Chapter 19 blog notes
Transcript of Chapter 19 blog notes
CHAPTER 19Political Reform & the Progressive Era
SECTION 1The Gilded Age & Progressive Reform
Reform in the Gilded Age Gilded Age
Period after Civil War Lasted from 1870s through 1890s Age of serious problems hiding under shiny
surface Political Concerns
Americans feared industrialists & wealthy men were enriching themselves at expense of public
Corruption/Dishonesty in government Bribery & voter fraud appeared widespread
Taming the Spoils System Source of corruption was Spoils System
Practice of rewarding political supporters w/ gov’t jobs W/ election of new President, people swarmed to Washington
looking for jobs in rewards for their political support 1881
James Garfield elected President 4 months later was shot by disappointed office seeker
Sparked efforts to end spoils system Vice President Chester A. Arthur became President
Owed his rise to spoils system 1883
Pendleton Act signed Created Civil Service Commission
A system that includes most gov’t jobs, except elected positions, the judiciary, & the military
Aim was to fill jobs on basis of merit Jobs went to those who scored highest on civil services examinations
Controlling Big Business Late 1800s
Big business influenced politics, often w/ bribery Americans demanded limiting power of railroads
& monopolies Congress
Under Constitution has power to regulate interstate commerce
1887 President Grover Cleveland signed Interstate
Commerce Act Forbade practices such as rebates & set up Interstate
Commerce Commission to oversee railroads
1890 President Benjamin Harrison signed
Sherman Antitrust Act Prohibited businesses from trying to limit or
destroy competition Difficult to enforce Judges often ruled in favor of trusts & the Sherman
Act was used to limit the power of labor unions (strikers blocked free trade & threatened competition)
Corruption in the Cities Expansion of cities led to expansion of
sewers, garbage collection, & roads City politicians often excepted money to
award jobs to friends Powerful politicians (bosses) controlled
work done locally & wanted payoffs from businesses Popular w/ poor
Gave turkeys & coal Poor voted for them in return
William “Boss” Tweed 1860s & 1870s he
cheated NY City out of $100 million
His crimes were exposed by journalists, before being arrested he fled to Spain He was arrested in
Spain & died in jail in 1878
Progressives & Political Reform Progressive Movement
Corruption led to rise Progressives: diverse group of reformers united by a
belief in the public interest Not sacrificed to greed of huge trusts & city bosses
Wisconsin idea 1st to adopt Progressive reforms Governor Robert La Follette “Battling Bob”
Opposed political bosses Appointed commissions of experts to solve problems
Railroad commission recommended lowering railroad rates; as rates decreased, rail traffic increased
1903 Wisconsin was 1st state to adopt a primary run by state gov’t officials
1917 all but 4 states joined
More Power to Voters Recall
A process by which people may vote to remove an elected official from office Easier to remove corrupt officials
Initiative Process that allows voters to put a bill before a
state legislature Voters must collect a certain # of signatures on a
petition Referendum: way for people to vote directly on
a proposed new law
Two Constitutional Amendments Progressive Reformers
Backed graduated income tax (method of taxation that taxes people at different rates depending on income) Wealthy pay higher taxes than poor
Supreme Court ruled this was unconstitutional 16th Amendment (gives Congress the power to pass an income
tax) was ratified in 1913 1789
U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures Bribery was a problem Progressives wanted people to vote for senators
1913 17th Amendment was ratified to require the direct election of
senators
The Muckrakers Press play important role in exposing corruption President Theodore Roosevelt
Compared these reporters to men who raked up dirt/muck in stables
Muckraker became a term for a crusading journalist Ida Tarbell
Targeted big business Work led to demands for more controls on trusts Accused oil baron John D. Rockefeller of unfair business
methods Other reporters described how corruption had led to
inadequate fire, police, & sanitation services Jacob Riis
Jacob Riis Photographs
1906 Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle
Grisly details about the meatpacking industry Described how packers used meat from sick
animals & how rats often got group up in the meat
SECTION 2The Progressive President
The First Progressive President September 6, 1901
President William McKinley assassinated by unemployed anarchist @ the world’s fair in Buffalo, NY
Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became President 42 years old Youngest President to take office Supporter of Progressive goals
Teddy Roosevelt Came from wealthy NY family Suffered from asthma as child
Built strength by lifting weights, running, & boxing
@23 he was elected to NY state legislature
Served on Civil Service Commission
Headed NYC police department Assistant secretary of the navy 1898
Led U.S. troops in daring exploits against Spain
Returned home a hero Elected governor of New York 2 years later was elected VP w/
McKinley
TR & Big Business
TR won reputation as trustbuster (a person working to destroy monopolies & trusts) Was not against big business, saw difference between “good” & “bad”
trusts Good trusts: were efficient & fair & should be left alone Bad trusts: took advantage of workers & cheated the public by eliminating
competition. Gov’t must control or break them up 1902
Gov’t brought lawsuit against Northern Securities Company (was formed to control competition among railroads) TR said NSC used unfair business practices
1904 Supreme Court ruling: NSC violated Sherman Antitrust Act
Order: trust to be broken up 1st time Sherman Antitrust Act used to break up trusts, not unions
More suits followed Against: Standard Oil & American Tobacco Company
Were later broke up because they attempted to limit free trade
A Boost for Organized Labor TR also clashed w/ mine owners 1902
PA coal miners strike Wanted: better pay & short workday Owners: refused to negotiate w/ miners’ union
w/ winter approaching schools & hospitals ran out of coal
TR threatened to send troops to run mines Mine owners negotiated w/ miners union &
reached agreement TR 1st President to side w/ strikers
The Square Deal 1904
TR ran for President Promised a Square Deal
Everyone from farmers and consumers to workers and owners should have the same opportunity to succeed
Helped him win election
Conserving Natural Resources TR took action to protect wilderness areas
Lumber companies were cutting down entire forests & miners were removing iron & coal, while leaving gaping holes in the earth to keep up w/ industrial growth
TR loved the wilderness & pressed for conservation Not against using resources, but
believed they had to be used wisely, w/ an eye toward the future
1905 U.S. Forest Service was formed Thousands of acres of land set aside
for national parks
Protecting Consumers Sinclair’s novel The Jungle shocked TR He made public a report exposing unhealthy
meatpacking plant conditions 1906
Congress passed a law allowing closer inspection of meatpacking houses
Muckrakers Exposed drug companies for making false claims
about medicines & adding harmful chemicals to canned food Congress passed Pure Food & Drug Act (required food &
drug makers to list all ingredients on packages
Taft & Wilson 1908
TR did not run for reelection Supported William Howard Taft
Trouble For Taft Taft: quite & cautious Was wary of power Supported Progressive causes
Broke up more trusts, favored graduated income tax, approved safety rules for mines, created federal office to control child labor, & signed laws giving gov’t workers 8 hour workday
1909 Lost Progressive support Signed a bill to raise tariffs
Progressives argued this raised prices for consumers
Modified conservation policies Progressives accused him of blocking
conservaton
Election of 1912 TR broke away from Taft & ran against him for Republican
nomination TR was loved by people, but Taft controlled party leadership Taft nominated by Republican Party
TR & supporters formed new party Progressive Party, later known as the Bull Moose Party
Democrats chose Woodrow Wilson Progressive candidate President of Princeton University & governor of New Jersey Brilliant scholar & cautious reformer Known as begin rigid & unwilling to compromise
TR & Taft gained more votes than Wilson, but spilt Republican vote allowing Wilson to win the election of 1912
Wilson & the New Freedom Wanted to restore free competition Program called New Freedom Persuaded Congress to create Federal Trade Commission
Power to investigate companies & order them to stop using unfair practices to destroy competitors
1914 Clayton Antitrust Act signed
Banned some business practices that limited competition Stopped antitrust laws from being used against unions
Federal Reserve Act Regulated banking Set up a system of federal banks and gave government the
power to raise or lower interest rates & control the money supply
CHAPTER 19Section 3
Women Win the Vote
Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 Marked start of women’s
rights movement Elizabeth Cady Stanton &
Susan B. Anthony Formed National Woman
Suffrage Association after C.W.
