The Progressive Movement Flashcards
Progressive Movement
A widespread reform movement in the early 20th century that aimed to address social, political, and economic issues caused by industrialization and urbanization.
Goals of the Progressive Movement
- Limiting the power of large corporations and monopolies.
- Addressing issues like child labor and unsafe working conditions.
- Promoting direct democracy through initiatives, referendums, and recall.
- Women’s suffrage.
Muckrakers
Investigative journalists who actively expose corruption in big businesses and the government through their writings with the goal of promoting public reform and legislative change.
Upton Sinclair and The Jungle
A novel written by Upton Sinclair that exposed the horrific working conditions and unsanitary practices within the Chicago meatpacking industry during the early 20th century. The Jungle sparked public outrage, leading to the passage of important food safety legislation.
Ida Tarbell
- A prominent “muckraker,”who exposed the corruption and abuse of power of the Standard Oil Company through investigative reporting.
- She made book called “The History of the Standard Oil Company.”
- Her writings shaped public opinion against monopolies and contributed to the eventual breakup of Standard Oil in 1911 under antitrust laws.
Jane Addams
- A prominent social reformer and activist
- Co-founded The Hull House, one of the first settlement houses in the United States, in 1889 in Chicago
- The Hull House aimed to improve the lives of immigrants and the urban poor by providing education, healthcare, and social services.
Social Gospel
- A religious movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Aimed to apply Christian ethics to address issues arising from rapid industrialization and urbanization.
- It emphasized the role of churches and individuals in advocating for social reform and that getting salvation shouldn’t be solely focusing on individual devotion to the Lord but also on improving society through collective action.
Referendum
A direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and potentially adopt a new law or policy. The referendum was seen as a tool for empowering ordinary citizens, reducing the control of corrupt political machines, and promoting changes.
Initiative
A political process that allows citizens to propose legislation or constitutional amendments by gathering signatures on a petition to empower voters to take direct action and influence government policy, bypassing the traditional legislative process.
Recall
- A political process that allows voters to remove corrupt or ineffective officials from office before their term is completed.
- This mechanism empowers citizens by giving them a direct way to hold officials accountable for their actions and decisions.
16th Amendment
- Ratified in 1913
- Allows Congress to impose a federal income tax without having to base it on population, which was previously required for direct taxes.
- This amendment was a significant milestone for the Progressive Era, as it aimed to address economic inequality and provide the government with necessary revenue to fund social reforms.
17th Amendment
- Ratified in 1913
- Established the direct election of the U.S. Senators by popular vote rather than having them appointed by state legislatures.
- This change aimed to reduce corruption and increase democratic control over the legislative process.
Teddy Roosevelt
- The 26th President of the United States, served from 1901 to 1909.
- Roosevelt’s presidency embodied Progressive Era ideals through his push for reforms that addressed social injustices, economic inequality, & government and corporal corruption.
Roosevelt & Conservation
Roosevelt’s significant efforts to protect and manage natural resources by establishing national parks, wildlife refuges, and national forests, marked a major turning point in American environmental policy.
Anthracite Coal Strike
The 1902 labor dispute where around 140,000 coal miners in Pennsylvania’s anthracites demanded a raise and shorter work days while also seeking recognition of their union.
Significance of Anthracite Coal Strike
Unlike his predecessors, Roosevelt threatened to seize the coal mines if the owners refused to negotiate, forcing them to agree to arbitration. It marked a significant moment where the federal government actively acted as a neutral mediator to resolve a labor conflict.
Northern Securities Case
- The Northern Securities Company was a large railroad trust formed in 1901 by J.P. Morgan and other prominent financiers.
- It controlled several major railroads in the Northwest.
- In 1904, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Roosevelt, ordering the dissolution of the company under the Sherman Antitrust Act, marking a significant victory for antitrust enforcement.
Roosevelt’s View of the Federal government
Advocated for a strong federal government to actively intervene in the economy and promote social justice to protect its citizens.
Pure Food and Drug Act
A landmark piece of legislation enacted in 1906 aimed at regulating the labeling and quality of food and pharmaceuticals to eliminate misbranding and adulteration for consumer protection.
Meat Inspection Act
- A pivotal piece of legislation in 1906 aimed at ensuring sanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.
- It mandated federal inspections of meat products, established standards for hygiene, and sought to protect consumers from contaminated and misbranded meat.
William Howard Taft
The 27th President of the United States, serving from 1909 to 1913. His presidency is marked by a focus on trust-busting, a continuation of progressive reforms.
He was apart of the Republican Party.
Pinchot-Ballinger Controversy
- A major political scandal during the Taft administration where Gifford Pinchot accused Richard Ballinger of allowing private companies, particularly with coal interests, to gain access to public lands in Alaska for personal gain.
- Ballinger’s actions were going against conservationist policies established by Roosevelt.
How did Taft’s presidency differ from Roosevelt’s presidency?
