progressive era literature
They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. in David R Colburn and Sandra Pozzetta, eds., Arlene F. Kantor, "Upton Sinclair and the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906.: 'I aimed at the public's heart and by accident, I hit it in the stomach'. The work helped turn elite public opinion against the Standard Oil monopoly.[59]. [142][143][144] As white Progressives sought to help the white working class, clean up politics, and improve the cities, the country instated the system of racial segregation known as Jim Crow. [146] This allowed for the creation of literacy tests that would essentially be designed for whites to pass them but not African Americans or any other persons of color. Palmer, pointing to leaders like George Norris, says, "It is worth noting that progressivism, whilst temporarily losing the political initiative, remained popular in many western states and made its presence felt in Washington during both the Harding and Coolidge presidencies. The idea of sterilization was based in part on a misunderstanding of Darwinism and natural selection. The period of US history from the 1890s to the 1920s is usually referred to as the. Progressives advocated for censorship of motion pictures as it was believed that patrons (especially children) viewing movies in dark, unclean, potentially unsafe theaters, might be negatively influenced in witnessing actors portraying crimes, violence, and sexually suggestive situations. It was elitist, and emphasized education and expertise. The Panic of 1907 was short and mostly affected financiers. Some was based on personalitiesespecially La Follette's style of violent personal attacks against other Progressives, and some was based on who should pay, with the division between farmers (who paid property taxes) and the urban element (which paid income taxes). The Wisconsin Idea was the commitment of the University of Wisconsin under President Charles R. Van Hise, with LaFollette support, to use the university's powerful intellectual resources to develop practical progressive reforms for the state and indeed for the nation. Some, such as Lillian Wald, fought to alleviate the plight of poor African Americans. State Executive Committee. American life. Roosevelt gave these journalists their nickname when he complained they were not being helpful by raking up too much muck. 93 Recent literature has reconsidered the meaning of the Progressive era. The weakened economy and persistent federal deficits led to changes in fiscal policy, including the imposition of federal income taxes on businesses and individuals and the creation of the Federal Reserve System. [244], In the legal profession, the American Bar Association set up in 1900 the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). Timothy R. Buckner (Editor) (shelved 1 time as gilded-age-progressive-era) avg rating 5.00 1 rating published 2011. How Prohibition backfired and gave America an era of gangsters and speakeasies. "[201] Similar ideas and language had already been used previously in the Monroe Doctrine, wherein Roosevelt claimed that the United States could serve as the police of the world, using its power to end unrest and wrongdoing on the western hemisphere. Women's rights advanced a bit, and women were given the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. "Politics in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era." This disarray enabled the conservatives (called "Stalwarts") to elect Emanuel Philipp as governor in 1914. [128], Some activists demanded change, and questioned the old thinking regarding marriage and sexuality. Yes, racism and racial violence still exist. Pinchot coined the term conservation ethic as applied to natural resources. Drinking itself was never prohibited. A 1907 report to Secretary of War Taft provided a summary of what the American civil administration had achieved. The social structure in rural Philippines was highly traditional and highly unequal. [82], Between 1901 and 1911, Progressive Republicans in Wisconsin created the nation's first comprehensive statewide primary election system,[83] the first effective workplace injury compensation law,[84] and the first state income tax,[85] making taxation proportional to actual earnings. Characteristics of Progressivism included a favorable attitude toward urbanindustrial society, belief in mankind's ability to improve the environment and conditions of life, belief in an obligation to intervene in economic and social affairs, a belief in the ability of experts and in the efficiency of government intervention. Direct link to Harriet Buchanan's post I'd say it was a mixture , Posted 4 years ago. Nevertheless statewide progressive movements were organized by Democrats in every Southern state. Direct link to kristi delgado's post Why is this era called th, Posted 4 years ago. The 16th amendment made an income tax legal (this required an amendment due to Article One, Section 9 of the Constitution, which required that direct taxes be laid on the States