The term “Progressive” was broadly defined, encompassing a wide array of policies and ideologies – often in contradiction with one another – which sought to mitigate social and economic inequalities at the turn-of-the-20th century. The era witnessed the rapid expansion and overcrowding of cities, inadequate housing, unregulated labor, poor public health, farmer indebtedness and sharecropping – especially for southern Blacks, child labor, and the emergence of a wealth gap in which 1% of Americans owned nearly 90% of the nation’s wealth. While their solutions differed and often conflicted, Progressives shared the view that a proactive, expanded government was necessary to fix society’s ills. Progressives in both the Republican and Democratic Parties (including, but not limited to, socialists, populists, and anarchists) sought solutions in the form of child labor laws, women’s suffrage, unionization, public health services, Black civil rights, and economic regulation and taxes AS WELL AS immigration restriction, segregation, and the prohibition of alcohol. All of these ideologies could fall within the “Progressive” umbrella. Woodrow Wilson claimed his place within the Progressive movement with his economic reform package, "the New Freedom." This agenda, which passed congress at the end of 1913, included tariff, banking, and labor reforms and introduced the income tax. Wilson also expanded the executive branch with the creation of the Federal Reserve, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Internal Revenue Service. His emphasis on efficiency and bureaucracy fit him squarely within the Progressive movement. During Wilson’s terms, Congress passed two constitutional amendments: prohibition (18th); and women's suffrage (19th)—both Progressive agendas. Another amendment was ratified while Wilson was President: direct election of Senators (17th) on April 8th 1913. (The 16th amendment, which concerns income tax, was ratified in February 1913, after Wilson was elected but before he took office. The ratification was proclaimed by Taft’s Secretary of State, Philander Knox). Wilson’s Progressive legacy was also solidified through the appointment of his close friend Justice Louis Brandies to the Supreme Court as the first Jewish American to sit on the nation’s highest court. Justice Brandeis was a staunch proponent of the right to free speech and the right to privacy while he supported the regulation of business and anti-monopoly legislation championed by Wilson’s economic plan. Wilson also embraced and encouraged new technology. He opened the Panama Canal, started airmail service, endorsed the creation of an interstate highway system, appeared in one of the first filmed campaign advertisements, used a microphone for the amplification of his voice, and witnessed the birth of radio. These accomplishments, however, were all too often achieved at the expense of African Americans, women, immigrants, and Native Americans. Legal scholars have revealed the ways in which the income tax codes and banking policies often disadvantaged African American families. What is more, Wilson couched his embrace of segregation as part of his Progressive commitment to efficiency, arguing (insincerely) that segregation reduced friction among federal workers and increased productivity. And though Wilson vetoed the 1917 Immigration Law which established the Asiatic Barred Zone and a Literacy Test for entry, along with other restrictive measures, he nonetheless voices support for much of the law and his veto was ultimately overridden. The Lesson in this Unit discusses the Progressive Era from the late 1890’s through the 1912 Presidential Election. The political cartoons provided allow students to analyze opinions and economic changes that took place. The Progressive Era began at the turn of the 1900s and lasted through World War I. This period represented a time of economic and social reform. The landscape of America was rapidly changing from an agrarian society to an urban one. This rapid shift of industrialization caused drastic changes in the economy. Large corporations and trusts quickly arose and amassed significant power and finally controlled much industry. An atmosphere of materialism and greed overwhelmed the market, often resulting in poor living conditions and long hours for working class people. The combination of poor housing, sanitation, healthcare, and exploitation of workers led to a call for immense reform. The Progressive leaders pushed for an agenda of reform for the broken political and economic system that perpetuated the disenfranchisement of the working people. The drastic rise in economic activity at this time was mainly due to industrialization and the practice of cheap labor led by the predominant big businesses. This explosive growth in business led to the emergence of large corporations and trusts that controlled their industries by taking over smaller companies and creating a monopoly in the market. One of the most notable examples of this was the U.S. Steel Corporation that was controlled by Andrew Carnegie. Between the years of 1887 and 1904, a total of nine steel companies were consolidated, and the corporation was able to practice ruthless tactics to monopolize the industry without consequences from the government. Some people during the Progressive Era called for major social reforms and for an expanded role of the government to regulate business practices. Previously, the government promoted a free market and held a laissez-faire attitude that meant the government would not become involved in regulating business practices. The old belief was that the market would adjust itself without the help of the government. The Progressive Era saw the corruption that stemmed from belief of a free market, and the progressives worked to enforce regulations of corrupt business practices in order to protect the interests of the public. The first US president to seriously become involved in domestic economic affairs was President Theodore Roosevelt, also commonly referred to as TR. He brought a new wave of reform under the banner of “The New Nationalism.” His years in office promoted the rights of organized labor to exert its power over employers and the creation of government agencies to regulate the market. His successor, President William Howard Taft was Roosevelt’s protégé, yet he was more conservative than Roosevelt. While his presidency began with several large “trust busting” cases, he eventually resorted to a more conservative agenda which angered Roosevelt. In the presidential election of 1912, Roosevelt decided to run under the “Bull-Moose Party” in direct conflict with Taft. Alhough TR did not win, he managed to split the Republican vote, which led to the Democrats winning the election and President Woodrow Wilson stepping into office. These years between Roosevelt and Wilson are now remembered as the Progressive Era, and the decisions made during this period still reflect in our economy today. TopicsEducation Government and civics Politics Big IdeasCause and Effect US History Essential QuestionsHow has social disagreement and collaboration been beneficial to American society? What role do multiple causations play in describing a historic event? What role does analysis have in historical construction? Concepts
Competencies
Background Material for Teacher
End of Unit AssessmentAs a final assignment, ask students to compare and contrast the different perspectives from the political cartoons used in the lesson plan. Ask students how the cartoons displayed main figures in the Progressive Era, such as the presidents, business leaders and the economy. #22 |
Which two speakers represent the beliefs of many reformers during the progressive era?
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