosevelt1901 – 1909 • Roosevelt's motto was: • “Speak softly, but carry a big stick.” • Trust-Buster • Roosevelt, the Trust-Buster, felt that some trusts that served the public’s interest were ok, but those that didn’t needed to be stopped. (ex. Standard Oil) • Conserving the Nation’s Natural Resources • Although he was a big game hunter, conservation of natural resources was important. He stopped the government from selling off public lands and added millions of acres to the national parks and forests.

46. Theodore Roosevelt1901 – 1909 • The Coal Miners Strike (1902) proved Roosevelt was willing to use the power of the federal government to protect the public interests. • When the coal miners and the mine owners could not agree on a settlement, a strike looked near. • Roosevelt stepped in and threatened to use the military to keep the mines running for the good of the nation. • Problem solved!

47. William Howard Taft1909 - 1912 • Roosevelt served two terms as President before he decided not to run for a third time. (No one had ever ran 3 times.) • He supported his Vice-President William Howard Taft as the Republican nominee for President. • Taft won the election of 1908 and continued with Roosevelt’s Progressive policies, for a while.

48. William Howard Taft1909 - 1912 • Roosevelt supported President Taft, until Taft began doing things not considered to be a part of the Progressive agenda. As a result, Roosevelt became angry at Taft. • Taft was nominated for President again in 1912, but Teddy decided to run against him. • Roosevelt started his own third party called the Bull Moose Party, but neither Taft nor Roosevelt would win in 1912.

49. Woodrow Wilson1912 - 1916 • The split between Roosevelt and Taft allowed the Democratic nominee Woodrow Wilson to win the 1912 Presidential election. • Wilson’s economic agenda was called the “New Freedom”. • Pres. Wilson felt like Roosevelt: • Big business needed to be tamed. • Trusts should be broken up. • Banking system needed fixed. • Tariffs only benefitted the rich.

50. Woodrow Wilson’sNew Freedom Legislation • Underwood Tariff • A tariff is a tax on imports. • Wilson felt tariffs benefitted the rich and he lowered the tariffs. • To make up for lost revenue ($) he introduced America’s first income tax. • Graduated Income Tax • Means that rich taxpayers are taxed at a higher rate • 16th Amendment gave Congress the power to tax a person’s income.