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Social Darwinism (10) Muckrakers and (11) The Progressive Constitutional Amendments

The Progressive Era saw reform efforts at both the local and national levels to address issues stemming from rapid industrialization such as monopolies, urbanization, and corruption. Reformers known as "muckrakers" raised public awareness through exposés of these problems. Progressive reforms included trust busting, consumer protections, conservation, women's suffrage, and amendments providing for an income tax and the direct election of Senators. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson all advanced reforms through trust regulation, environmental protections, and expanding the role of the federal government.

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37 views

Social Darwinism (10) Muckrakers and (11) The Progressive Constitutional Amendments

The Progressive Era saw reform efforts at both the local and national levels to address issues stemming from rapid industrialization such as monopolies, urbanization, and corruption. Reformers known as "muckrakers" raised public awareness through exposés of these problems. Progressive reforms included trust busting, consumer protections, conservation, women's suffrage, and amendments providing for an income tax and the direct election of Senators. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson all advanced reforms through trust regulation, environmental protections, and expanding the role of the federal government.

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The Progressive Era

KEY TERMS

(9) Social Darwinism (10) Muckrakers and (11) The Progressive


Constitutional Amendments

Part I: Background to the Progressive Era

A. Mixed Emotions of the 1890s


a. Pride in National Accomplishments
b. Concern Over Deep National Problems and Challenges to American
Democracy

B. The Ideological Roots of Progressivism


a. Pragmatism
b. Social Darwinism

C. The Progressives “Reform The System To Save It”


a. Progressive Issues
i. Monopolies
ii. Urban Problems
1. Immigration
2. Urban-Rural Migrations
3. Slums
4. Crime
5. Inadequate Social and Sanitation Services
iii. Political Corruption / The “Boss” System
iv. Civil Rights Concerns (Especially for Women)
v. Plight of African Americans
vi. Plight of Farmers (Verge of Revolution)
vii. Plight of Labor (Strikes, Violence, Repression)

D. Who Were the Progressives?


a. Generally: White Men and Women; Urban, New Middle-Class
Professionals
b. Retrogressive Social Reformers
i. Sought to reestablish the Jeffersonian Agrarian Ideal

E. The Muckrakers and Their Impact


a. Lincoln Steffens: Shame of the Cities
b. Upton Sinclair: The Jungle, The Octopus
c. Ida Tarbell: History of the Standard Oil Company
d. David G. Phillips: The Treason of the Senate

F. Political Reformers
a. Destroy the Big City “Machines” and “Bosses”
b. Return Government to “The People”
i. Direct Primary Elections
ii. Initiative, Referendum, Recall
iii. Secret Ballot
iv. “Scientific” / Professional Political Administration: City
Commission-City Manager System
v. Direct Elections of US Senators

G. Humanitarian Reformers
a. Education Reformers
i. Professionalization of Teacher Training
ii. Mandatory School Attendance Laws
b. “Settlement Houses” – Jane Addams (Chicago)
i. Urban Poor, Immigrants, Esp. Women
c. Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA)
d. Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)
H. Women’s Rights and Protection
a. Margaret Sanger – “Artificial” Birth Control
b. Women’s Suffrage – Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, etc.
c. Protection of Women in the Work Place
d. “White Slave” Traffic and Prostitution
i. Mann Act (1910)

I. Generally Reject “Socialist” Solutions, But Clearly Oppose “Laissez-Faire”


Policies and support “Positive” (Activist) Government

Part II: Levels of Progressive Activities


A. Local
a. City Commission – City Manager System
i. “Municipal Socialism”: Public Utilities, Services, Transportation
B. State
a. Robert La Follette (Wisconsin)
i. Direct Primary Elections
ii. Tax Reform (Expand the Base)
iii. Regulation of Railroad Rates
iv. Social Welfare Reform
1. Factory Inspection Laws (Health/Safety)
2. On-The-Job Accident Insurance
3. Child Labor Laws (No More Than 8-10 Hours)
4. Minimum Age for Employment (12-14yrs Old)
a. Tied to Mandatory School Attendance Laws

C. The Progressive Presidents


a. Theodore Roosevelt – Republican (1901-1909)
i. “Square Deal” For Workers
1. Recognize Unions, Forced Arbitration
ii. “Trust Buster”
1. “Good” and “Bad” Truests
2. Regulate the Good, Bust the Bad
3. Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)
a. Vs. “Combinations in Restraint of Trade
b. Northern Securities Case (1902) – Railroad
4. Meat Inspection Act (1906)
a. The Jungle
5. Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)
a. Patent Medicines – Coca Cola
6. Conservation – 150,000,000 Acres – National Parks

b. William Howard Taft – Republican (1909-1913)


i. Continuation of T.R.’s Anti-Trust Actions
ii. Raised Tariff
iii. Conflicted w/ T.R. Over Conservation Policies and Personnel in
Department of the Interior
iv. Supported
1. Regulation of Big Business
2. Conservation of National Resources
3. Establishment of Federal Income Tax
4. Direct Election of U.S. Senators

c. Election of 1912: Republican Split (Similar to Democrats in 1860)


i. Taft – Republican Party “Regulars” (23.2%)
ii. T.R. – Bullmoose Party “Progressive Republicans” (27.4%)
iii. Wilson – Democrat (41.9%)

d. Woodrow Wilson – Democrat (1913-1921) – “Wilson’s New Freedom”


i. Break Up and Then Regulate Trusts and Monopolies
ii. Expand the Role of the Federal Government
1. 1913 – Federal Reserve Act
a. Federal Reserve System (Central Bank / 12
Regional Banks)
b. Expand and Contract Money Supply & Credit By
Issuing Currency and Raising and Lowering
Interest Rates, etc.
2. 1913 – Underwood Tariff Act – Lowered Tariffs and
Created Federal Income Tax (1%)
3. 1914 – Clayton Anti-Trust Act (Exempted Labor Unions
From the Sherman Anti-Trust Act)
4. 1914 – Federal Trade Commission
a. Restore Competition in the Market Place
b. Outlaw “Price Wars” to Destroy Competition and
“Gouge the Public”
c. Prohibit “Interlocking Directorates” of Big
Corporations
5. 1916 – Federal Farm Loan Act
a. Provide Low-Interest Federal Loans to Farmers

D. The Progressive Constitutional Amendments


a. 16th (1913) – Income Tax
b. 17th (1913) – Direct Election of U.S. Senators
c. 18th (1919) – Prohibition
d. 19th (1920) – Women’s Suffrage

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