Chapter 16 Life at the Turn of the 20 th Century.

Chapter 16Chapter 16Life at the Turn of the Life at the Turn of the

2020thth Century Century

Segregation and Segregation and DiscriminationDiscrimination

After Reconstruction many African After Reconstruction many African Americans exercised their new political Americans exercised their new political and social rights, despite hostile and and social rights, despite hostile and violent opposition.violent opposition.

By the turn of the 20By the turn of the 20thth Century, however, Century, however, many Southern states had adopted legal many Southern states had adopted legal policies of racial discrimination and policies of racial discrimination and devised methods to weaken African-devised methods to weaken African-American political power.American political power.

Voting RestrictionsVoting Restrictions

Restrictions included:Restrictions included: Literacy testLiteracy test-test reading skills-test reading skills Poll taxPoll tax-annual tax paid before qualifying to vote-annual tax paid before qualifying to vote Grandfather clauseGrandfather clause-put into place to help poor, -put into place to help poor,

uneducated, white voters uneducated, white voters stated that if a man, his father, or grandfather had voted stated that if a man, his father, or grandfather had voted

before 1867 then he could vote even if he could not pass before 1867 then he could vote even if he could not pass the test or pay the tax. the test or pay the tax.

This clause eliminated African Americans who would not This clause eliminated African Americans who would not have had voting rights before 1867.have had voting rights before 1867.

Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws

Southern states also passed racial Southern states also passed racial segregationsegregation laws to separate white and black people in laws to separate white and black people in public and private facilities.public and private facilities.

These laws came to be known as These laws came to be known as Jim Crow Jim Crow LawsLaws after a popular old song. after a popular old song.

Segregation was put into effect in schools, Segregation was put into effect in schools, hospitals, parks, transportation, etc.hospitals, parks, transportation, etc.

Jim Crow songbookThis songbook, published in Ithaca, New York, in 1839, shows an early depiction of a minstrel-show character named Jim Crow. By the 1890s the expression “Jim Crow” was being used to describe laws and customs aimed at segregating African Americans and others. These laws were intended to restrict social contact between whites and other groups and to limit the freedom and opportunity of people of color.

Plessy v. FergusonPlessy v. Ferguson

Eventually a legal case reached the Supreme Court Eventually a legal case reached the Supreme Court that would test the constitutionality of segregation.that would test the constitutionality of segregation.

In 1896, in In 1896, in Plessy v. FergusonPlessy v. Ferguson, the SC ruled that the , the SC ruled that the separation of races in public places was legal and did separation of races in public places was legal and did not violate the 14not violate the 14thth Amendment. Amendment.

The Court’s decision established the doctrine of The Court’s decision established the doctrine of “separate but equal,” which allowed states to maintain “separate but equal,” which allowed states to maintain segregated facilities as long as they provided equal segregated facilities as long as they provided equal service.service.

The decision permitted legalized racial segregation for The decision permitted legalized racial segregation for almost 60 years.almost 60 years.

Higher Education for Higher Education for African AmericansAfrican Americans

Booker T. WashingtonBooker T. Washington, a prominent AfrAmer , a prominent AfrAmer educator, believed that racism would end once educator, believed that racism would end once blacks acquired useful labor skills and proved blacks acquired useful labor skills and proved their economic value to society.their economic value to society.

In 1881 Washington was in charge of the In 1881 Washington was in charge of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial InstituteTuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, or , or now, now, Tuskegee UniversityTuskegee University in AL. in AL.

The school wanted to equip students with The school wanted to equip students with teaching diplomas and useful agricultural, teaching diplomas and useful agricultural, domestic, or mechanical skills.domestic, or mechanical skills.

W.E.B. Du BoisW.E.B. Du Bois, the first AfrAmer to receive a , the first AfrAmer to receive a doctorate from Harvard (1895), strongly doctorate from Harvard (1895), strongly disagreed with Washington’s views.disagreed with Washington’s views.

In 1905 Du Bois founded the In 1905 Du Bois founded the Niagara Niagara MovementMovement to insist that AfrAmer should seek a to insist that AfrAmer should seek a liberal arts education so that the AfrAmer liberal arts education so that the AfrAmer community would have educated leaders.community would have educated leaders.

Du Bois proposed that a group of educated Du Bois proposed that a group of educated blacks, the “talented tenth,” should try to blacks, the “talented tenth,” should try to achieve immediate inclusion into society.achieve immediate inclusion into society.

