Progressive Era Reforms and US Society (1880-1920)

Post-1880 US Immigration: Causes and Destinations

Who Immigrated?

• Southern and Eastern Europeans
• Fleeing persecution and governmental problems

Where Did They Settle?

• Primarily in major cities for job opportunities
• Rarely in rural areas

Why Did They Come?

• Urbanization in the U.S.
• Promise of religious freedom in the U.S.
• Economic problems in Southern and Eastern Europe
• Abundant factory jobs in the U.S.
• U.S. recruitment and contract labor opportunities
• Perceived U.S. spirit of tolerance for immigrants

The Progressive Movement: Aims and Reforms

Aims of the Progressives

• To end corruption in government and business
• To address issues from the Gilded Age
• To improve the nation's social and economic conditions

Methods and Reforms

Federal Reforms

• 16^th Amendment (Income Tax)
• 17^th Amendment (Direct Election of Senators)
• 18^th Amendment (Prohibition)

State-Level Reforms

• Initiative, Referendum, and Recall
• Direct Primary and Direct Election of Senators
• Commission and City-Manager Plans
• Women's Suffrage
• Social Welfare Programs

City-Level Reforms

• Tom L. Johnson's reforms in Cleveland
• Reforming city governance
• Ending municipal corruption

Muckrakers: Exposing Societal Ills

• Journalists who exposed abuses by big businesses and corruption
• Utilized media to spread awareness and influence public opinion
• Key Muckrakers and Their Works:
  • Frank Norris: The Octopus
  • Ida Tarbell: A History of the Standard Oil Company
  • Lincoln Steffens: The Shame of the Cities
  • Upton Sinclair: The Jungle

Robert M. La Follette and the Wisconsin Idea

• Developed the Wisconsin Idea, promoting government by experts
• Republican Governor of Wisconsin
• Advocated for the Direct Primary

Key Progressive Presidents (1901-1921)

William Howard Taft

• Republican
• Progressive policies
• Candidate in the 1912 election

Theodore Roosevelt

• Bull Moose Party (Progressive Republican)
• Candidate in the 1912 election
• Strong progressive agenda

Woodrow Wilson

• Progressive Democrat
• Candidate in the 1912 election
• Became President

The Pivotal Election of 1912

• Woodrow Wilson elected President
• All major candidates were progressives of some sort
• Key candidates: Taft, Roosevelt, Wilson

Clayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914

• Replaced or strengthened the Sherman Anti-Trust Act
• Declared strikes, boycotts, and picketing legal
• Limited the use of injunctions against labor unions

Federal Reserve Act of 1913

• Established the Federal Reserve System to regulate banking
• Passed by President Wilson in 1913
• Challenged laissez-faire economic principles

Schenck v. United States (1919)

• A landmark 1919 Supreme Court case
• Limited freedom of speech during wartime
• Upheld conviction for distributing anti-draft pamphlets during WWI

Prominent Industrialists of the Era

• John D. Rockefeller (Standard Oil)
• Andrew Carnegie (Carnegie Steel)
• Cornelius Vanderbilt (Railroads, Shipping)

The Populist Party and its Legacy

• Influenced later progressive reforms
• Advocated for reforms, often working within existing political structures
• Sought significant societal and economic changes

Post-Civil War Monetary Policy Debates

• Debate between 'sound money' (gold standard) and inflation (bimetallism/greenbacks)
• Discussion on the role of Greenbacks in the economy
• Advocates sought to help farmers clear debts through inflationary policies

Key Constitutional Amendments of the Era

• 16th Amendment: Granted Congress power to levy income taxes.
• 17th Amendment: Established direct election of U.S. Senators.
• 19th Amendment: Granted women the right to vote (Women's Suffrage).