CH 13 Notes

American History

Progressivism- reform era, not a specific agenda

- winds up reforming politics, social conditions and business

- industrialization/urbanization created social problems

- gov’t needs to take an active role in solving problems

Progressivism Urban Middle class educated

Vs.

Populism Rural Poor Uneducated

They want gov’t intervention in business but need to fix gov’t first

Muckrakers- writers that investigated social conditions, political corruption, brought attention to problems

- Ida Tarbell vs. Standard Oil

- Upton Sinclair- The Jungle- meat packing industry, fiction

§ Tried to show how bad capitalism is (haves vs have nots)

Give people more voice in gov’t

- STATE

- direct primaries- vote for candidate to run in general election

§ takes power away from political parites, they can’t just pick anyone they want

- initiatives- citizens can introduce legislation

- referendums- citizens can approve legislation

- recall- voters can remove elected public officials

- FEDERAL- Direct Election of Senators (17^th Amendment)

Women’s Suffrage-

- gradually from mid 1800s to 1920, states do it on their own

- 1920, 19^th amendment passed

Prohibition- temperance movement, women politically active in it

- starts in west- WCTU, Anti-Saloon League

- they said alcohol was wasted $, caused abuse in families

- WWI helps get it in

o Keep soldiers sober

o Grain needed for other important stuff

o Anti-German sentiment

o Men gone, women’s issues gain more attention

Sec 2

Roosevelt- wants to see reforms to make American efficient so can compete with the world better

- took lead as Pres instead of following Congress

- Square Deal- a fair shake for all Americans

- Trustbusting- big business is good, but some go too far

- Started to enforce the Sherman Anti-Trust Act

- Labor- Coal Strike of 1902

- oal Strike of 1902

o threatened to take over mines to force owners into arbitration- settlement decided by a 3^rd party

o 1^st time gov’t on the side of labor

- Corporations- fearful gov’t would break them up, many opened their books to gov’t in exchange for gov’t helping them correct their mistakes

- Hepburn Act- strengthened the ICC, said ICC could set rates

- Social Welfare

- rash of unsafe/misleading foods/bevridges

- lots of “cure alls”- no one sure what is in them (cocaine/alcohol)

- The Jungle shows meat packing practices

- Meat Inspecting Act

- Pure Food and Drug Act- must list ingredients

America- begins to view Federal Gov’t as able to help solve social problems

Sec 3 and 4

Taft- handpicked by TR as his successor

- TR- felt later that Taft was reversing things he had accomplished

o Decides to run against him in 1912

Election of 1912- Republican Party split

- Taft- Republican

- TR- Progressive (Bull Moose)

- Wilson- Democrat (wins)

Woodrow Wilson- even more anti- big business than TR

- reduced tariffs

o foreign competition would force American businesses to lower price (good for consumers)

- Federal Reserve System

o Banks keep part of deposits in Fed Reserve bank in case of collapse

o Fed Res Board sets interest rates it charges banks (raise to fight inflation, lower to stimulate the economy)

- FTC- regulated trading practices (business practices)

o Work with big business, not break them up

- Clayton Anti-Trust Act-

o Banned price discrimination

o Retailers can’t be forced to carry a product by another company

o Unions can exist

- Child Labor- no kids under 14 can work

o Later overturned by Fed courts, but leads to state laws which stick

Summary- Progressivism leads people to expect the gov’t to be active in the economy and regulate business.