GILDED AGE – PROGRESSIVE ERA
Feb 22, 2016
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