The Progressive EraDr. John Holmes

History 121, U.S After 1877

Diablo Valley College San Ramon,

Summer 2013

What was the “Progressive Era”? An “era” or a “movement”? Socio-economic background of

Progressivism Progressivism as a political

phenomenon Teddy Roosevelt, the Progressive

president

Teddy Roosevelt

Aftermath of the 1890s

End of the Great Depression Business prosperous, “golden age”

of farming, rise in wage levels Heritage of conflict

The conservatives: Rockefeller, Doc. 21-3

The radicals: Mother Jones, Doc. 21-4

Progressivism and the Historians Beard and Progressive history

Economic Interpretation of the American Constitution

History one long struggle between the haves and the have-nots

Dominant interpretation from 1930s until the Cold War

Contemporary historians: Class, race and gender slavery and the constitution

Jefferson and Sally Heming

Charles Beard

Black America and the Progressive Era

Populists and Progressives disinterested in black rights Populist manifesto, doc. 20-1: the

Civil War is over Historians reject Reconstruction Jim Crow as “progressive reform” “Nadir” of black history

Booker T. Washington, doc. 21-5 DuBois the critic, doc. 21-6

What is Progressivism? The people vs. the rich?

Progressivism and Populism Reaction to 1890s: intense social

conflict and conservative victories Pullman, Homestead

But conservatives broadly hated Los Angeles and the McNamara

Trial Mike Davis, City of Quartz

Hiram Johnson vs. the Octopus Hiram Johnson on General Otis

Harrison Gray Otis

Bombing of LA Times, 1909

Clipping from Los Angeles Times

The McNamara Brothers

Serving prison sentence

Clarence Darrow

Hiram Johnson

“Muckraking” The corruption of business by

government Exposes as a media industry Ida Tarbell, Standard Oil, John D.

Rockefeller Ludlow Massacre, docs. 21-3 and

21-4 Upton Sinclair and “The Jungle”

Ida Tarbell

Upton Sinclair

Who were the Progressives? Self-portrait: leaders of The People

vs. corruption George Mowray, The California

Progressives Urban, white, Protestant, Anglo-

Saxon middle-class professionals Similar to Populists except urban Like Populists, supported by labor Socialism the radical fringe

Progressivism and Women Political leaders male Major female role in progressive,

populist and socialist movements Jane Addams and settlement

houses, doc. 21-1 The suffrage movement Conflict between upper-class

women and immigrant men Prohibitionism, doc. 21-2

What did Progressives stand for? Against business corruption Unlike Socialists and Populists, did

not support government ownership Trust-busting or regulation?

Roosevelt and Standard Oil. Roosevelt vs. Wilson vs. Taft vs.

Debs in 1912 Regulation: For whose benefit?

Business or the people? Reversal of Progressivism since

Reagan Return to regulation in aftermath of

bank crisis?

WWI: Why and How AmericaBecame Involved

Economic ties to Allies “Navalism” and British control of

seas Lusitania and American

commerce The Spanish-American war: US

vs. Spain not England US as heir to British Empire

Effects on America Little or no war damage; US

casualties low by European standards

Tremendous economic boom supplying the Allies

Great demand and gains for labor War blocks European immigration America, the deciding force,

becomes dominant power in war aftermath

Effect on Black America The “Great Migration” of black

people to Northern industry Racial violence in the North,

Document 22-5 Reaction: the Garvey movement

“Back to Africa” black nationalism Very different from post-WWII Civil

Rights movement Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X

WWI and the Progressive Era The end of the Progressive Era? Wilsonism: War to “make the world

safe democracy.” Progressivism on a world scale? Doc. 22-1. Model for Bush Jr. in Iraq?

WWI and progressive reform: Pro-labor policies No support for black rights Women’s suffrage in aftermath of

WWI. Why?

Impact of Russian Revolution Soviet Union most important result

of WWI See posted document

What are socialism and communism?

Socialism and the working classes Impact on 20th Century:

America Democracy

Russia Communism

Germany Fascism

Impact on America The Great Strike Wave of 1919

Seattle Workers Council Impact on American Socialism

Doc. 22-2. Debs in 1919: “The Day of the People”

Birth of Communism-without Debs The Great Red Scare

Assault on IWW and Communists “Palmer Raids,” Document 22-4 Ku Klux Klan, anti-immigrantism

and anti-Semitism in the 1920s

Next Class Quiz on Chapter 18, the

Progressive Era The Roaring Twenties and the

Great Depression Readings: Foner Ch. 20, reader

ch. 23 Video and graded discussion

exercise on the Great Depression