Chapter 2 : The Progressive Era

• The evils of American society :

  • Political corruption, cronyism (favoritism)
  • Poor working conditions (in factories, life expectancy at 45yo)
  • Misery, diseases, criminality
• These 3 movements were considered as the firsts movements in the Progressive Era :

  • The Mugwumps : Republicans fighting corruption within their own party
  • The Populist Party : supporting farmers
  • Knights of Labor : focused on working conditions
• Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt

  1901 - 1909
• Roosevelt became president after that...

  McKinley was assassinated
• Theodore Roosevelt was named vice president of William McKinley for his...


  Reformist ideas
• Theodore Roosevelt was republican or democrat ?

  Republican
• Roosevelt, in his idea of expanding the power of the presidency, used the White House as a bully pulpit (a position of authority) to preach about the need for an assertive government and an active foreign policy.
• Roosevelt, in his idea of expanding the power of the presidency, sought to improve every aspect of society against the problems of industrialization and urbanization
• Roosevelt, in his idea of expanding the power of the presidency, introduced the idea of “conservation” & environmentalism
• The Progressive Era was marked by Youth reforms and Urban reforms
• What did change concerning education in the Youth reforms during the Progressive Era ?

  • It became an instrument of social change, teach about health and community life
  • Called for compulsory attendance in kindergartens and high-schools
• What did change concerning Child labor in the Youth reforms during the Progressive Era ?

  • Used photographs to increase public awareness
  • Limit the workhours to eight per day
  • Resistance by many Southern states
  • Congress passed laws in 1916 and 1918, but were blocked by the Supreme Court
• What did change concerning Public Health in the Urban reforms during the Progressive Era ?



  The “social hygiene movement” : multiple campaigns against malaria, tuberculosis or infant mortality
• What did change concerning Urban Planning in the Urban reforms during the Progressive Era ?



  • Developed city infrastructures : water and sewer systems, electricity
  • Professionalized city services : public transportation, librairies, hospitals, museums, parks
  • Organized the city : police departments, sports fields, and bathouses in poor neighborhoods
• What was the situation concerning Women's rights in 1900 ?

  • Only 4 Western states authorized women to vote
  • 700,000 married women were in the workforce
• Women's clubs during the Progressive Era

  • General Federation of Women’s Clubs (formed in NYC)
  • National Association of Colored Women (organized in Washington D.C.)
  • Staffed by upper-middle-class, educated, northern women
• WCTU means ?

  Woman's Christian Temperance Union
• WCTU was founded in 1874 to fight drunkenness
• WCTU was extended to support every reform that would improve women’s social welfare and rights.
• After it's creation, WCTU was further developed to fight urban poverty, child labor, help prison reform, and home protection.
• WTUL means

  Women's Trade Union League
• For the WTUL, the right to vote was as a way to improve their economic interests and to foster a new sense of respect for working-class women
• National American Women Suffrage Association : the “Winning Plan” focused on state voting rights laws and the ratification of an amendment to the US Constitution
• National Woman’s Party : street protests, marches, hunger strikes, and picketing the White House in 1917
• In 1918, Woodrow Wilson declared his support for the women’s suffrage amendment
• In 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified by Congress (Women's right to vote)
• Social and political situation for African American civil rights

  • Generalization of segregation
  • Desenfranchisement in the South (i.e. restriction of suffrage)
  • Social Darwinism : pseudo-science supporting racial hierarchy
• Date of Presidency of Woodrow Wilson

  1913 - 1921
• Woodrow Wilson showed progressivism could be part of the Democrat’s agenda and platform.
• Major Progressive reforms

  • 1913, 16th amendment
  • 1919, 18th amendment
  • 1920, 19th amendment
• 16th Amendment


  Giving Congress the power to impose an income tax and 17th amendment : direct elections of senators
• 18th amendment


  Banning manufacture and sale of alcohol (Prohibition period)
• 19th Amendment


  Women's right to vote