progressive era literature

With an increasing disdain for the upper class and aristocracy of the time, the middle class is characterized by their rejection of the individualistic philosophy of the Upper Ten. They wrote for popular magazines to expose social and political sins and shortcomings. Wickersham and his staff, all expert lawyers, were not experts in business management. [91][92], The Oregon Direct Legislation League was an organization of political activists founded by William S. U'Ren in 1898. [151], Reformers also sought to streamline government through the introduction of the short ballot. [119] Inspired by crusading Judge Ben Lindsey of Denver, cities established juvenile courts to deal with disruptive teenagers without sending them to adult prisons. The Progressive Era (1896-1917) was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States focused on defeating corruption, monopoly, waste and inefficiency. Others such as Lincoln Steffens exposed political corruption in many large cities; Ida Tarbell is famed for her criticisms of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company. The Progressive Era saw conflicting ideas regarding the role of . National Democratic Congressional Committee. The movement's attempts at introducing urban reforms to rural America often met resistance from traditionalists who saw the country-lifers as aggressive modernizers who were condescending and out of touch with rural life. Certain key groups of thinkers, writers, and activists played key roles in creating or building the movements and ideas that came to define the shape of the Progressive Era. Lewis L. Gould, "Progressives and prohibitionists: Texas Democratic politics, 19111921." While these western Republicans could stir up issues, they could rarely forge a majority, since they were too individualistic and did not form a unified caucus. Stivers, C. (2009). The Science . The inauguration of Pres. [128], Some activists demanded change, and questioned the old thinking regarding marriage and sexuality. He supported voting rights for women but was silent on civil rights for blacks, who remained in the regular Republican fold. He quipped, "I aimed at the public's heart and by accident, I hit it in the stomach," as readers demanded and got the Meat Inspection Act[20] and the Pure Food and Drug Act. Many of today's U.S. regulatory agencies were created during these years, including the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. The banking system was transformed with the creation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913. Organized crime was able to be successful due to their willingness to use intimidation and violence to carry out their illicit enterprises. ", Theresa Ventura, "From Small Farms to Progressive Plantations: The Trajectory of Land Reform in the American Colonial Philippines, 19001916. The goals set during the Progressive Era still apply today. In the South the 1890s saw the virtual elimination of the possibility of Republican or Populist or coalition victories in most elections. The poor rural backward state took a regional leadership role in modernizing the economy in society, based on expanded roles for public education, state universities, and more roles for middle class women. He argued to the Supreme Court that trusts should be dissolved into their constituent parts, arguing they were artificial creations and did not achieve their positions through normal business methods and hence were guilty of violating the Sherman act. I personally believe that the American eugenics movement was where the Nazis got the majority of their ideas of eugenics which they ultimately used to kill millions of people. Most important, the traditionalists did not want to become modern, and did not want their children inculcated with alien modern values through comprehensive schools that were remote from local control. They criticized Progressivism as the ultimate end of a middle-class search for social control of the masses, or they focused on its class dimension. Standard Oil was widely hated. Four years after publication of The Brass Check, the first code of ethics for journalists was created. These pamphlets from 100500 pages contain official platforms, arguments, biographies, speeches and statistics, all designed to help local party speakers. Direct link to Robert Novitsky's post How did the U.S. congress, Posted 7 years ago. These laws were not rigorously enforced, however, until the years between 1900 and 1920, when Republican President Theodore Roosevelt (19011909), Democratic President Woodrow Wilson (19131921), and others sympathetic to the views of the Progressives came to power. [102] The South was targeted in the 1920s and 1930s by the Julius Rosenwald Fund, which contributed matching funds to local communities for the construction of thousands of schools for African Americans in rural areas throughout the South. Its goals were to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and enlarge the opportunities for upward social mobility. By reducing the number of elected officials and consolidating their power in singular officials like a governor they hoped to increase accountability and clarity in government. In the early twentieth century, reformers worked to improve American society and counteract the effect of industrialization. [156], In New Jersey, on the other hand, the party leaders introduced the primary in every county by 1902. [203], While anti-imperialist sentiments had been prevalent in the United States during this time, the acquisition of the Philippines sparked the relatively minor population into action. The league also concentrated on campaigns for the right of individual communities to choose whether to close their saloons. [90] The Stalwarts controlled the Regents, and their interference in academic freedom outraged the faculty. The Progressive movement split into hostile factions. The Progressives also made strides in attempts to reduce political corruption through the 17th amendment (direct election of U.S. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for LIFE History Of The United States Vol 9 1901-1917 The Progressive Era 1976 at the best online prices at eBay! They finally achieved that goal with the NorrisLa Guardia Act of 1932. The Roosevelt in approach incorporated a near-mystical faith of the ennobling nature of war. ", Mowry, George E. The California Progressive and His Rationale: A Study in Middle Class Politics., Bruce, Kyle and Chris Nyland. Richard Jensen and Mark Friedberger, "Education and Social Structure: An Historical Study of Iowa, 18701930" (Chicago: Newberry Library, 1976, Ballard Campbell, "Economic Causes of Progressivism,", Vincent W. Howard, "Woodrow Wilson, The Press, and Presidential Leadership: Another Look at the Passage of the Underwood Tariff, 1913,", James C German Jr "The Taft administration and the Sherman Antitrust Act,", George W. Wickersham, "Recent Interpretation of the Sherman Act.". [33] Along these lines, the founder of Hull-House, Jane Addams, coined the term "association" as a counter to Individualism, with association referring to the search for a relationship between the classes. Donning the mantle of motherhood, female activists methodically investigated their community's needs and used their "maternal" expertise to lobby, create, and secure a place for themselves in an emerging state welfare bureaucracy, best illustrated perhaps by clubwoman Julia Lathrop's leadership in the Children's Bureau. [170] By 1910, most farmers subscribed to a farm newspaper, where editors promoted efficiency as applied to farming. Labor unions, especially the American Federation of Labor (AFL), grew rapidly in the early 20th century, and had a Progressive agenda as well. Charles Edward Russell led the reform writers with exposs ranging from The Greatest Trust in the World (1905) to The Uprising of the Many (1907), the latter of which reported on methods being tried to extend democracy in other countries. United States - The Progressive era | Britannica The most important political leaders during this time were Theodore Roosevelt, and Robert M. La Follette. [22][23], The Progressives were avid modernizers, with a belief in science and technology as the grand solution to society's flaws. The Progressive Era and Literature by Samantha Watt - Prezi Programs for new mothers included maternity care and training in baby care.[179]. The spirit of progressivism emerged in the 1890s, peaked in the 1900s, and decayed after 1917. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 halted most transcontinental immigration, only after 1919 did the flow of immigrants resume. The group led efforts in Oregon to establish an initiative and referendum system, allowing direct legislation by the state's citizens. Palmer, pointing to leaders like George Norris, says, "It is worth noting that progressivism, whilst temporarily losing the political initiative, remained popular in many western states and made its presence felt in Washington during both the Harding and Coolidge presidencies. John D. Buenker, John C. Boosham, and Robert M. Crunden, Arthur S. Link, "What Happened to the Progressive Movement in the 1920s?. "[146] Progressive whites found a "loophole" to the 15th Amendment's prohibition of denying one the right to vote due to race through the grandfather clause. Direct link to Caleb Reynolds's post I would say that every ma, Posted 6 years ago. America did not participate in WWI, preferring instead to try to broker peace and avoid conflict. H. Feldman, "The Direct Primary in New York State", H. Edward Flentje, "The Political Roots of City Managers in Kansas", Gwendoline Alphonso, "Hearth and Soul: Economics and Culture in Partisan Conceptions of the Family in the Progressive Era, 19001920,", D'Ann Campbell, "Judge Ben Lindsey and the Juvenile Court Movement, 19011904,", Marc T. Law, "The Origins of State Pure Food Regulation,", Paige Meltzer, "The Pulse and Conscience of America" The General Federation and Women's Citizenship, 19451960,", Debra Reid, "Rural African Americans and Progressive Reform,", Dianne D. Glave, "'A Garden so Brilliant With Colors, so Original in its Design': Rural African American Women, Gardening, Progressive Reform, and the Foundation of an African American Environmental Perspective. The Court agreed in 1911 and ordered the Justice Department to draw up complete reorganization plans in six months. It is difficult to determine the level of compliance, and although the media at the time portrayed the law as highly ineffective, even if it did not eradicate the use of alcohol, it certainly decreased alcohol consumption during the period. if the Klu Klux Klan was hurting the african-americans and people helped them, then why didn't the president and government try to stop the Klu Klux Klan? Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 53 (4): 399425. The Democrats were a minor conservative factor in Wisconsin. The federal decision together with the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 and the creation that years of the Federal Trade Commission largely de-escalated the antitrust rhetoric among progressives. Omissions? Wilson used a similar moralistic tone when dealing with Mexico. [115][116], At the local level the new city manager system was designed by progressives to increase efficiency and reduce partisanship and avoid the bribery of elected local officials. Wickersham discovered that trust busting meant higher prices for consumers. [256], Much less settled is the question of when the era ended. State Executive Committee. Sterilization is a medical procedure that stops the reproductive system from working. The Philippines was a major target for the progressive reformers. 4.9. Congress enacted a law regulating railroads in 1887 (the Interstate Commerce Act), and one preventing large firms from controlling a single industry in 1890 (the Sherman Antitrust Act). [43] He had four major domestic priorities: the conservation of natural resources, banking reform, tariff reduction, and opening access to raw materials by breaking up Western mining trusts. User: Truant officers came into use in the U.S. in the late 1800s. Johnson, Earl. Ph.D. dissertation. [99] The League sent questionnaires to prospective candidates to the state legislature to obtain their stance on direct legislation and to make those positions public. In 1913, the Anti-Saloon League first publicly appealed for a prohibition amendment. "[147], Legal historian Herbert Hovenkap argues that while many early Progressives inherited the racism of Jim Crow, as they began to innovate their own ideas, they would embrace behaviorism, cultural relativism, and marginalism, which stress environmental influences on humans rather than biological inheritance. [26][27], The number of rich families climbed exponentially, from 100 or so millionaires in the 1870s to 4000 in 1892 and 16,000 in 1916. Jack B. Rogers and Robert E. Blade, "The Great Ends of the Church: Two Perspectives". We still today depend on that to be able to buy groceries that are safe to eat, and to buy pharmaceuticals that won't have terrible side effects. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [264] This however ignores the violence and racism central to Klan ideology and activities, that had nothing to do with improving society, so much as enforcing racial hierarchies. [198], Progressives looked to legal arbitration as an alternative to warfare. Patterson took charge of the relief work and demonstrated in person the sort of business leaders he proposed. This worksheet would go best with a lesson on the Progressive Era reforms (Ida Tarbell, Jacob . Throughout the Progressive Era, it remained one of the prominent causes associated with Progressivism at the local, state and national level, though support across the full breadth of Progressives was mixed. The traditionalists said many of their reforms were unnecessary and not worth the trouble of implementing. "[211] Wilson and Bryan were moralistic and very religious; Roosevelt and La Follette were moralistic and not very religious.[212][213][214]. Muckraking magazines, notably McClure's, took on corporate monopolies and political machines while raising public awareness of chronic urban poverty, unsafe working conditions, and social issues like child labor. [98] Following the Oregon model, John Randolph Haynes organized the Direct Legislation League of California in 1902 to launch the campaign for inclusion of the initiative and referendum in the state's constitution. [129], The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was an American women's rights organization formed in May 1890 as a unification of the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). [138][139] George Washington Carver (18601943) was a leader in promoting environmentalism, and was well known for his research projects, particularly those involving agriculture. A massive flood in Dayton in 1913 killed 400 people and caused $100 million in property damage. At the state and national levels new food and drug laws strengthened urban efforts to guarantee the safety of the food system. Federal immigration policies in the Progressive Era, including the, In line with their view of human nature as capable of being engineered and manipulated, many Progressive reformers advocated selective breeding, or. [101], The South was a main target of Northern philanthropy designed to fight poverty and disease, and help the black community. He crusaded against Stalwart party bosses of the state Republican Party, and won voter approval in a referendum in 1904. This affected both the government and the public reformers. President Theodore Roosevelt was a leader of the Progressive movement, and he championed his "Square Deal" domestic policies, promising the average citizen fairness, breaking of trusts, regulation of railroads, and pure food and drugs. They were alarmed by the spread of slums, poverty, and what they perceived as the exploitation of labor. The Progressive Writers' Association was set up in Kolkata in July 1936. It then flooded the state with letters seeking new members, money, and endorsements from organizations like the State Federation of Labor. Michael J. Klarman, "The White Primary Rulings: A Case Study in the Consequences of Supreme Court Decisionmaking". Muckrakers were journalists who encouraged readers to demand more regulation of business. Dewey felt the younger generation was losing the opportunity to learn the art of democratic participation and in turn wrote many novels such as The Child and the Curriculum and Schools of tomorrow. Download or read book The Gilded Age and Progressive Era written by Wendy Martin and published by Greenwood. John Thomas, Alternative America: Henry George, Edward Bellamy, Henry . Constitution. He expanded the army and sent the Great White Fleet on a world tour to project the United States naval power around the globe. However he was defeated by former President Theodore Roosevelt, who had broken with his protg Taft in 1910. Buenker, John D., and Edward R. Kantowicz, eds. (This was happening as late as the 1970s in states like California and North Carolina). Outside the Senate, however, a strong majority of the surviving Progressives from the 1910s had become conservative opponents of New Deal economic planning.