in proportion to their population as determined by the decennial census). School funds and the term of public schools also grew. Direct link to Scout Finch's post Women's rights advanced a. The rapidly increasing speed of automobiles, and especially trucks, made maintenance and repair a high priority. Jim Crow and disenfranchisement of Black voters was even higher on the agenda. (41) $1.99. Like AWSA and NWSA before it, the NAWSA pushed for a constitutional amendment guaranteeing women's voting rights, and was instrumental in winning the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920. The major new face was Herbert Hoover. Congress appropriated $75million over a five-year period, with the Secretary of Agriculture in charge through the Bureau of Public Roads, in cooperation with the state highway departments. The middle class lived in leafy neighborhoods in the city and took the trolley to work in downtown offices. The social hygiene movement brought together different groups that were concerned with venereal disease, prostitution, society's moral standards, and family life. [261] Link's argument for continuity through the 1920s stimulated a historiography that found Progressivism to be a potent force. Unfortunately those who held to these views confused the difference between beautifully unique and equal cultures with a biological deficit. The institution of the initiative and referendums made it possible to pass laws without the involvement of the legislature, while the recall allowed for the removal of corrupt or under-performing officials, and the direct primary let people democratically nominate candidates, avoiding the professionally dominated conventions. The changing nature of the American economy due to industrialization had placed a high toll on citizens, and its effects were more fully realized at the turn of the twentieth century. "[269], Tindall stresses the continuing importance of the Progressive movement in the South in the 1920s involving increased democracy, efficient government, corporate regulation, social justice, and governmental public service. In 1906, Sinclair acquired particular fame for his classic muck-raking novel The Jungle, which exposed labor and sanitary conditions in the U.S. meatpacking industry, causing a public uproar that contributed in part to the passage a few months later of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act. I would say that every major movement in society has its pros and cons. Wiebe, Robert. [24][25] Scientific management, as promulgated by Frederick Winslow Taylor, became a watchword for industrial efficiency and elimination of waste, with the stopwatch as its symbol. Progressive Era Books Showing 1-50 of 407 The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism (Hardcover) by Doris Kearns Goodwin (shelved 5 times as progressive-era) avg rating 4.12 21,702 ratings published 2013 Want to Read Rate this book Home economics emerged at the end of the nineteenth century in response to the many changes occurring both at the level of material culture and practices and in the more abstract realm of gender ideology and thinking about the home. [157], The Northeast was laggard in adopting the direct primary, with Connecticut and Rhode Island the last states to sign up. [250] The Catholics strongly opposed birth control proposals such as eugenics.[251]. By 1900 middle class "progressive" reformers everywhere were studying it. Key democratic leaders were William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson, and Al Smith. The direct primary made it possible to mobilize voters against the previously dominant political machines. U'Ren had been inspired by reading the influential 1893 book Direct Legislation Through the Initiative and Referendum,[93] and the group's founding followed in the wake of the 1896 founding of the National Direct Legislation League, which itself had its roots in the Direct Legislation League of New Jersey and its short-lived predecessor, the People's Power League.[94]. With the coming of the automobile after 1910, urgent efforts were made to upgrade and modernize dirt roads designed for horse-drawn wagon traffic. in, Arthur J. Altmeyer, "The Wisconsin Idea and Social Security. Women in the Creation of the Profession of Social Work. ", Paul L. Murphy, "World War I and the Origin of Civil Liberties in the United States" (1979), Arthur S. Link, "What Happened to the Progressive Movement in the 1920s?,", Stanley Coben, "Ordinary white Protestants: The KKK of the 1920s,", Barry C. Edwards, "Putting Hoover on the Map: Was the 31st President a Progressive. During the Progressive Era, many feministic authors attempted to display the unfair treatment of wives and daughters through writing stories based upon the true aspects of many women's lives. The ideology of the Commission was characterized by that of the Progressive Era, which strived against prostitution, alcoholism, social diseases, and poor sanitary conditions in major cities. The most radical and controversial amendment came during the anti-German craze of World War I that helped the Progressives and others push through their plan for prohibition through the 18th amendment (once the Progressives fell out of power the 21st amendment repealed the 18th in 1933). [38] Starting as a loyal organizational Republican, he broke with the bosses in the late 1890s, built up a network of local organizers loyal to him, and fought for control of the state Republican Party, with mixed success. Why were muckrakers needed in American society? "[211] Wilson and Bryan were moralistic and very religious; Roosevelt and La Follette were moralistic and not very religious.