Progressivism

• Wanted to correct the problems brought by industrialization and urbanization

• Believed that government should take a more active role in solving society’s problems

Muckrakers

• Journalists who uncover scandal and corruption in society

• Expose unfair practices of large corporations

• Wanted to reform the government

• Wanted to fix social problems– Ida Tarbell = critical of

Standard Oil Company– Upton Sinclair =

uncovered abuses in meat-packing industry

– Jacob Riis = reported on poverty, disease, and crime in NYC

Reforming Government

• Saw corruption and inefficiency at local government level– Gave jobs to political

supporters and friends

• 2 Proposals to reform city government:– 1) Commission plan –

divide city gov’t into several departments each one under expert commissioner’s control

– 2) Council-manager – city council would hire city manager to run city instead of mayor

Election Reforms

• Wanted to make political system more democratic and responsive to citizens

• 1) direct primary – party members vote for candidate to run in general election

• 2) initiative – group of citizens introduce legislation and legislator must vote on

Election Reforms continued

• 3) Referendum – citizens vote on proposed law directly

• 4) Recall – option to demand a special election to remove an elected official

• 5) 17th Amendment – direct election of Senators

Social Reforms

• Created charities to help poor and disadvantage

• Pushed for new laws to fix social problems

• Jane Addams – Settlement House

Child Labor

• Set minimum age for employment

• Set maximum hours for children to be able to work

Health and Safety Codes• Muller vs. Oregon – upheld

states’ rights to limit hours of women working in laundries

• Created zoning laws to regulate how land and buildings could be used

• Building codes set minimum standards for light, air, room size, sanitation and fire escapes– Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

• Health codes required restaurants and other facilities to maintain clean environments

Suffrage

• Right to vote• Pushed for women’s

suffrage• 19th amendment (1920)

gave women the right to vote