Wanted right for women to vote
Women Vote in the West Late 1800s
Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, & Idaho allowed women to vote Recognized women’s contributions made to
build farms & cities by allowing them to vote 1890
Wyoming applied for statehood Congress wanted to bar women from voting Wyoming lawmakers stood firm & was
admitted with women being able to vote
Growing Support 1900s
Women’s suffrage grew 5 million women worked
outside the home Paid less, but wages gave
them some power Demanded say in law
making Carrie Chapman Catt
Developed way to win suffrage state by state
Suffragists: people who worked for women’s rights to vote followed her plan Efforts brought steady gains
The Nineteenth Amendment Women right to vote
In some states it did not apply to federal elections Call for federal amendment to allow women to vote in all elections
Alice Paul Met with President Wilson in 1913 Explained suffragists were committed to achieving a federal
amendment Wilson pledged support
1919 19th Amendment passed
Guaranteed women right to vote August 1920
¾ of states ratified the amendment 19th Amendment
Doubled # of eligible voters
New Opportunities for Women Women also struggled to gain access to jobs &
education Were refused licenses to practice law or
medicine Higher Education
A few women managed to get higher education to enter a profession
1877 Boston University granted first Ph.D. to w woman
1900 1,000 women lawyers & 7,000 doctors
Women’s Clubs At First
Read books & sought ways to advance their knowledge
In time many became reformers Raised money for libraries,
schools, & parks Pressed for laws to protect
women & children, ensure pure food & drugs, and win the vote
African American women formed own clubs National Association of Colored
Women Battled to end segregation &
violence Joined battle for suffrage
Women Reformers Progressive Era
Some women committed themselves to reform Became social workers to help the poor
Florence Kelley Investigated sweatshop conditions Became chief factory inspector in Illinois
Main concern was child labor Organized boycott of goods produced in
factories employed by young children
Crusade Against Alcohol 1820s
Reform against alcohol abuse Women took leading role
1874 Woman’s Christian Temperance Union
Frances Willard became president Spoke about evils of alcohol Wanted state laws to ban sale of liquor Worked to close saloons Later joined suffrage movement w/ other WCTU members
Carry Nation More radical temperance crusader Husband died from heavy drinking Often stormed into saloons swinging a hatchet & smashed beer kegs &
liquor bottles Actions gained publicity, but embarrassed WCTU
1917 18th Amendment passed by Congress Enforced prohibition (a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol Ratified in 1919
SECTION 4Struggles for Justice
Discriminated against in North & South Landlords refused to rent homes in white
areas Restricted to worst housing & poorest jobs
African Americans
Born into slavery Self educated Worked in coal mines &
attended school when he could 1881
Helped found Tuskegee Institute in Alabama Offered industrial & agricultural
training Advised African Americans to
learn trades & to move up gradually in society
Practical approach won support from Carnegie & Rockefeller Helped build trade schools
Presidents also sought his advise on racial issues
Booker T. Washington
1st African American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard
Agreed with Washington on needing training
Disagreed with him on accepting segregation
Urged black to fight segregation
1909 Joined w/ others to form
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Worked for equal rights for
blacks
W.E.B. Du Bois
More than 1000 African Americans in the south were victims of lynching: murdered by a mobafter the depression of 1893 violence worsened
Ida B. Wells an African American journalist
talked about free speech in her articles urged African Americans to protest against
lynchingalso called for a boycott of segregated streetcars
and white-owned stores
Campaign Against Lynching
Setbacks and Success• President Wilson supported segregation and thought of
it as a benefit• Despite challenges, some African Americans prospered