[212][213][214]. Charles Edward Russell led the reform writers with exposs ranging from The Greatest Trust in the World (1905) to The Uprising of the Many (1907), the latter of which reported on methods being tried to extend democracy in other countries. (1975). [256], Much less settled is the question of when the era ended. Louisian led the way in 1892 and by 1907 statewide primaries operated in eleven Southern and border states. In the South the 1890s saw the virtual elimination of the possibility of Republican or Populist or coalition victories in most elections. Edwards, Barry C. "Putting Hoover on the Map: Was the 31st President a Progressive." In 1911, California governor Hiram Johnson established the Oregon System of "Initiative, Referendum, and Recall" in his state, viewing them as good influences for citizen participation against the historic influence of large corporations on state lawmakers. It pitted the minority urban Catholic population against the larger rural Protestant element,[219] Progressivism's rise in the rural communities was aided by the general increase in public consciousness of social issues of the temperance movement, which achieved national success with the passage of the 18th Amendment by Congress in late 1917, and the ratification by three-fourths of the states in 1919. Political cartoon depicting fat businessmen sitting on bags of money while working people struggle under the burdens of their trades, such as clothing, iron, and lumber. [203], While anti-imperialist sentiments had been prevalent in the United States during this time, the acquisition of the Philippines sparked the relatively minor population into action. As presidential candidate in 1916 he lost after alienating the California progressives. [282] By 1932, this group was moving toward support for Roosevelt's New Deal. This worksheet works on a number of different skill sets: reading comprehension, multiple choice questions, political cartoon analysis, and reading excerpt analysis. More generally the Social Gospel impulse was base on righteousness, typified by the wide influence of theologian Walter Rauschenbusch. Corrupt and undemocratic political machines and their bosses were a major target, as were business monopolies which progressives worked to regulate of through methods such as trustbusting and antitrust laws, to promote equal competition for the advantage of legitimate competitors. Initially, the movement operated chiefly at the local level, but later it expanded to the state and national levels. [120][121], The purity of food, milk, and drinking water became a high priority in the cities. Muckrakers were journalists who encouraged readers to demand more regulation of business. Immigrants were not for reform either, fearing that such a thing would Americanize their children. During this time, known as the Progressive Era, the movement's goals involved strengthening the national government and addressing people's economic, social, and political demands. The Wilson administration, for instance, despite its embrace of modernity and progress, pursued a racial agenda that culminated in the segregation of the federal government. This attitude started to change during the depression of the 1890s when small business, farm, and labor movements began asking the government to intercede on their behalf. Eugenics was definitely a downside, but the intentions of those who used it were mistaken. [91][92], The Oregon Direct Legislation League was an organization of political activists founded by William S. U'Ren in 1898. The two leading proponents were Taft, a constitutional lawyer who later became Chief Justice, and Democratic leaders William Jennings Bryan. Progressive national political leaders included Republicans Theodore Roosevelt, Robert M. La Follette, and Charles Evans Hughes; Democrats William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson, and Al Smith. ", Richard J. Ellis, "The Opportunist: James W. Sullivan and the Origins of the Initiative and Referendum in the United States.". One early success came in the Newfoundland fisheries dispute between the United States and Britain in 1910. Richard Jensen and Mark Friedberger, "Education and Social Structure: An Historical Study of Iowa, 18701930" (Chicago: Newberry Library, 1976, Ballard Campbell, "Economic Causes of Progressivism,", Vincent W. Howard, "Woodrow Wilson, The Press, and Presidential Leadership: Another Look at the Passage