National Association for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Advancement of Colored

People (NAACP)People (NAACP) In 1909 a group of AfrAmer and white In 1909 a group of AfrAmer and white

reformers met in New York to found the reformers met in New York to found the NAACPNAACP to combat racial inequalities. to combat racial inequalities.

By 1914 the NAACP would have 6000 By 1914 the NAACP would have 6000 members aimed at achieving full racial members aimed at achieving full racial equality.equality.

Chapter 17Chapter 17The Progressive The Progressive

EraEra

Progressivism and Its Progressivism and Its ChampionsChampions

Industrialization helped many but also created dangerous working environments and unhealthy living conditions for the urban poor.

Progressivism, a wide-ranging reform movement targeting these problems, began in the late 19th century.

Four goals of Progressivism included: Protecting social welfare Promoting moral improvement Creating economic reform Fostering efficiency

Jacob Riis Danish immigrant who

faced New York poverty

Exposed the slums through magazines, photographs, and a best-selling book called How the Other Half Lives

His fame helped spark city reforms.

Ida Tarbell Exposed the corrupt

Standard Oil Company and its owner, John D. Rockefeller

Appealed to middle class scared by large business power

Lincoln Steffens•Shame of the Cities (1904) exposed corrupt city governments

Frank Norris•Exposed railroad monopolies in a 1901 novel

Journalists called muckrakers and urban photographers exposed people to the plight of the unfortunate in hopes of sparking reform.

Election ReformsElection Reforms

Progressives wanted fairer elections and to Progressives wanted fairer elections and to make politicians more accountable to voters.make politicians more accountable to voters.

Proposed a direct primary, or an election in Proposed a direct primary, or an election in which voters choose candidates to run in a which voters choose candidates to run in a general election, which most states adopted.general election, which most states adopted.

Backed the Backed the Seventeenth AmendmentSeventeenth Amendment, , which gave voters, not state legislatures, the which gave voters, not state legislatures, the power to elect their U.S. senators.power to elect their U.S. senators.

Election ReformsElection Reforms

Some measures Progressives fought for Some measures Progressives fought for include:include: Direct primaryDirect primary: voters select a party’s candidate for public : voters select a party’s candidate for public

officeoffice 17th Amendment17th Amendment:: voters elect their senators directlyvoters elect their senators directly Secret ballotSecret ballot: people vote privately without fear of coercion: people vote privately without fear of coercion InitiativeInitiative: allows citizens to propose new laws: allows citizens to propose new laws ReferendumReferendum: allows citizens to vote on a proposed or existing : allows citizens to vote on a proposed or existing

lawlaw RecallRecall: : allows voters to remove an elected official from officeallows voters to remove an elected official from office

Roosevelt’s UpbringingRoosevelt’s Upbringing

Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt was a sickly, shy youth whom doctors was a sickly, shy youth whom doctors forbade to play sports or do strenuous activities.forbade to play sports or do strenuous activities.

In his teenage years, Roosevelt reinvented himself, taking up In his teenage years, Roosevelt reinvented himself, taking up sports and becoming vigorous, outgoing, and optimistic.sports and becoming vigorous, outgoing, and optimistic.

Roosevelt came from a prominent New York family and attended Roosevelt came from a prominent New York family and attended Harvard University, but he grew to love the outdoors.Harvard University, but he grew to love the outdoors.

He spent time in northern Maine and in the rugged Badlands of He spent time in northern Maine and in the rugged Badlands of North Dakota, riding horses and hunting buffalo.North Dakota, riding horses and hunting buffalo.

In 1884, when Roosevelt was 26, both his mother and his young In 1884, when Roosevelt was 26, both his mother and his young wife died unexpectedly.wife died unexpectedly.

Trying to forget his grief, he returned to his ranch in Dakota Trying to forget his grief, he returned to his ranch in Dakota Territory, where he lived and worked with cowboys.Territory, where he lived and worked with cowboys.

He returned to New York after two years and entered politics.He returned to New York after two years and entered politics.

Roosevelt’s View of the Roosevelt’s View of the PresidencyPresidency

Roosevelt’s rise to governor of New York upset the Republican Roosevelt’s rise to governor of New York upset the Republican political machine.political machine.

To get rid of the progressive Roosevelt, party bosses got him To get rid of the progressive Roosevelt, party bosses got him elected as vice president, a position with little power at that time.elected as vice president, a position with little power at that time.

President President William McKinleyWilliam McKinley was shot and killed in 1901, leaving the was shot and killed in 1901, leaving the office to Roosevelt.office to Roosevelt.

At 42 years old he was the youngest president and an avid reformer.At 42 years old he was the youngest president and an avid reformer.

