Progressivism

Question 1

THE PITSBURGH STEEL WORKERS STRIKE
What year?
- What triggered the strike?
- What happened as a result?
- What happened after the strike?
- What did this reflect?

Answer 1

THE PITTSBURGH STEELWORKERS STRIKE 1892

• The strike was triggered when Henry Clay Frick cut wages and refused to accept Union negotiation
• Armed Militia was called in to break the strike up
• What followed was a period of five months with no wages, strikers were starving and the action collapses
• Represented the weakness of the Union, and although they weren’t strong enough to win, they were strong enough to drive a fear of the working classes

Question 2

THE DEPRESSION OF 1893

• What happened to the stock market?
• How long did it last?
• How many companies and banks shut down
• What was the national unemployment rate? What about in cities?

Answer 2

THE DEPRESSION OF 1893
- The stock market crashed
- Depression lasted 4 years
- 15,000 companies and 600 banks shut down
- National unemployment rose to 20%, with 35% in major cities
Important in triggering the progressive movement

Question 3

PULLMAN STRIKE
What year?
\_\_\_ ever national strike
- What did Pullman do?
- How did the American Railway Union respond?
- How did Cleveland respond?
- What happened then?
- What was the outcome?
- This is an example of the government....

Answer 3

PULLMAN STRIKE 1894
1st ever national strike
- Pullman cut wages but refused to lower rents
- ARU refused to handle trains carrying Pullman cars
- Cleveland sent troops
- Riots occurred, troops fired into crowd, killing 4 people
- Strikes brought about no positive change. Rents stayed the same. Led to legal banning of strikes
- This is an example of the government backing big businesses, not workers

Question 4

IMMIGRATION

• Between 1869 and 1900 at least ______ immigrants arrived
• By 1914, Jewish population made up __% of the population
• When was the Chinese exclusion act?
• What was the American Protective Association and when was it?

Answer 4

IMMIGRATION

• Between 1869 and 1900 at least 14million immigrants arrived
• By 1914, Jewish population made up 25% of the population
• CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT - 1882
• AMERICAN PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION - 1887 - set up to pressure the government to limit immigration

Question 5

How did immigration help USA to progress economically?

Why were immigrants unpopular?

Answer 5

• Immigration was a major reason as to why USA progressed so quickly largely due to immigration - they were efficiently matched to jobs within hours of arriving
• Immigrants were so unpopular because they were used as strike breakers to fill in for those striking

Question 6

In what ways was TAFT successful?
1909-1913
- Initiated ____ anti-trust suits (in comparison to Roosevelts ___)
- Introduced an ____ hour working day
- Reformed the _____, particularly the ______
- Passed the ___ amendment, stating that…
- Promoted ______ in order to…

Answer 6

In what ways was TAFT successful?
1909-1913
- Initiated 80 anti-trust suits (in comparison to Roosevelts 45)
- Introduced an 8 hour working day
- Reformed the Civil Service, particularly the post office
- Passed the 16th amendment, stating that congress could collect tax
- Promoted dollar diplomacy in order to further economies of Asia and South America

Question 7

In what ways was TAFT unsuccessful?

• Attempted to break up ____, a trust which had been approved by Roosevelt
• Forced _______ to resign
• What happened as a result of Roosevelts disapproval of Taft?
• Compromised with conservatives over….

Answer 7

In what ways was TAFT unsuccessful?

• Attempted to break up ‘US Steel’, a trust which had been approved by Roosevelt
• Forced Roosevelts forestry chief to resign
• Roosevelt didn’t approve of Taft, and when he won the election, he split from the party to form the progressives
• Compromised with conservatives over tariff reductions and conservation issues

Question 8

BOOKER T WASHINGTON
Was an….. meaning that…
- What did Washington achieve in terms of African American rights?

Answer 8

BOOKER T WASHINGTON

• He was an accommodationist, meaning that he accepted that segregation was an issue and attempted to work within this
• Set up the Tuskagee Institute, which was hugely successful
• Later set up National Urban League

Question 9

What association did W.E.B DuBois set up and in what year?

Answer 9

W.E.B DuBois
1906 - National Association for the Emancipation of Coloured People
Established the right to fight for justice

Question 10

What were the limits of the progressive era?

Answer 10

• Really a middle class movement (triggered by populism)
• African Americans were systematically disfranchised, largely in the south
• Literacy tests and registration requirements restricted both the poor and African American

Question 11

One of the most _____ eras in American history
Yet the goal remained ______
A period of _______

Answer 11

One of the most dynamic eras in American history
Yet the goal remained elusive
A period of increased government intervention

Question 12

What is populism?

Answer 12

Essentially about handing power over to the working classes

Brian - populist candidate 1893 election

Question 13

What is progressivism?

Answer 13

Began as a social movement triggered by social, economic and political issues caused by industrialisation, though soon grew into a political movement
A dynamic period of reform under presidents Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson