Progressivism: A reaction to the Industrial Age

Definition

Reform efforts aimed to: return control of gov’t to the people restore economic opportunity, and correct injustices in American life.

Goals: Protect social welfare Promote moral improvement Create economic reform Fostering efficiency

Social Reform

Settlement Houses Hull House- Jane Addams

Prohibition Temperance movement

Women Higher Education Suffrage Movement

Workers Set minimum age Limited work hours Provide workers

compensation

Economic Reform Muckrakers

Corruption and public life Interstate Commerce Act (ICA)

Prohibited railroad owners from high prices Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)

Enforce the ICA Meat Inspection Act

Strict cleanliness requirements for meatpackers

Pure food and Drug Act Halted sale of contaminated foods and

medicines Conservation

Preservation of wilderness

The Jungle (1906) by Upton Sinclair

There would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in the dirt and sawdust, where the workers had tramped and spit uncounted billions of consumption [tuberculosis] germs. There would be meat stored in great piles in rooms;… and thousands of rats would race about on it… A man could run his hand over these piles of meat and sweep off handfuls of the dried dung of rats. These rats were nuisances and the packers would put poisoned bread out for them; they would die, and then rats, bread, and meat would go into the hoppers together.

Economic Reform

Clayton Anti-trust Act (1914) Sought to strengthen the Sherman Antitrust Act

(1890) and prohibited corporations from buying the stock of another

Legalized strikes, peaceful picketing, boycotts, and collection of strike benefits

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Investigates violations of regulatory statues Reports from corporations Stopped unfair business practices

Economic Reform

Federal Reserve System Divided the nation into 12 districts National Banking system

Political Reform

Democracy was expanded Aimed to stop Political

machines and bosses 16th Amendment: Federal

income tax 17th Amendment: Senators

were directly elected 18th Amendment:

Prohibition 19th Amendment: Women’s

Suffrage

Political Reform

Reform in government Secret Ballot Initiative- bill originated

by people Referendum- voters

accept or reject initiative Recall- enable voters to

remove public officials