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PROGRESSIVISM
Muckrackers
Temperance
Suffragettes
Populists
Midclass
Women
Labor
Unions
Civil
Rights
Four Goals of ProgressivismFour Goals of Progressivism
e Protecting Social Welfaree Promoting Moral
Improvemente Creating Economic Reforme Reforming Local
Government
e Protecting Social Welfaree Promoting Moral
Improvemente Creating Economic Reforme Reforming Local
Government
“The 4”:
“The 4”:
Primary Goal of the Movement:Return the power to the people
Progressives were
White ProtestantsMiddle class and native born.
College Educated Professionals Social workers
ScholarsPoliticiansPreachersTeachersWriters
Adopt Populist Ideas
· Move away from laissez faire with government regulating industry
· Make US government responsive to the people (voting)
· Limit power of the political bosses.· Improve worker’s rights, conditions for
poor and immigrants· Clean up the cities
· End segregation and Jim Crow
Social Welfare
Soften working conditions in industry, regulate unfair business practices, eliminate child labor, help immigrants and the poor
Promoting Moral Improvement• Morality was the key to improving lives
• Alcohol was undermining American morals (Temperance/Prohibition)
• WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union)
• Passed the 18th amendment (abolish alcohol)
largest women’s group in U.S. history
245,000 members by 1911
Economic Reform •American began to question the
breaks that businesses got from the government. Fairness and opportunity
in the work world, regulate unfair trusts and bring about changes in
labor.
Americans start to question the capitalist
system and some embrace communism
•Muckrakers were journalists and photographers who exposed the
abuses of wealth and power. •They felt it was their job to write and
expose corruption in industry, cities and government.
Progressives exposed corruption but offered no solutions.
MUCKRAKERS
• They believed that if the public could only see or read for
itself…..• There would be an outcry and
people would want to help make conditions better…..
• Or demand the government to make reforms.
“Digging up the dirt” =
Investigative Journalism
Notable Muckrakers• Jacob Riis- photographs the horrid
tenement living conditions; How the Other Half Lives
• Ida Tarbell- exposed Standard Oil Trust (McClure’s Magazine)
• Lincoln Steffens- “Shame of the Cities” – exposes political corruption
• Upton Sinclair- author of The Jungle – abuses in the meatpacking industry
Reforming Government
Give the government back to the people, get more people voting and
end corruption with political machines.
Goal: Reform local and state governments by
introducing direct involvement of the
people. At the national level,
women’s suffrage and direct election of the U.S. Senate
Reforming Local Government
State Government ReformRobert La Follette – Wisconsin Governor
• loyal Republican at odds with political machine• Elected governor in 1900 – backed “Wisconsin Idea”
Wisconsin Idea• use of direct primary
• increase taxes on railroads and public utilities• commissions regulate
• enact laws that curb excessive lobbying• labor reforms & protect natural resources
States around the U.S. copy the model
Recall
Allows voters to petition to have an elected representative removed from office.
Initiative
Allows voters to petition state legislatures in order to consider a bill desired by citizens.
ReferendumAllows voters to decide if a bill or proposed
amendment should be passed.
Ensures that voters select candidates to run for office, rather than party bosses.
Privacy at the ballot box ensures that citizens can cast votes without party bosses knowing how they
voted.Secret Ballot
Direct Primary
State Reforms