The Progressive Era

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Use the 1st 3 Learning Quizzes throughout the Unit.
Lesson 1 ------------------------------------------------------------

1.      Why the Progressive Era? Response to Gilded Age industrialization

·        By all levels of government:  city, state (initiative, referendum), federal (increasing use of commissions, but names vary)

·        In the Constitution–Populist-proposed, Progressive-passed, 1913 16th (income tax) & 17th (direct election, Senators)

·        By the Free Press & Muckrakers–McClure’s Magazine; Examples: Ida Tarbell (Standard Oil) , Upton Sinclair (meatpacking), Lincoln Stephens (city government)

2.      Progressive Era foreign policy

·        T. Roosevelt/TR (Rep.) 1901-1904, 1904-1908 - Panama Canal, Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine (background on sovereign debt)

·        W.H. Taft (Rep) 1908-1912–Dollar Diplomacy in Asia & Latin America

·        W. Wilson (Dem), 1912-1916, 1916-1920 - Intervention in Mexico and counter by Pancho Villa

3.      Progressive domestic policy–Theodore Roosevelt

·        Trust policy-Northern Securities case–“public interest”

·        Labor policy-Square Deal & the coal strike

·        Consumer Protections – Example: FDA & Meat Inspection Act

4.      Progressive domestic policy–W.H. Taft (1908-1912), primarily on-going political fights with TR; split in the Rep party]

5.      4 way split in 1912–TR, Taft, Wilson, & E.V. Debs (Socialist)

6.      Progressive domestic policy–Woodrow Wilson on privileges:

·        Trust policy–Federal Trade Commission

·        Bank policy-Federal Reserve & currency

·        Tariff–lowered; income tax, later as amendment

7.      Progressive era & groups forming and changing

·        Caution: increased anti-immigrant, anti-African American

·        W. Wilson, 1st time segregation in DC federal jobs

·        Factories-increasing mechanization since Henry Ford’s assembly line but increased pay ($5 a day men)

·        Women-suffragettes (DC parade)

 

The Progressive Era. 1

Why the Progressive Era?. 2

Response to Gilded Age Industrialization as It Damages Social and Political Life. 2

Governmental Reform at All Levels. 2

Reform by the Free Press (and Its Middle Class Readers) 2

Foreign Policy of the 3 Presidents in the Progressive Era. 2

Foreign policy -Theodore Roosevelt 2

Foreign Policy - William Howard Taft 3

Foreign Policy - Woodrow Wilson (but not including World War I) 3

Domestic Policy, Labor, and Trusts – Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1908) 3

Domestic Policy – W.H. Taft (1908-1912) 3

Election of 1912 – a 4-Way Split 3

Domestic Policy, Labor, Trusts, and Tariffs (and Income Tax) – Woodrow Wilson (1912-1920) 3

Groups. 4

Racism and Theodore Roosevelt 4

Racism and Woodrow Wilson. 4

Groups Changing and Forming. 4

 

Why the Progressive Era?

Response to Gilded Age Industrialization as It Damages Social and Political Life

Government as the Only Counter to Big Business and Trusts – Letting Theodore Roosevelt Speak for Many

trusts are the creatures of the State, and the State not only has the right to control them, but it is in duty bound to control them wherever the need of such control is shown.”

Theodore Roosevelt

August 23, 1902

Link Address: http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/images/research/txtspeeches/16.txt

Governmental Reform at All Levels

·        City– commission (group of experts), city manager

·        State–initiative, referendum

·        Federal–increasing use of commissions (names vary)

·        Constitution–Populist-proposed, Progressive-passed, 1913 16th (income tax) & 17th (direct election, Senators)

Reform by the Free Press (and Its Middle Class Readers)

·        McClure’s Magazine

·        Muckrakers such as:

·        Ida Tarbell (Standard Oil) – gender?

·        Upton Sinclair (meatpacking)

·        Lincoln Stephens (city government)

Foreign Policy of the 3 Presidents in the Progressive Era

Foreign policy -Theodore Roosevelt

Date

Presidential Election/Event

Beyond America/ Foreign Policy

1900-11

William McKinley vs. William Jennings Bryan

 

 

 

Canal: Britain gives up right to participate in canal

1901-09

McKinley, assassinated by anarchist; T.R. President

 

1901-11

 

Canal: Congress, favors Nicaraguan route, later Panama

1902

 

US Navy into Venezuela – German & British debt collection in region

1903

 

Canadian-US boundary – arbitration + “big stick”

1903-10

 

