Progressivism 1901-13

• Progressivism = liberal movement which wanted the government to actively intervene by using the law to help the less fortunate in society
• Reasons for progressivism

  • Economic- 1893 recession - high unemployment, wages cut, banks collapsing so people lost savings, agriculture fell.
  • social- poor living and working conditions 16 hour days and 72 hour weeks
  • political reform- weak presidents - corruption - political parties in need of reform
  • fear of revolution- growth of socialism genuine fear that they could turn to communism
  • regulating big business- titans held a lot of power - growing demand of the cure of monopolies and end price fixing
  • muckraking- digging up dirt on big business, president and monopolies
• How did muckraking journalism contribute to the rise of progressivism?

  Exposing corruption and social injustices.
• what was the history of the standard Oil company by Ida Tarbell in 1904?

  Exposing the monopolistic practices of the Standard Oil Company she described Rockefeller as a ‘living mummy’

  the impact = splintered the company into 34 ‘baby standards‘ - Rockefellers shares rose
• What was the jungle by Upton Sinclair in 1906?

  Exposé of the meatpacking industry.

  the public response = the US pure food and drug act 1906 which ensured that meatpacking plants processed their products in a sanitary manner passed by TR.

  the meat inspection act
• what was how the other half lives by Jacob Riis?

  Photojournalism about harsh living conditions of recent immigrants in New York City tenements house act of 1901.

  the more wealthy soon moved away from these slum areas into the suburbs - trash was dumped into the streets, houses overcrowded and polluted in slums

  cholera and yellow fever epidemics swept through the slums on regular basis
• The impact of how the other half lives

  • shocked millions by demonstrating the other reality
  • sold more than 28 million copies worldwide
  • tenements were taken down and were sold for only $1
  • the New York tenement house act 1901 - put toilets inside instead of outside
  • led to colonal Waring introducing waste collection and sanitation in New York
  • by 1907 every large nation had sewers