Roosevelt saw the presidency as a Roosevelt saw the presidency as a bully pulpitbully pulpit, or a platform to , or a platform to publicize important issues and seek support for his policies on publicize important issues and seek support for his policies on reform.reform.

The Square DealThe Square Deal

The The Square DealSquare Deal became Roosevelt’s 1904 campaign slogan became Roosevelt’s 1904 campaign slogan and the framework for his entire presidency.and the framework for his entire presidency.

He promised to “see that each is given a square deal, He promised to “see that each is given a square deal, because he is entitled to no more and should receive no because he is entitled to no more and should receive no less.”less.”

Roosevelt’s promise revealed his belief that the needs of Roosevelt’s promise revealed his belief that the needs of workers, business, and consumers should be balanced.workers, business, and consumers should be balanced.

Roosevelt’s square deal called for Roosevelt’s square deal called for limiting the power of limiting the power of trusts, promoting public health and safety, and improving trusts, promoting public health and safety, and improving working conditions.working conditions.

Dismay Over Food and Dismay Over Food and Drug PracticesDrug Practices

FoodFood

Food producers used clever tricks to pass off tainted foods:Food producers used clever tricks to pass off tainted foods:

Dairies churned fresh milk into spoiled butter.Dairies churned fresh milk into spoiled butter.

Poultry sellers added formaldehyde, which is used to embalm Poultry sellers added formaldehyde, which is used to embalm dead bodies, to old eggs to hide their smell.dead bodies, to old eggs to hide their smell.

• Unwary customers bought the tainted food thinking it was healthy.Unwary customers bought the tainted food thinking it was healthy.

DrugsDrugs

Drug companies were also unconcerned for customer health:Drug companies were also unconcerned for customer health:

Some sold medicines that didn’t work.Some sold medicines that didn’t work.

Some marketed nonprescription medicines containing narcotics.Some marketed nonprescription medicines containing narcotics.

Dr. James’ Soothing Syrup, intended to soothe babies’ Dr. James’ Soothing Syrup, intended to soothe babies’ teething pain, contained heroin.teething pain, contained heroin.

Gowan’s Pneumonia Cure contained the addictive painkiller Gowan’s Pneumonia Cure contained the addictive painkiller morphine.morphine.

Upton Sinclair and Upton Sinclair and MeatpackingMeatpacking

Of all industries, meatpacking was the worst.Of all industries, meatpacking was the worst.

The novelist The novelist Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair exposed the wretched and unsanitary exposed the wretched and unsanitary conditions at meatpacking plants in his novel conditions at meatpacking plants in his novel The JungleThe Jungle, igniting , igniting a firestorm of criticism aimed at meatpackers.a firestorm of criticism aimed at meatpackers.

Roosevelt ordered Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson to Roosevelt ordered Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson to investigate packing house conditions, and his report of gruesome investigate packing house conditions, and his report of gruesome practices shocked Congress into action.practices shocked Congress into action.

In 1906 it enacted two groundbreaking consumer protection laws:In 1906 it enacted two groundbreaking consumer protection laws:

– The Meat Inspection Act required federal government inspection of meat shipped across state lines.

– The Pure Food and Drug Act outlawed food and drugs containing harmful ingredients, and required that containers carry ingredient labels.

Environmental Environmental ConservationConservation

Roosevelt’s ThoughtsRoosevelt’s Thoughts Recognized that natural resources were limited and that government Recognized that natural resources were limited and that government

should regulate resourcesshould regulate resources Disagreed with naturalist John Muir, who helped protect Yosemite Disagreed with naturalist John Muir, who helped protect Yosemite

Park and thought the entire wilderness should be preservedPark and thought the entire wilderness should be preserved Believed that conservation involved the active management of Believed that conservation involved the active management of

public land for varied uses: some preservation, some economicalpublic land for varied uses: some preservation, some economicalRoosevelt’s SolutionRoosevelt’s Solution

The Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902 reflected Roosevelt’s beliefs.The Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902 reflected Roosevelt’s beliefs. The law allowed federal government to create irrigation projects to The law allowed federal government to create irrigation projects to

make dry lands productive.make dry lands productive. The projects would be funded from money raised by selling off The projects would be funded from money raised by selling off

public lands.public lands. During Roosevelt’s presidency, 24 reclamation projects were During Roosevelt’s presidency, 24 reclamation projects were

launched.launched.

John Muir (1838-1914) was a Scottish-born journalist and naturalist best known for his explorations of the Yosemite area (1868-1873) and for his efforts to create Yosemite, Sequoia and General Grant National Parks (1890). He was also a founder of the Sierra Club (1892).