Gilded Age – Progressive Era

GILDED AGE – PROGRESSIVE ERA

Gilded Age Gilded – cheap center

covered w/ thin layer of gold (Mark Twain)

Gov’t followed Laissez – Faire policies

1877-1900

Presidents of the Gilded Age

Rutherford Hayes

Republican Ended

Reconstruction

Reformed Spoils System

Presidents of the Gilded Age

James A Garfield

Republican Killed by a

lawyer, Charles Guiteau

Presidents of the Gilded Age

Chester Arthur

Republican Created Civil

Service Commission

Check qualifications

Presidents of the Gilded Age

Grover Cleveland

Democrat Gov’t control

over RR

Presidents of the Gilded Age

Benjamin Harrison

Republican Sherman Anti

Trust Act Country

begins a Depression

Presidents of the Gilded Age

Grover Cleveland

Democrat Stops Pullman

Strike Only Prez

elected twice not in a row!

Presidents of the Gilded Age

William McKinley

Republican Increases US

Tariffs Supported

the Gold Standard

Presidents of the Gilded Age

William McKinley

Spanish – American War

Annexation of Hawaii

Killed during 2nd term – Leon Czolgosz

Progressive Era 1890-1920 A variety of reforms were

enacted at all levels Many Progressives believed

that political action and reform were required for progress in society.

Progressives were not a single unified movement. Their efforts fell into four

categories:

The Progressives: Their Goals and Beliefs

Social Reform

Moral Reform

Economic Reform

Political Reform

MUCKRAKERS Journalists that exposed turn of the

century problems such as illegal business activities, putrid food, quack medicines, squalid living conditions, dangerous working conditions, etc.

The uncovering of these awful truths led progressives to demand changes.

Economic Reform Economic Reformers sought

to curb the power and influence of wealthy interests.

» Monopolies» Trusts» Gap between Rich

and Poor

Sherman Antitrust Act

Enacted in 1890 Effort by Congress to

end trusts Ineffective due to lack

of enforcement

Clayton Antitrust Act Strengthened the Sherman

Antitrust Act of 1890 Spelled out specific activities

businesses could NOT do Aide to Union Strikes now

Legal!

Federal Reserve System Central bank of the US Divided nation into 12 regions

each w/ its own Federal Reserve Bank

Federal Reserve System Regulates Amount of money in

circulation Sets interest rates Regulates how

much a bank can lend

16TH AMENDMENT – CONGRESS CAN LEVY INCOME TAXES

Ida Tarbell History of Standard

Oil Exposed the practices

of Big Business

Social Reform

Government should be givenexpanded powers so that it

couldbecome more active in

improvingthe lives of its citizens.

Social Reform Examples

1.Women’s rightsSuffrage (voting)Owning PropertyDivorceClothingBirth Control

Women’s Reform Leaders Susan B Anthony – activist who

worked towards gaining suffrage for womenCreated National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)

Women’s Reform Leaders Florence

Kelley – activist who worked towards gaining better working conditions

Women’s Reform Leaders Alice Paul – radical activist who

worked towards gaining suffrage for womenCreated Congressional Union (CU): wanted an Amendment giving Women right to vote

19th Amendment

1919 Congress passes the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.

Social Reform Examples2. Protection of the Environment

Antiquities Act of 1906Allows President to designate National Monuments

Protect and Preserve Wildlife Areas

3. Tenement Life Over

Crowding of the Cities

Poor Living Conditions

Unsanitary Conditions

Social Reform Examples

Jacob Riis “How the Other Half Lives “ Exposed horrible living conditions in

tenements

Social Reform Examples4. Unsafe working conditions and

Child Labor– Fewer

Hours– Higher

Wages– Safer

Factories– Unions

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory operated on the top 3 floors of the 10 story Asch Building in New York City

Notice that the tallest ladders owned by the fire department only reach the 6th floor

• In 1911, Unsafe working

conditions lead to a deadly fire

Rather than burn alive in the swift moving fire, many women jump from windows

This is actually a photo of the building after the fire! Note how there is very little damage on the outside of the building

Eight months after the fire, a jury acquitted the factory owners, of any wrong doing.

Twenty-three individual civil suits were brought against the owners of the Asch building. On March 11, 1913, three years after the fire, the owners settled. They paid 75 dollars per life lost.

This tragedy led to a push for comprehensive safety and workers compensation laws.

Social ReformExamples

5. Safer Medicines Restriction of Harmful

Drugs Proper Labeling Government Approval of

Future Drugs/Medicines

Patent Medicines Medicines at the turn of the

century did not require a prescription.

• Making exaggerated claims, they were used for a variety of ailments.

• Many contained dangerous ingredients.