– George Washington Carver• Discovered hundreds of new uses for peanuts and other crops in
the South – Sarah Walker
• Created line of hair products for African American women• Was the 1st American women to earn more than $1 million
– Black owned insurance companies, banks, and other businesses server African Americans
– Black colleges trained young people– Churches became training ground for generations of African
American leaders• African Methodist Episcopal Church
Mexican Americans• 1900– ½ a million Mexican Americans lived in U.S.• Faced legal segregation like African Americans
• 1910– San Angelo, Texas• Built new schools for Anglo (of English ancestry)
children• Mexican children forced to attend separate,
inferior schools• When Mexican children tried to attend one of
the new schools, officials would not let them
Increased Immigration• 1910– Revolution and famine swept through
Mexico– Thousands fled to the U.S.• All levels of Mexican society - poor farmers,
middle class, and upper class– 90% of Mexican Immigrants lived in the
southwest at first• Migration later spread Mexican Americans to
other parts of the country to find work
Daily Life• Mexican immigrants as farmhands, built roads, or dug
irrigation ditches– Some lived near R.R.’s they helped build
• Other Mexican Americans worked in factories under harsh conditions– Paid less than Americans– Denied skilled jobs
• Sought to preserve culture & language• Created barrios (ethnic Mexican American neighborhoods)
– LA home to nation’s largest barrio• Within Barrios Mexican immigrants & Mexican Americans
helped each other– Some formed mutualistas (mutual aid groups)
• Pooled money to pay for insurance and legal advise• Collected money for the sick and needy
Asian Americans• The Chinese exclusion act of 1882 led to
employers on the west coast in Hawaii to hire people from Asian countries, mostly from Japan and the Philippines.
Japanese Immigrants• More than 100,000 Japanese immigrants
traveled to the U.S in the early 1900’s• Some went to Hawaii to work on sugar
plantations• When the U.S. annexed Hawaii in 1898,
Japanese sought a better life in the mainland. ∙ most became farmers that settled on dry
barren land that the Americans didn’t want.
• Japanese built up their farms and began to produce most of California's fruits and veggies.
A Gentlemen's Agreement• Asians were out casted.• In the 1900’s, san Francisco forced all Asian
students even children to attend different schools than white students.
• When Japan protested the issue, it threatened to cause an international crisis.
• Unions pressured Theodore Roosevelt to limit the immigration from Japan.
• He refused and tried to hush the turmoil between Japanese and Americans.
• He proposed the idea that if san Francisco ended there segregation he would limit the Japanese immigrants
• In 1907 Roosevelt created a gentleman's agreement with Japan.
• Japan agreed to stop workers from going to the U.S and the U.S agreed to allow Japanese women to join their husbands and family already in the U.S.
• The anti-Japanese feeling remained high.
• In 1913 California banned Asians who were not American citizens from owning land.
Religious Minorities• Religious minorities faced deep prejudice• Roman Catholics and Jews were included in the
immigration boom.• Nativist groups such as the Anti-Catholic American
Protective Association (ACAPA) worked to restrict immigration.
• Jews and Catholics who were not immigrants face discrimination in jobs and housing.
• A feeling of Anti-Catholicism was common in schools. • Some teachers lectured against the Pope, and
textbooks with references to “decitful catholics”• American Catholics set up parochial schools, or
schools sponsored by a church.• 1913• Anti-Semitism, or prejudice against Jews, took place in
Georgia.• Leo Frank• Jewish Man
He was falsely accused of murdering a young girl.
Despite lack of evidence, he was sentenced to death.
Although the Governor of Georgia reduced his sentence.
A mob took him form prison, and lynched him.
In response to the lynching, and Anti-Semitism, American Jews founded Anti-Defamation League.
The League worked to promote understanding and fight prejudice against Jews.