The Progressives

1. The Progressives 11.2.9 Understand the effect of political programs and activities of the Progressives (e.g., federal regulation of railroad transport, Children's Bureau, the Sixteenth Amendment, Theodore Roosevelt, Hiram Johnson).

2. HOT ROC: • Make a list of the 5 most important social/political problems that affect the United States today. • Chose one to explain in greater detail and provide a possible solution or desirable change. • Is you answer a Conservative, Liberal, or Radical solution to the problem?

3. Who were the Progressives? • Middle and upper class began to notice the problems with industrialization. • Muckrakers report problems • Vocab: Progressive • Progressive: A member of a social and political movement of the early 1900s committed to improving conditions in American life

4. Who influenced the Progressives? • The Populists: Goals • Improve conditions for farmers and workers • Curb the power of big business • Make government more accessible • The Social Gospel Movement: • Christianity • Social reform • Society must take responsibility for the less fortunate • The Progressives: • Want to improve society • Use political action • Use the government to solve problems • Regulation of Big Business

5. Influences on the Progressives:The Populists • Angry farmers • Nationalize railroads • 8 hour workday • Opposed the gold standard

6. Influences on the Progressives: Social Gospel Movement • Dwight Moody—preacher, evangelist • Spread Christianity • Billy Sunday—athlete, preacher, evangelist • Traveled America preaching to millions of people

7. Challenge to Social Darwinism • Progressives strongly opposed Social Darwinism • Social Darwinism: belief that the “fittest” (best) people and corporations would thrive • Laissez-faire business policy leave business alone • Progressives believe that domination by the rich and powerful was distortion of democracy

8. Some of the accomplishments of the Progressives • Child labor outlawed in 1893 • States pass laws to make it illegal • More high schools built as children stop working • Working Conditions improve • Workers compensation: pay workers who get injured on the job • Shorter hours and minimum wage • Fight corruption in government • Replace corrupt politicians • Clean up the police force • Increased city services (like parks and garbage) • Initiatives and referendums – political power in hands of the people

9. Problem-Solving Activity • For each problem on the next few slides, say which choice you think is best and then explain why.

10. Scenario #1 The majority of workers live in tenement houses that are falling apart and overcrowded. Because they are made mostly of wood and built right next to each other without any fire escapes, they would be very dangerous for people if a fire started. Lack of adequate plumbing has led to there being a lot of sewage on the streets. • These buildings provide housing for people who have no where else to live. If the housing were nicer then the new immigrants couldn’t afford it and they would be homeless. • A law should be passed that requires the city to collect trash weekly and also to require buildings to have a fire escape. Also, money should be spent on roads and trolleys so it is easy to work in the city but live somewhere else. This will keep the city from getting overcrowded. • Workers should be given a larger share of the profits made by the companies where they work. No business owner should be able to make more than 20 times as much money as his lowest paid employee. This will empower workers to improve their living conditions.

11. Scenario #2 Democracy is no longer working well in local governments because of the political machines. Elected officials are taking bribes from businesses to make laws that favor those businesses. Also, people can only be hired for government positions like mail carrier or teacher if they pay a bribe. Lastly, elected officials are using tax money to pay ridiculously high prices for building and contract work that is all being done by their friends. Sometimes this leads to a kick-back where their friends let them keep some of the money “paid” for the job. • Elect people into office who promise not to be corrupt and who will try and change the laws that allow corruption. • Change how governments are run so that instead of electing a mayor, the governor appoints 5 people to run the city together. The appointment people are experts in their field – an engineer, a public safety office, a financial advisor, etc. • Get rid of local government and instead have all meetings decided by the entire town in local town hall meetings.

12. Scenario #3 State and federal governments allow monopolies to control an entire industry. Once a monopoly exists in an industry they can charge consumers high prices, pay workers low wages and pollute the environment. • Monopolies mass produce products wanted and used by society. By becoming so large they are able to offer more products to more people and employ more workers. Also, they have generated wealth and power that has made the United States into a world power. • State governments should make laws that regulate businesses. These laws could include requirements for working conditions, limits on the pollution that a business can generate and making monopolies illegal. • The state should take control of essential businesses, like railroads, electricity, and oil because these items are all necessary for people to eat, live in warm houses and transport themselves and goods. Since no one would choose to live without electricity it defies the rules of supply and demand, meaning an electric company that was a monopoly could charge whatever they wanted and people would still pay. For this reason, it should be run by the government and equally distributed to all people for a reasonable price.

13. Scenario #4 80% of African-Americans live in the South in 1900 as tenant farmers under Jim Crow laws that segregate their daily life, voting restrictions that deprive them of their right to vote and the Ku Klux Klan that terrorize anyone who tries to fight for a better life. • Decide first if this problem should be solved by government or by the people themselves. • If you think government should fix it, what steps can the government take to enforce the laws and amendments that have been passed? • If you think the people themselves should fix it, describe what the people can do themselves without relying on the government. • How will your plan be paid for and/or enforced?

14. Options • Laissez-Faire, Conservative • Progressive • Radical