[283]. Muckrakers were investigative reporters and writers during the Progressive Era (1890-1920) who wrote about corruption and injustices in order to bring about changes in society. A leading Republican, Cummins fought to break up monopolies. "Business Disunity and the Progressive Movement, 19011914,". Historian Paige Meltzer puts the GFWC in the context of the Progressive Movement, arguing that its policies: built on Progressive-era strategies of municipal housekeeping. Updates? He insisted that antitrust lawsuits continue to the end; 16 new cases were launched in the last 2 months of the Taft administration.[191]. [124], President Taft signed the March 4, 1913, bill (the last day of his presidency), establishing the Department of Labor as a Cabinet-level department, replacing the previous Department of Commerce and Labor. This era had a. Woodrow Wilson and the Progressive Era E766 .L5. Score .8862. Relevant Search Results in OneSearch American literature -- 19th century -- History and criticism. He launched a series of articles in McClure's, called Tweed Days in St. Louis,[60] that would later be published together in a book titled The Shame of the Cities. As membership grew it worked with other private organizations to petition the state legislature, which was not responsive. [112], Disturbed by the waste, inefficiency, stubbornness, corruption, and injustices of the Gilded Age, the Progressives were committed to changing and reforming every aspect of the state, society and economy. The period of US history from the 1890s to the 1920s is usually referred to as the. It rejects inaccurate portrayals of the real world, and focuses instead on details and physical appearances. Direct link to margarethholcomb's post The idea of sterilization, Posted 6 years ago. [233] The prohibition era gangsters outlasted the law and used it as a starting point to launch their criminal enterprises. ", Link, Arthur. ", Dewey W. Grantham, "The Contours of Southern Progressivism. Relying on their own investigative journalism, muckrakers often worked to expose social ills and corporate and political corruption. Gilded Age and Progressive Era Book List The American Association for Highway Improvement was organized in 1910. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [249] Progressive leaders like Herbert Croly and Walter Lippmann indicated their classically liberal concern over the danger posed to the individual by the practice of eugenics. It was defeated because interest had waned, and strong opposition had developed especially in the German-American community, which feared women would impose prohibition. [14] He suggested that using the initiative would give political power to the working class and reduce the need for strikes. The main advocates of progressivism were often middle-class social reformers. Wilson proved especially effective in mobilizing public opinion behind tariff changes by denouncing corporate lobbyists, addressing Congress in person in highly dramatic fashion, and staging an elaborate ceremony when he signed the bill into law. Home economics emerged at the end of the nineteenth century in response to the many changes occurring both at the level of material culture and practices and in the more abstract realm of gender ideology and thinking about the home. [51], Gifford Pinchot was an American forester and politician. [129] Within more engagements and marriages, both parties would exchange love notes as a way to express their sexual feelings. He promoted a strong army and navy and attacked pacifists who thought democracy at home and peace abroad was best served by keeping America weak. Many subscribed to Andrew Carnegie's credo outlined in The Gospel of Wealth that said they owed a duty to society that called for philanthropic giving to colleges, hospitals, medical research, libraries, museums, religion, and social betterment. [3] Spreading the message of reform through mass-circulation newspapers and magazines by "probing the dark corners of American life" were investigative journalists known as muckrakers". The All India Writers' Association was set up in Lucknow on 9 April 1936 under the leadership of Syed Sajjad Zahir and Ahmed Ali at the Rifa-e-Aam Club in Lucknow. Progressive Era reformers sought to harness the power of the federal government to eliminate unethical and unfair business practices, reduce corruption, and counteract the negative social effects of industrialization. "Democracy, Republicanism and Efficiency: The Values of American Politics, 18851930," in Byron Shafer and Anthony Badger, eds. Wilson also presided over the passage of the Federal Reserve Act, which created a central banking system in the form of the Federal Reserve System. Most Northern states followed suit, with reformers proclaiming grass roots democracy. Direct link to Eden Fleming's post if the Klu Klux Klan was , Posted 3 years ago. Roosevelt's rhetoric was characterized by an intense moralism of personal righteousness. Former Arizona Republic politics editor Dave