Cocaine was a common ingredient – even for children's medicines

Notice it's from the makers of Bayer Aspirin...

Social Reform Examples

6. Safer Food Government Inspection of

Food Proper Labeling

Cleanliness

Have you read “The Jungle”?yuck.

The Jungle Written by

Upton Sinclair

Talks about the horrors of the meat packing industry

Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906

Created Food and Drug Administration, responsibility of testing all foods and drugs destined for human consumption

The requirement for prescriptions from licensed physicians before a patient could purchase certain drugs

The requirement of label warnings on habit-forming drugs.

Meat Inspection Act of 1906

All animals were required to pass an inspection by the FDA prior to slaughter

All carcasses were subject to a post-mortem inspection

Cleanliness standards were established for slaughterhouses and processing plants.

Social Reform Examples

7. Civil Rights MovementAfrican Americans were still fighting for basic rights guaranteed them in the Constitution

Problems African Americans fought Against

Voter RestrictionsPoll Tax – Pay a fee to voteLiteracy Test – prove you could

read & write to voteGrandfather Clause – exempts a

group of people from obeying a law provided they met certain conditions before law was passed

Problems African Americans fought Against

Jim Crow Laws – System of laws that segregated public services by race

Problems African Americans fought Against

Plessy v. Ferguson – “Separate but Equal”Supreme Court ruled

against Homer Plessy saying segregation was legal as long as separate facilities were equal

Problems African Americans fought Against

Lynching – mob’s illegal seizure & execution of a person, usually by hanging

African American Leaders Booker T.

Washington – encouraged African Am. To become educated & learn a trade

African American Leaders WEB DuBois

– encouraged African Am. To attend college & become leaders; Also started NAACP

African American Leaders NAACP – National

Association for the Advancement of Colored PeopleWorked through courts to gain equal rights for African Am.

Moral ReformMany felt the Morals of our society were at the

root of many turn of the century problems. - Moral Reformers sought to promote Moral

Improvements:

• End Prostitution• End Gambling• End Drunkenness• Education for Children• Americanization and

Restriction of Immigrants

Political Reform Governments should become more

efficient and less corrupt so that they can competently handle an expanded role.

Political Reformers demanded Political Honesty and Accountability

Patronage/Spoils System Only Politicians can introduce bills Only Legislatures can pass laws Only Courts can remove corrupt

officials Political Machines Bribery

Patronage The giving of jobs or

other political favors to supporters – even if they are not qualified

Even Presidents did it! …until…

Lincoln Steffens “Shame of the Cities” Exposed big city political corruption

Progressive Political Reforms

BEFORE Party leaders

chose candidates for state & local offices

AFTER Direct

Primaries – Voters select their party’s candidates

Progressive Political Reforms

BEFORE State

legislature chose US Senators

AFTER 17th

Amendment – US Senators are elected by popular vote

Progressive Political Reforms

BEFORE Only members

of state legislature can introduce bills

AFTER Initiative –

Voters can put bills before the legislation

Progressive Political Reforms

BEFORE Only

legislatures pass laws

AFTER Referendum –

voters can vote on bills directly

DE voters control raising school taxes

Progressive Political Reforms

BEFORE Only courts or

legislature can remove corrupt officials

AFTER Recall – voters

can remove elected officials from office

Progressive Political Reforms

Progressive Presidents

Theodore Roosevelt

Republican Youngest Prez Took office

after McKinley is shot

Progressive Presidents Led the fight to dissolve 40 monopolies

as a “trust buster“ “Square Deal" promised a fair shake for

the average citizen, including: regulation of railroad rates and pure foods

and drugs. promotion of the conservation movement,

emphasizing efficient use of natural resources.

Progressive Presidents

William H Taft

Republican Promised to

continue TR’s ideas

Tried but lacked TR’s energy

Progressive Presidents Initiated 80 antitrust suits Submitted to the states amendments for

a Federal income tax and the direct election of Senators.

Progressive Presidents Progressive Republicans are upset w/

Taft & want TR back TR, loses nomination so he creates his

own political party Progressive Party aka Bull Moose Party

Election of 1912 Rep – William

Taft Dem –

Woodrow Wilson

Prog – Teddy Roosevelt

Wilson Wins!!!!Candidate Popular Vote Electoral Vote

Wilson 6,296, 547 435

Roosevelt 4,118,571 88

Taft 3,486,720 8

Other 1,135,637 None

Progressive Presidents

Woodrow Wilson

Democrat Continued

Progressivism Prez during

WWI

Progressive Presidents 16th Amendment – Congress can levy

income taxes 17th Amendment – Direct Election of

Senators 18th Amendment – Prohibition of Alcohol 19th Amendment – Women’s Suffrage