progress

Age of Progressivism (1890-1920)

urban problems

industrial abuse/exploitation

political reform & social concerns

Muckrakers vital to Progressive era: Lincoln Stephens, Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, others

Philosophy of reform: activist government

Progressive Concerns: urban problems

conditions of tenements

plight of immigrants (Jane Addams) (Jacob Riis)

problems of expanding metropolitan society

apply social scientists to "save" city governments: transportation, landscapers, planners (Frederick Law Olmstead)

African-American civil rights

Late 19th-century context: vast majority of African-Americans in South, rural poor; Jim Crow laws (Plessy vs. Ferguson, 1896), lynchings and institutional racism

Significant leaders emerge: Booker T. Washington & WEB DuBois: different philosophies re: civil rights achievement

NAACP founded 1910: (Niagara Conference)

Industrial Abuse/exploitation

labor issues: TR "Square Deal" - new program of inclusivity, governmental support for labor movement (Coal Strike, 1902)-management forced to arbitrate

child labor laws passed: age/time-commitment restrictions

Department of Commerce & Labor created

FDA created (in response to Sinclair, "the Jungle)

Industrial Abuse/exploitation

TR as "trust-buster": initiates government anti-trust suits: railroads, beef industry, expansion of ICC

Focus on consumers: Pure Food and Drug Act, Meat Inspection Act of 1906

Conservation movement: designed to preserve exploited forests, wilderness: 125 million acres set aside for conservation

initiation of environmental vs. development debate still strong today

Political reform

elimination of "urban machine" politics - replaced by democratic, expert approach

democratization of elections: primaries, referendums, direct election of senators (17th amendment-1913)

Robert La Follette; Wisconsin governor leads efforts in establishing govt. utility regulation, work with social scientists

Social Reform

Major issue: temperance: Carrie Nation & WCTU - growing influence

John Dewey and progressive education: schooling to meet the demands of new industrial society: practical education

suffrage movement gains strength: western states adopt suffrage: women as primary agents of social change?

development of sociology, social work fields - how can government adapt to meet needs of al Americans?

Woodrow Wilson- Wilsonian progressivism: 1912-1920

Wilson as supreme idealist: faith in government as savior

graduated Income tax (16th amendment) (1913 adoption-1914 enactment)

Clayton Antitrust act, 1914: specific measures to battle large trusts (vs. holding companies), Federal Reserve system, 1913, FTC: Federal Trade Commission

Populist ideas gain acceptance (gaining since 1890’s)