Wagner dies at 78 They often proposed city ownership of the transit lines, but the homeowners were reluctant to save a penny on fares by paying more dollars in property taxes [106], Dayton, Ohio, was under the reform leadership of John Patterson, the hard-charging chief executive of National Cash Register company. ", Dalton, Kathleen. The result, according to political scientist Henry Jones Ford, was that the United States Senate had become a "Diet of party lords, wielding their power without scruple or restraint, on behalf of those particular interests" that put them in office. LIFE History Of The United States Vol 9 1901-1917 The Progressive Era Political cartoon depicting fat businessmen sitting on bags of money while working people struggle under the burdens of their trades, such as clothing, iron, and lumber. [242][243] Prominent leaders included the Mayo Brothers whose Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, became world-famous for innovative surgery. . Most of its activists had opposed populism. 93 Recent literature has reconsidered the meaning of the Progressive era. The Progressives argued the need for government regulation of business practices to ensure competition and free enterprise. The Progressive Era isn't merely an event that happened in the past, but a contemporary topic. [4] Both of them invited Syed Fakhruddin Balley (known as Balley Alig)to join. [113], A main objective of the Progressive Era movement was to eliminate corruption within the government. The results were mixed. [95][96], Democrats who promoted progressive policies included George Earle Chamberlain (governor 19031909 and senator 19091921); Oswald West (governor 19111915); and Harry Lane (senator 19131917). However, as soon as Roosevelt declared his candidacy, most of La Follette's supporters switched away. Immigrants were not for reform either, fearing that such a thing would Americanize their children. [218], Prohibition was the outlawing of the manufacture, sale and transport of alcohol. Yes, racism and racial violence still exist. Characteristics of Progressivism included a favorable attitude toward urbanindustrial society, belief in mankind's ability to improve the environment and conditions of life, belief in an obligation to intervene in economic and social affairs, a belief in the ability of experts and in the efficiency of government intervention. [17] Another factor contributing to the dramatic upswing in magazine circulation was the prominent coverage of corruption in politics, local government, and big business, particularly by journalists and writers who became known as muckrakers. [215][216][217] The tone was typified by his denunciation of "predatory wealth" in a message he sent Congress in January 1908 calling for passage of new labor laws: Predatory wealthof the wealth accumulated on a giant scale by all forms of iniquity, ranging from the oppression of wageworkers to unfair and unwholesome methods of crushing out competition, and to defrauding the public by stock jobbing and the manipulation of securities. [260] However, as Arthur S. Link emphasized, the Progressives did not simply roll over and play dead. The progressive solution was the "open" primary by which any citizen could vote, or the "closed" primary limited to party members. Outside of government, Jane Addams, Grace Abbott, Edith Abbott, and Sophonisba Breckinridge were influential reformers. Their goal was to keep the various factions united for the fall campaign and minimize ticket-splitting. Increasingly skeptical of the capacity of social welfare legislation to remedy social ills, Croly argued that America's liberal promise could be redeemed only by syndicalist reforms involving workplace democracy. [210], Many progressive leaders used the rhetoric of righteousness to motivate their Protestant supporters. Roosevelt broke bitterly with Taft in 1910, and also with Wisconsin's progressive leader Robert M. La Follette. Black parents donated land and labor to build improved schools for their children. "Progressive" during the Progressive Era means both progress in passing a great amount of economic, political, social, and environmental reforms, as well as the advancement of people's thoughts with "muckraking" and more liberal ideas towards workers and women. Democratic Party Congressional Committee. ", Paul L. Murphy, "World War I and the Origin of Civil Liberties in the United States" (1979), Arthur S. Link, "What Happened to the Progressive Movement in the 1920s?,", Stanley Coben, "Ordinary white Protestants: The KKK of the 1920s,", Barry C. Edwards, "Putting Hoover on the Map: Was the 31st President a Progressive. In particular, the mixing of black and white pleasure-seekers in "black-and-tan" clubs troubled Progressive reformers. The main themes ended during American involvement in World War I (1917-1918) while the waste and efficiency elements continued into the 1920s. Concrete was first used in 1933, and expanded until it became the dominant surfacing material in the 1930s. Edwards, "Putting Hoover on the Map: Was the 31st President a Progressive" p 60. Some, such as Lillian Wald, fought to alleviate the plight of poor African Americans. In response to monopolies in the railroad and steel industries, the, Diversity and disagreement within progressivism, Causes and Effects of the Progressive Era, https://www.britannica.com/summary/The-Progressive-Era-Key-Facts. U'Ren also helped in the passage of an amendment in 1908 that gave voters power to recall elected officials, and would go on to establish, at the state level, popular election of U.S.