US History - Progressivism - Notes

Question 1

Where were progressives most likely to be found?

Answer 1

Large cities, States: MA, NY, NJ, IL, WI, CA

Question 2

How did progressives operate?

What was their approach?

Answer 2

Identifying cause, research it with science, one individual takes lead, organized

Peaceful protests, change of law, amendment

Question 3

Lincoln Steffens

Answer 3

picked up on Riis ideas, wrote novel called Shame of the City, characters lived in a corrupt city based on NYC

Question 4

Upton Sinclair

Answer 4

socialist, wrote novel about Chicago, The Jungle, wrote about slaughterhouse, u clean conditions, called for meat regulations

Question 5

Individual and Group initiatives

Answer 5

1. Jane Addams/Hull House/settlement house movement
2. The Social Gospel movement
3. Suffragettes
   ​4. Club women (women’s clubs of all kinds)
   ​5. NAACP- founded by Dubois, for colored people
   ​6. Professional organizations (mostly male dominated) that set standards and regulated their membership - American Medical Association (AMA) for example- lived up to a standard, got paid
   ​7. the Temperance crusade continues

Question 6

Muckrakers

Answer 6

1. Jacob Riis
   ​2. Ida Tarbell
   ​3. Lincoln Steffens
   ​4. Upton Sinclair

Question 7

Progressive State Leaders (Governors and Mayors of Cities)

Answer 7

1. Robert La Follette, Wisconsin Republican- most progressive, became Senator
   ​2. Theodore Roosevelt, Rep. New York-
   ​3. Woodrow Wilson, Democrat, New Jersey-
   ​4. Al Smith, Dem. Mayor of New York-

Question 8

State-first progressive reforms

Answer 8

1. Women get the vote
   ​2. child labor laws
   ​3. worker protection laws
   ​4. consumer protection laws
   ​5. political reforms-
   the secret ballot- eliminate boss politics, vote in private and against political machine, Australia had it first
   the recall- elect somebody and regret, sign petitions to have new election to replace that person the initiative/ referendum/proposition- mean same thing, petition process, in ballot get proposition that says they want or do not want something to happen and it becomes law, get around legislature

Question 9

His (TR) style and approach to progressive change; his basic beliefs, too

Answer 9

1. active, aggressive-
   ​2. powerful public speaker (used a “bully pulpit” approach)- speaking and appealing to people
   ​3. beloved, often viewed as heroic-
   ​4. a “family-oriented presidency”-
   ​5. despite family wealth, opposed conservatism-
2. believed in the power of government - wanted to use government to regulate Big Business (believed BIG business was good IF regulated by BIG government)- but also didn’t believe in radical unions
3. believed that the President should be actively involved in government leadership; that the President was THE leader, should even lead the Congress-
4. believed in using the press (newspapers and film makers and photographers) to get his message/ideas to the people-
5. believed in the American people, even the “little man” and even women!-
   10 believed in an active, aggressive foreign policy; he was imperialistic-
   11 but he also supported peace treaties; won the Nobel Peace prize-
   12 full of contradictions!

Question 10

TR’s Domestic Program – his Square Deal (1901-1908)

Answer 10

1. showed fairness to mine workers –
2. weakened (slightly) the enormous power of trusts and holding companies, particularly those of Rockefeller and Morgan-
3. supported conservation of the environment by expanding national parks and establishing national, natural monuments- his biggest reason for being president
4. tried to protect consumers by…- Pure Meat and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act
5. but was perhaps the most popular and beloved President ever (Teddy Bear)-
6. then strangely fails to seek reelection despite being only 49-

Question 11

In Contrast, TR’s Foreign Policies were Modern, but very Aggressive (Imperialistic), and some would say Racist

Answer 11

1. his “big stick”- African expression, have force/ threat at hand, for TR Us navy, used it as navy when building Panama canal, sent it to Colombia to remind them that they tried too hard to,be independent from Panama
   ​2. Roosevelt’s Corollary in Latin America- in 1820s President Monroe had tolled Europeans to stay out of Latin America, because Caribbean was American Sphere of Influence, TR reminded Europeans of Monroe, but also said that US had right to take part in European matters if they did something harmful to Caribbean
   ​3. winning a Peace Prize by…
   ​4. Colombia and the Panama Canal-

Question 12

His return to politics after Taft’s “failed” presidency

Answer 12

1. Republicans “throw him out” so he heads up the Progressive or “Bull Moose” Party- and is doomed to failure-
2. His New Nationalism idea promised-
   3.His opponents were tough to defeat, too: William Howard Taft-
   Woodrow Wilson-

Question 13

Domestic Policies (of Wilson) - New Freedom

Answer 13

1. stricter Child Labor law
2. had Congress pass the Clayton Anti-trust law, then brought suits against companies (Justice Department), relying on courts for support- later created the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to further regulate big business and finance- growth of federal bureaucracy
3. lowered import tariffs so businesses no longer so protected from foreign competition-
4. created a new national bank for regulating the supply of money for banks to loan, the Federal Reserve-
5. 16th Amendment passed and ratified that added a low federal graduated income tax (ranged from 1-6% only) that allowed government to redistributed the wealth and provide some assistance to the poor (hence progressive)- government takes from rich and gives to poor, the more money you made the more percentage you have to pay
6. appointed Louis Brandeis to the Supreme Court- was Jewish, Wilson nominated him
7. 18th amendment prohibited the manufacture, importation, distribution or sale of alcoholic beverages- was supposed to make women’s life better
8. 19th amendment (passed during World War I despite Wilson’s misgivings)- women suffrage

Question 14

Foreign Policies- New World Order (trying to create new way for world to operate in more peaceful way)

Answer 14

1. initial action, in Mexico against the “bandit/peasant hero” Pancho Villa, a fiasco- competing interests for control of government in Mexico
2. despite the pro-British view of Wilson, U.S. neutrality for three years of WWI-
3. then as pressures build, both Wilson and Congress make the U.S. entry into the war in support of the Allies all about “making the world safe for democracy” and using the U.S. effort a “war to end all wars”- and to use progressive-style planning and organization to help make both happen-
4. as the war progressed, Wilson went further with his progressive vision for the future with his “Fourteen Points”-
5. Germany and the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman empire) agree to a cease fire (Armistice Day-) based on Wilson’s vision-
6. But the vision goes largely unfulfilled at the Versailles Peace Conference –
7. Then Wilson and progressivism suffer further blows back in the U.S.-
8. By 1920, progressivism is seen by most Americans as no longer needed, largely unwanted, almost a nuisance idea-

Question 15

Who was most likely to be a progressive? Why?

Answer 15

Middle-class and upper middle-class women, professionals, optimistic, Republicans 
Why: child labor, woman suffrage, discrimination, worker protection, discrimination