Improving Improving AmericaAmerica

Unit 2: Notes #5Unit 2: Notes #5

10/25/1210/25/12

Mr. WelchMr. Welch

ProgressivismProgressivism A reform movement starting in the late 1800sA reform movement starting in the late 1800s Meant to address many of the social problems Meant to address many of the social problems

that the Industrial Revolution createdthat the Industrial Revolution created ProgressivismProgressivism focused on 3 areas of reform: focused on 3 areas of reform:

Easing the suffering of the urban poor Easing the suffering of the urban poor Improving unfair & dangerous working conditionsImproving unfair & dangerous working conditions Reforming govReforming gov’’t at the national, state & local levelst at the national, state & local levels

MuckrakersMuckrakers helped to expose these problems helped to expose these problems to the publicto the public These were reform minded writers & journalistsThese were reform minded writers & journalists Told first hand accounts of the injustice and horrors Told first hand accounts of the injustice and horrors

that they witnessedthat they witnessed

Reforming SocietyReforming Society

As cities continued to grow they were unable As cities continued to grow they were unable to provide the services people neededto provide the services people needed Safe housing, garbage collection, police and fire Safe housing, garbage collection, police and fire

protectionprotection The Tenement Act of 1901, forced landlords to The Tenement Act of 1901, forced landlords to

install lighting in public hallways and to install lighting in public hallways and to provide at least one toilet for every two provide at least one toilet for every two familiesfamilies

Settlement housesSettlement houses were also created as a way were also created as a way to help out new immigrantsto help out new immigrants They offered English and job training courses and They offered English and job training courses and

provided social activitiesprovided social activities

Good SamaritansGood Samaritans

Most settlement Most settlement house workers were house workers were college educated college educated women that believed women that believed in the concept of in the concept of social gospelsocial gospel The idea that faith The idea that faith

should be expressed should be expressed through good works through good works

Believed it was the Believed it was the churchchurch’’s moral duty to s moral duty to help solve social help solve social problemsproblems

Major part of the 2Major part of the 2ndnd Great AwakeningGreat Awakening

Muckraker in ActionMuckraker in Action In 1906, In 1906, Upton Upton

SinclairSinclair wrote wrote The The Jungle Jungle as a way to as a way to expose the harsh expose the harsh living and working living and working conditions that conditions that immigrants in Chicago immigrants in Chicago facedfaced The public was The public was

outraged by the outraged by the unsanitary conditions unsanitary conditions the meat was keptthe meat was kept

President Roosevelt President Roosevelt ordered the Secretary ordered the Secretary of Agriculture to check of Agriculture to check out these allegations out these allegations in Sinclairin Sinclair’’s books book

GovGov’’t Interventiont Intervention

As a result of As a result of The JungleThe Jungle, in 1906 , in 1906 Congress passed the Congress passed the Meat Inspection ActMeat Inspection Act Which required federal inspection of meat Which required federal inspection of meat

across state linesacross state lines Congress also passed the Congress also passed the Pure Food and Pure Food and

Drug ActDrug Act Which forbade the manufacture, sale, or Which forbade the manufacture, sale, or

transportation of food and patent medicine transportation of food and patent medicine containing harmful ingredientscontaining harmful ingredients

It also required food and medicine containers It also required food and medicine containers to have accurate ingredient labelsto have accurate ingredient labels

Rough Times for FarmersRough Times for Farmers

During the late 1800s farmers were During the late 1800s farmers were in debtin debt Prices for crops were falling, in order to Prices for crops were falling, in order to

buy more land and produce more crops buy more land and produce more crops farmers mortgaged their farmsfarmers mortgaged their farms

By producing more crops, farmers made By producing more crops, farmers made prices on crops drop even moreprices on crops drop even more

When farmers could not make loan When farmers could not make loan payments on their mortgages, banks payments on their mortgages, banks would foreclose on the farmswould foreclose on the farms

Solution??Solution??

To solve this problem To solve this problem the Farmersthe Farmers’’ Alliance Alliance called for more money called for more money to be put into to be put into circulationcirculation They believed that with They believed that with

inflation, they could inflation, they could charge more for their charge more for their crops and get out of crops and get out of debtdebt

To do this the dollar To do this the dollar would have to be would have to be backed by silver not by backed by silver not by gold (unlimited coinage gold (unlimited coinage of silver)of silver)

New Political PartyNew Political Party

The FarmersThe Farmers’’ Alliance formed the Alliance formed the Populist Populist PartyParty, also known as the People, also known as the People’’s Partys Party

It called for bank regulation, govIt called for bank regulation, gov’’t t ownership of railroads, an 8 hour work ownership of railroads, an 8 hour work day, restrictions on immigration, and free day, restrictions on immigration, and free (unlimited) coinage of silver(unlimited) coinage of silver GovGov’’t regulations: direct election of senators, t regulations: direct election of senators,

single terms for the president and vice-presidentsingle terms for the president and vice-president Populist party platforms eventually Populist party platforms eventually

became part of the Democratic Partybecame part of the Democratic Party It began to introduce the concept of the govIt began to introduce the concept of the gov’’t t

being responsible for reforming social issuesbeing responsible for reforming social issues