of the Underwood Tariff, 1913,", James C German Jr "The Taft administration and the Sherman Antitrust Act,", George W. Wickersham, "Recent Interpretation of the Sherman Act.". Farmers complained at the expense, and also at the loss of control over local affairs, but in state after state the consolidation process went forward. They were alarmed by the spread of slums, poverty, and what they perceived as the exploitation of labor. [52] He was the first to demonstrate the practicality and profitability of managing forests for continuous cropping. He avoided controversial tariff and money issues. Leroy G. Dorsey, "Preaching Morality in Modern America: Theodore Roosevelt's Rhetorical Progressivism." ", Dewey W. Grantham, "The Contours of Southern Progressivism. The NAWSA set up hundreds of smaller local and state groups, with the goal of passing woman suffrage legislation at the state and local level. [113], A main objective of the Progressive Era movement was to eliminate corruption within the government. [240] The Southern Education Board came together to publicize the importance of reform. [188][189], After reorganizations prices to consumers went up, as the replacement firms lost the size efficiency of the trust. [fact or opinion? The 1906 federal Pure Food and Drug Act, which was pushed by drug companies and providers of medical services, removed from the market patent medicines that had never been scientifically tested. [36], Robert M. La Follette, and his family, were the dominant forces of progressivism in Wisconsin from the late 1890s to the early 1940s. As the United States entered World War I, the Conscription Act banned the sale of liquor near military bases. "Albert Baird Cummins and the progressive movement in Iowa" . [4] Both of them invited Syed Fakhruddin Balley (known as Balley Alig)to join. [55] The book influenced contemporaneous progressive thought, shaping the ideas of many intellectuals and political leaders, including then ex-President Theodore Roosevelt. [226] Evangelicals precipitated the second wave of prohibition legislation during the 1880s, which had as its aim local and state prohibition. [184], When Democrat Woodrow Wilson was elected president with a Democratic Congress in 1912 he implemented a series of Progressive policies in economics. They made it a point to also focus on family, education, and many other important aspects that still are enforced today. The Progressive Era is considered as the combination and interaction of a variety of different ideas and activities that emerged during the years of 1890 and 1920 as a consequence for needed new reforms by pressure groups in responding to various social, political, and economic Apart from Wisconsin, the Midwestern states were about average in supporting Progressive reforms. What were the most impressive achievements of Progressive reformers? [134][135] Typical projects involved upgrading schools, modernizing church operations, expanding business opportunities, fighting for a larger share of state budgets, and engaging in legal action to secure equal rights. Progressive Era 1900 - 1916 (Identify & Explain the significance of) Progressivism (p. 692) Were members that were from female reform. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 53 (4): 399425. The inauguration of Pres. Get a quote in La Habra, CA. Direct link to 20runyona's post Muckrakers were needed in, Posted 5 years ago. [196] Immigration restriction continued to be a national policy until after World War II. While the British suffragettes stopped their protests in 1914 and supported the British war effort, Paul began her campaign in 1917 and was widely criticized for ignoring the war and attracting radical anti-war elements. [90] The Stalwarts controlled the Regents, and their interference in academic freedom outraged the faculty. The period of US history from the 1890s to the 1920s is usually referred to as the Progressive Era, an era of intense social and political reform aimed at making progress toward a better society. ", Stuart W. Shulman, "The Progressive Era Farm Press,". [259], The politics of the 1920s was unfriendly toward the labor unions and liberal crusaders against business, so many if not most historians who emphasize those themes write off the decade. They wrote for popular magazines to expose social and political sins and shortcomings. The leadership of the GOP in Congress moved to the right, as did his protg President William Howard Taft. Direct link to Alex's post Yes. The Progressive era The character and variety of the Progressive movement. La Follette forfeited his stature as a national leader of progressive Republicans, while remaining a power in Wisconsin. by. This was done through the Sherman Act of 1890, the Clayton Act of 1914, and the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914. Corporations and trusts are larger today than ever before. The agrarian uprising led by Bryan in the election of 1896 had been turned back, and the . His Iowa successes included establishing the direct primary to allow voters