Canal: Panama zone from, but not ratified by Columbian Senate

1903-11

 

Canal: Panama revolt; Panama zone from Panama (Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty)

1904-11

Theodore Roosevelt vs. Alton B. Parker vs. E. V. Debs (Socialist)

 

1904-12

 

Dominican Republicdebt collection Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine

1905

 

Far East: T.R. in ending Russo-Japanese War (Portsmouth treaty); Korea, Philippines arrangement

1907-02

 

“Gentleman’s Agreement”

1908-11

 

China Open Door, Root-Takahira Agreement

Foreign Policy - William Howard Taft

Date

Presidential Election/Event

Beyond America/ Foreign Policy

1908-11

William Howard Taft vs. William Jennings Bryan

Dollar Diplomacy”- Secretary of State Philander Knox – the “borrower is the servant of the lender”

1909

 

US investors into Honduras to block British

1910

 

Far East: Attempted US investments in Manchuria

1911-06

 

Canal: Require Nicaragua to give US control of customs,

1912-08

 

Canal: Nicaragua revolt; US troops (through 1933)

Foreign Policy - Woodrow Wilson

Date

Presidential Election/Event

Beyond America/ Foreign Policy

1912-11

William Howard Taft vs. Woodrow Wilson vs. T. Roosevelt vs. E. V. Debs (Socialist)

 

1913

President speaks to Congress (on the tariff) – 1st time since Jefferson’s precedent

Mexico: Ongoing coups (since Taft), US Marines - Tampico and Vera Cruz incidents

1916

 

Not beyond America, but in AmericaPancho” Villa

 

Domestic Policy, Labor, and Trusts – Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1908)

Background:  government positions in New York, Assistant Navy Secretary, Rough Rider, governor of New York,

-        1902 Square Deal – anthracite coal strike and an innovative use of Presidential power

-        1904 Northern Securities – how an innovative use of Presidential power and the “good”/”bad” trusts approach

-        1906 Upton Sinclair and the Pure Food and Drugs Act – and the FDA, a commission

-        1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City – Not a test question, but reality.

Domestic Policy – W.H. Taft (1908-1912)

Background: Administrator who calmed the Philippines. He is caught between the Republican Party and T.R.

Election of 1912 – a 4-Way Split

Democratic Party  – Woodrow Wilson                                              6,286,214       435

Republican Party – William Howard Taft                                          3,483,922            8

Progressive (Bull Moose) Party – Theodore Roosevelt                   4,126,020         88
Note: Avoided African American issues.

Socialist Party – E.V. Debs                                                                    897,011

Domestic Policy, Labor, Trusts, and Tariffs (and Income Tax) – Woodrow Wilson (1912-1920)

Background: Professor, public speaker, President of Princeton, governor of New Jersey

-        1913 Tariff (Underwood)–lowered and use of an income tax to substitute for the revenue (declared unconstitutional, thus the amendment to the Constitution)

-        1913 Federal Reserve Act - determine the amount of money in circulation, respond to cyclical business changes, and expand or contract the nation's credit.

-        1914 Colorado -Ludlow Massacre– Not a test question, but reality.

-        1914 Clayton Anti-Trust Act – “Magna Carta of Labor”[1] – Not a test question, but reality

-        1914 Federal Trade Commission – pre-approval of mergers

Groups

Racism and Theodore Roosevelt

-        1901 TR and Booker T. Washington at the White House (note the change in 1912) – Not a test question, but reality.

-        1906 “yellow peril,” segregation in California, and the “Gentlemen’s Agreement” with Japan – Not a test question, but reality.

-        1912 Election – He courts the Southern voters.

Racism and Woodrow Wilson

-        Favors Plessy v. Ferguson

-        WW’s segregation in Washington, DC and in federal jobs (a view held by Progressives other than WW)

Groups Changing and Forming

-        1909 NAACP and The Crisis

-        1913 Women – suffragettes and a march on Washington

-        1903 Ford Motor plant that uses assembly line – 1914  5$ for an 8-hour day (a more positive way to increase pressure on unions.)



[1] In regard to labor and agriculture, the act specified that ‘the labor of a human being is not a commodity or article of commerce; nothing contained in the antitrust laws shall be construed to forbid the existence and operation of labor, agricultural and horticultural organization … nor shall such organizations  be held or construed as illegal combinations….’” Further: no “injunctions” against them unless “to prevent injury to property,” 
“strikes, peaceful picketing, and boycotts legal under federal jurisdiction.” Encyclopedia of American History, p. 38