Content Statement 14Roosevelt and Progressivism

Mr. Leasure2014 – 2015

Harrison Career Center

American History: Content Statement 14

• The Progressive era was an effort to address the ills of American society stemming from industrial capitalism, urbanization and political corruption.

American History: Student Objectives

1. The student will identify the goals of the progressive movement.

2. The student will analyze Theodore Roosevelt's “square deal”.

3. The students will evaluate Roosevelt’s quality's as an activist president.

4. The student will summarize Roosevelt's conservation policies.

American History: Roosevelt and Progressivism

Key Terms: Definitions can be found on the webpage

• Progressivism• Muckrakers• Direct Primary• Initiative

• Referendum• Recall• Sherman Antitrust Act• Theodore Roosevelt

In which three basic areas did reformers seek change?Key Question #1

..did reformers seek change?

•The past few weeks we discussed how the rapid growth of cities and industries in the U.S. brought many problems.

..did reformers seek change?

•Among them were poverty, the spread of slums, and poor working conditions in factories.

..did reformers seek change?

•A depression in the 1890s made problems worse.

..did reformers seek change?

• In addition, corrupt political machines had won control of many city and state governments.

..did reformers seek change?

•Big corporations had gained power over the economy and government.

..did reformers seek change?

•To attack these problems, citizens organized a number of reform movements.

..did reformers seek change?

•These reformers believed in the basic goodness of people and they also believed in democracy.

..did reformers seek change?

•The reformers were mostly native born and middle-class.

..did reformers seek change?

•They could be found in both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.

..did reformers seek change?

•Their reform movements came to be grouped under the label progressivism.

..did reformers seek change?

•The progressive reformers shared at least one of three basic goals:

..did reformers seek change?

•First, to reform government and expand democracy.

..did reformers seek change?

•Second, to promote social welfare.

..did reformers seek change?

•Third, to create economic reform.

Who were the muckrakers, and how did they contribute to the progressive movement?Key Question #2

..to the progressive movement?

•About 1900, a new group of writers began to expose corruption in American society.

..to the progressive movement?

•They were called muckrakers.

..to the progressive movement?

•The muckrakers created a public demand for reform.

What reforms in government expanded democracy?Key Question #2

..government expanded democracy?

• In the 1890s and the early 1900s, progressive leaders sought to expand democracy.

..government expanded democracy?

•They wanted to give citizens more control over their government.

..government expanded democracy?

• In 1903, progressive reformers caused Wisconsin to become the first state to establish a direct primary.

..government expanded democracy?

• In a direct primary, citizens, rather than party conventions, choose candidates to run for public office.

..government expanded democracy?

•Muckrakers promoted three addition reforms beside the direct primary.

..government expanded democracy?

•One reform was the initiative. This reform allowed citizens to propose a law directly without the state legislature.

..government expanded democracy?

•Another reform was the referendum. In this reform, a law proposed by the legislative branch was submitted to the vote of the people.

..government expanded democracy?

•Lastly, another reform was the recall. This reform allowed citizens to vote elected officials out of office.

..government expanded democracy?

• In the years that followed, many other states adopted one or more of these progressive reforms.

In which areas were social reformers most active?Key Question #3

..reformers most active?

•Reformers pushed for the federal government to provide social services and to help the unemployed.

..reformers most active?

•Reformers believed the federal government should establish minimum wage laws and limit the number of hours an individual can work.

..reformers most active?

•Another group of reformers who wanted to improve social welfare were the prohibitionist.

..reformers most active?

•They worked to prevent alcohol from running peoples lives.

How did the Sherman Antitrust Act change business practices?Key Question #4

..change business practices?

•Progressives wanted to create economic reform.

..change business practices?

•This meant limiting the power of big business and regulating its activities.

..change business practices?

•This meant limiting the power of big business and regulating its activities.

..change business practices?

•Trusts were combinations of businesses who worked together to cut prices and cut out competition.

..change business practices?

•Then the trust would raise prices and make larger profits.

..change business practices?

•The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 made it illegal for corporations to gain control of industries by forming trusts.

..change business practices?

•However the government did not enforce the law at first. Enforcement required a strong president.