- William Taft’s approach to progressivism was more focused on legal action against trusts and less on bold executive actions compared to Theodore Roosevelt.
- While Roosevelt embraced a more hands-on style of governance and sought immediate reforms, Taft favored a more conservative approach that relied heavily on the courts.
Taft’s falling out with Theodore Roosevelt
- A political falling out between the former allies, primarily stemming from Taft’s perceived more conservative approach to progressive reforms which clashed with Roosevelt’s more aggressive approach and his inaction towards the conservation of land.
- This ultimately lead to Roosevelt challenging Taft for the Republican presidential nomination in 1912 and forming the Progressive Party (“Bull Moose Party”) when he lost.
Election of 1912
- The Election of 1912 was notable for being the first presidential election in which a former president (Theodore Roosevelt) ran against his hand-picked successor (William Howard Taft).
- Woodrow Wilson won the presidency with only 42% of the popular vote due to the division of Republican votes between Taft and Roosevelt as a result of the Bull Moose Party.
- Eugene V. Debs, running as a Socialist candidate, garnered nearly a million votes, showcasing the growing appeal of socialism in America during this time.
Plessy v. Ferguson
- A landmark Supreme Court case decided in 1896 that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of ‘separate but equal.’
- The Supreme Court judge argued that segregation did not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
- This ruling solidified Jim Crow laws in the South and allowed for the continued discrimination against African Americans.
Jim Crow
- State and local laws enacted during the Reconstruction Era that enforced racial segregation and disenfranchised African Americans in the Southern United States.
- These laws mandated segregation in all public facilities, including schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants, leading to widespread social inequality.
Violence during Jim Crow
African Americans faced widespread violence and intimidation, including lynchings, mob attacks, and threats to maintain white supremacy, prevent them from exercising their civil rights, and prevent any political, economic, and social advancement.
Jim Crow in Education
African American students were forced to attend separate, often underfunded and inferior schools compared to those for white students. The schools had a lower teacher pay and limited curriculum options.
Sharecropping
- An agricultural system that emerged after the Civil War, where landowners allowed tenants to use their land in exchange for a share of the crops produced.
- Many sharecroppers were tied to their landowners through debt, often owing more than they could repay due to high interest rates and unfair practices.
- This system contributed to a new form of economic exploitation that kept many especially African Americans in a state of poverty, limiting their opportunities for advancement.
Booker T. Washington’s Accommodationist Approach
Washington believed African Americans should focus on vocational training, economic advancement, and proving their worth through hard work to gradually gain respect from white society.
WEB DuBois Militant Approach
- Advocated for immediate and direct action to dismantle Jim Crow laws and achieve full civil rights through political activism and public protest.
- He believed that higher education and the mobilization of the ‘Talented Tenth’ (the one in ten Black men that have cultivated the ability through education to become leaders of the Black community) were essential to achieving equality and combating racial discrimination.
“The Souls of Black Folk”
A powerful book criticizing Washington’s accommodationist strategy and calling for a more assertive approach to racial equality.
Women’s Rights Movement
- A social and political movement aimed at achieving equal rights and opportunities for women such as suffrage, education, and labor rights.
- The movement faced significant opposition from traditionalists who believed that a woman’s place was at home.
Emmeline Pankhurst
- A prominent British political activist who led the “suffragette movement.”
- She advocated for women’s right to vote through militant tactics such as hunger strikes, civil disobedience, and protests to draw attention to their cause.
Susan B. Anthony
- A prominent American social reformer and women’s rights activist who played a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement in the United States during the 19th century.
- She became a symbol of the struggle for women’s rights.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
A prominent American social activist and a leading figure in the early women’s rights movement, most notably known for co-organizing the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 and writing the “Declaration of Sentiments” which outlined key issues related to women’s inequality and advocated for women’s suffrage.
Alice Paul
A prominent American suffragist and feminist who played a leading role in the early 20th century women’s suffrage movement by using civil disobedience like hunger strikes while imprisoned, to highlight the urgent need for women’s voting rights and garnered public sympathy.
Margaret Sanger
- A prominent American activist who spearheaded the birth control movement in the early 20th century.
- She advocated for women’s reproductive rights by founding the American Birth Control League, which later became Planned Parenthood.
- She believed that access to birth control was essential for women to achieve equality and independence, emphasizing its importance in family planning.
2 arguments for women’s suffrage
- Women’s equality as citizens: As full citizens in the country, women should have the right to participate in the political process by voting. This argument emphasizes that denying women’s suffrage contradicts the core American principle of equality and citizenship, as women are just as capable as men of making informed political decisions.
- The ability to influence legislation affecting their lives: Granting women the right to vote would allow them to directly address issues like child labor, education, and healthcare that disproportionately impacted them.
19th Amendment
The constitutional amendment ratified in 1920 that granted women the right to vote, marking a significant victory for the women’s suffrage movement. It officially prohibits any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex.