to select candidates instead of bosses; outlawing free railroad passes for politicians; imposing a two-cents-per-mile railway maximum passenger fare; imposing pure food and drug laws; and abolishing corporate campaign contributions. Accessed February 11, 2019. [130][131] A breakaway group, the National Woman's Party, tightly controlled by Alice Paul, used civil disobedience to gain publicity and force passage of suffrage. They wanted to inspire a sense of physical and personal empowerment through training in active self-defense. Wickersham to Taft August 23, 1912 in Record, p 179. Direct link to Mark Lee's post Why did people even want , Posted 6 years ago. [227] The Anti-Saloon League which began in Ohio was formed in 1893, uniting activists from different religious groups. Donning the mantle of motherhood, female activists methodically investigated their community's needs and used their "maternal" expertise to lobby, create, and secure a place for themselves in an emerging state welfare bureaucracy, best illustrated perhaps by clubwoman Julia Lathrop's leadership in the Children's Bureau. The Socialists, with a strong German and union base in Milwaukee, joined the progressives in statewide politics. Historian Frederick Jackson Turner, the most famous professor, quit and went to Harvard. Dayton adopted his policies; by 1920, 177 American cities had followed suit and adopted city manager governments. Why is this era called the Progressive Era? La Follette supported many of his Wilson's domestic programs in Congress. Book excerpt: This book offers a one-stop reference work covering the Gilded Age and Progressive Era that serves teachers and their students. Upton Sinclair's The Jungle (1906) was influential and persuaded America about the supposed horrors of the Chicago Union Stock Yards, a giant complex of meat processing plants that developed in the 1870s. During the Progressive era, female activists used traditional constructions of womanhood, which imagined all women as mothers and homemakers, to justify their entrance into community affairs: as "municipal housekeepers," they would clean up politics, cities, and see after the health and well-being of their neighbors. Ida M. Tarbell wrote a series of articles against Standard Oil, which was perceived to be a monopoly. [145], One of the most impacting issues African Americans had to face during the Progressive Era was the right to vote. Sullivan's book was first widely read on the left, as by labor activists, socialists and populists. Changes include an expanded period of in-person early voting, every registered voter in the county will receive a vote-by-mail ballot, and every registered voter in the county is able to vote in-person at any Vote . From hounding and driving prosperous businessman to beggery and suicide, to holding up and plundering widows and orphans, the little dealer in the country and the crippled peddler on the highwayall this is entered into the exploits of this organized gang of commercial bandits. Overall, were the effects of progressivism more harmful or beneficial to American society? [210], Many progressive leaders used the rhetoric of righteousness to motivate their Protestant supporters. Even white 'progressives' like Roosevelt didn't concern themselves with matters of equality. In practice this meant that if someone was not a white, middle-class protestant they were biologically inferior and needed to be rooted out via "survival of the fittest" (misconstrued) ideology. [52] He called it "the art of producing from the forest whatever it can yield for the service of man." He won 1/6 of the national vote, but carried only his home state. Paul Fass, speaking of youth, says "Progressivism as an angle of vision, as an optimistic approach to social problems, was very much alive. He insisted that antitrust lawsuits continue to the end; 16 new cases were launched in the last 2 months of the Taft administration.[191]. This was done through antitrust laws to promote equal competition amongst every business. The banking system was transformed with the creation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913. Demands grew for local and state government to take charge. He made conservation a top priority and established many new national parks, forests, and monuments intended to preserve the nation's natural resources. ", Levy, David W., and Bruce Allen Murphy. In 1913, while revolutionaries took control of the government, Wilson judged them to be immoral, and refused to acknowledge the in-place government on that reason alone. As governor of Wisconsin, La Follette compiled a progressive record, implementing primary elections and tax reform. Gene Clanton, "Populism, Progressivism, and Equality: The Kansas Paradigm". At the state and national levels new food and drug laws strengthened urban efforts to guarantee the safety of the food system. Others such as Lincoln Steffens exposed political corruption in many large cities; Ida Tarbell is famed for her criticisms of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company.