The Progressive Era, 1900-1917

1. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • How did intellectuals, novelists, and journalists help lay the groundwork for the progressive movement? • “progressive movement” – a widespread yearning for reform and an exciting sense of new social possibilities. • Yearning found many outlets and focused on a wide array of issues.

2. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Urban Growth (early 20th century) • Immigration & • Rapidly growing middle class transformed U. S. Cities (most native born, white, and Protestant) • Community leaders and worker of Progressive movement • 1900-1920, white collar work force grows from 5.1 million to 10.5 million (more than double the work force as a whole)

3. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • White collar jobs, secretaries, civil engineers, and people in advertising increase phenomenally. • Owners of businesses, professionals such as lawyers, doctors, and teachers • Professional groups arose, • American Bar Association (grew) • New, Association of Advertising Agencies (1917) • American Association of University Professors (1915).

4. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Middle class women • Opportunities and frustration • Often became schoolteachers, secretaries, typists, clerks, and telephone operators • 949,000 in 1900 to 3.4 million in 1920 • Even though # still small, the # of college educated women more than tripled in this 20 year period

5. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • “New Woman” • Divorce rate grew 1/12 in 1900 to 1/9 in 1916 • Middle class women joined white-collar workers, and college graduates in leading women’s movement

6. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Initial reform impetus came from • Women’s clubs • Settlement houses, • Private groups like • Playground Assoc. of America • National Child Labor Committee, • National Consumer’s League • American League for Civic Improvement

7. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Also important to the reform movement on issues affecting factory workers and slum dwellers • Urban immigrant political machines • Workers themselves • Some corporate leaders mold reform measures to serve their own interests.

8. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Progressivism could be described as a series of political and cultural responses to industrialization and its by-products: immigration, urban growth, the rise of corporate power, and widening class divisions.

9. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Progressivism contrasted with Populism • Progressivism’s strengths lay in the cities • Many more journalists, academics, social theorists, and urban dwellers • Progressives were reformers not radicals • Wished to remedy the social ills of industrial capitalism, • Not uproot the system itself

10. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Disagreements • Many wanted stricter regulation of business, from local transit companies to the almighty trusts • Others wanted to protect workers and the urban poor. • Others tried to reform the structure of government, (esp. at municipal level) • Others fought for immigration restriction or various social-control strategies

11. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Progressives believed that all social problems could be resolved through careful study and organized effort. • High regard for science and expert knowledge • Science and Technology had produced the new industrial order, and such expertise would also solve the social problems spawned by industrialism. • Wanted research data, expert opinion, and statistics to support causes.

12. The Progressive Era, 1900-1917 • Many Faces of Progressivism • Is progressivism a stage that all industrial societies pass through? • Driving Factors • Human emotion • Indignation • Intense moralism • Fear of the alien • Hatred of unbridled corporate power, • Raw political ambition