make 10 notes on this
Now to cover the entire Progressive Era in one video is a monumental task because there was
PROGRESSIVE ERA
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so much going on during this period. So let’s focus our efforts with the following task: let’s
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compare the foals and effects of the Progressive reform movement. Okay, that’s doable. Lets go.
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So, first, who were the progressives? Well they were a very diverse lot who didn’t always
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agree on every issue. In general they worked on issues like the growing power of big business,
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uncertainties in the economy the erupted especially as a result of the Panic of
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1893. They worked on issues like the increasingly violent conflicts between labor groups and their
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employers. They wanted to break control that political machines exercised over urban residents.
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They wanted to take on Jim Crow segregation in the South and secure the right of women to vote,
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and deal with the problem of alcohol, and on and on and on. And the people who called themselves
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Progressives were as diverse as their causes. You had Protestant church leaders and feminists
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and labor union leaders and African Americans. And as I said, they didn’t always agree on what causes
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were most important. But what truly bound all these diverse groups and causes together was this:
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they all agreed that society, on some level, was deteriorating and that
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the only cure was significant government intervention. And that’s important for you to
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remember. Progressives believed that true societal change wouldn’t occur from grassroots efforts,
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although they did their fair share of grassroots campaigning. In the end, if society was to be
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corrected and saved, the government must get involved in a vigorous and invasive manner.
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Now let’s jump into some of the various sectors of Progressivism. First were the Progressive Era
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journalists through whose work many of the major social justice issues of the day became public
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knowledge. They were a new breed of investigative journalists who sought to expose the rotten
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underbelly of American corruption. Teddy Roosevelt dubbed them muckrakers, which was a reference to
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a character in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress who neglected his salvation in order to focus on
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raking up the muck on the ground. So, the title wasn’t a compliment. However, these journalists
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embraced the moniker and they proudly raked the muck of American corruption for all to see.
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Maybe the best known of all the muckrakers’ works was Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. This was a story
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that exposed the unsanitary conditions of the meat packing industry. He has these vivid a stomach
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turning images of workers’ thumbs dropping into the ground meat and rats all over the factory
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and the great cacophany of the squealing of slaughtered pigs. It’s truly awful to read.
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Ida Tarbell is another muckraker you ought to know. She published a devastating expose on
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John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil company. Jacob Riis was a photojournalist whose book
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How the Other Half Lives exposed the unsanitary and disease ridden
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living conditions of the poor and working class who lived in New York’s tenements.
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And so for all the journalists I mentioned and the many more I didn’t, their goal was
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simply to shine a light on the corruption in their society. They hoped that such exposure
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would influence the people to put pressure on those in the halls of power to make changes.
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Okay, moving on to another major issue for Progressives: expansion of democracy. In
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order to challenge the influence of political bosses like, for example,
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in Tammany Hall, Progressives wanted to put more of the voting power back into the hands
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of the people. One way they sought to do this was through the secret ballot, in other words,
SECRET BALLOT
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that voting could be done in secret. And you may wonder: isn’t that how voting IS done? Well,
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not prior to this. One of the reasons political bosses were ablet o keep power is that as they
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doled out their favors to members of the community, they did so in exchange for their
votes. With the secret ballot, individuals could vote their conscience without fear of coercion or retribution. The goal was to make elections more fair and democratic by ensuring that votes were truly representative of the people’s choices. And another way Progressives sought to expand democracy was through the initiative, referendum, and recall. The initiative allowed citizens to propose new laws, the referendum allowed citizens to vote on proposed laws, and the recall allowed citizens to remove elected officials from office. These reforms aimed to give citizens more direct control over their government and hold elected officials accountable to the will of the people.
Next, let’s talk about the Progressives’ efforts to regulate big business. The rise of corporate monopolies and trusts in the late 1800s had led to widespread economic inequality and the exploitation of workers. In response, Progressives pushed for antitrust laws to break up these powerful corporations and promote fair competition. One of the most famous examples of this was the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which aimed to prevent monopolies and cartels from controlling prices and stifling competition. Progressives also advocated for government regulation of industries such as railroads, banking, and meatpacking to protect consumers and ensure fair business practices. These reforms were aimed at curbing the abuses of big business and promoting a more equitable and competitive economic system.
Another key issue for Progressives was labor rights and working conditions. The rapid industrialization of the late 19th and early 20th centuries had created harsh working conditions and low wages for many workers. Progressives fought for labor laws that would protect workers from exploitation, such as limits on working hours and minimum wage laws. They also supported the formation of labor unions to give workers a voice in negotiating better pay and working conditions. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911, in which 146 garment workers were killed due to unsafe working conditions, was a tragic reminder of the need for workplace safety regulations.
Additionally, Progressives worked to address social and moral issues such as poverty, education, and public health. They advocated for government-funded social programs to provide assistance to the poor and vulnerable, such as welfare and public housing. They also pushed for educational reforms to ensure that all children had access to a quality education, regardless of their background. Public health initiatives, such as sanitation and disease prevention campaigns, helped improve living conditions and reduce the spread of illnesses. These efforts aimed to create a more just and equitable society by addressing the root causes of social inequality and promoting the well-being of all citizens.
In conclusion, the Progressive Era was a time of significant social, political, and economic change in the United States. Progressives sought to address the challenges of industrialization and urbanization by promoting government intervention and social reform. Through their efforts, they were able to make lasting improvements in areas such as labor rights, consumer protection, and democratic governance. While not all of their reforms were successful, the legacy of the Progressive Era continues to influence American society to this day.
just 10 short sentences as notes thats it
1. Progressives were a diverse group who aimed to tackle social, economic, and political issues in the early 20th century.
2. They sought to expose corruption through investigative journalism, known as muckraking.
3. Progressives pushed for reforms such as antitrust laws to regulate big business.
4. They championed labor rights, leading to improvements in working conditions and wages.
5. Progressives advocated for expanding democracy through initiatives like the secret ballot and referendum.
6. Social and moral issues, such as poverty and public health, were also key concerns for Progressives.
7. Their efforts led to the creation of government-funded social programs to support the less fortunate.
8. The Progressive Era saw improvements in education and public health initiatives.
9. Progressives worked to promote social equality and economic fairness.
10. The legacy of the Progressive Era continues to influence American society today.