Progressives Respond

1
Progressives Respond
2

• Origins of Progressivism
• Progressives
• Reformers who were committed to improving
  conditions in American life
• Wanted to improve society by
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.
• 6.

3

• Progressives Challenge Social Darwinism
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.

4

• Progressives Fight for Social Reforms
• Improving Conditions in the Cities
• Fighting to End Child Labor
• Moral Improvement
• Prohibition
• Improving Working Conditions

5

• Fighting for Honest Local Government
• Strategy
• Elect progressive mayors who would support reform
• Reform structure of the local governments
• City manager form of govt
• An elected city council hired a professional city
  manager
• Official selected based on skills and experience
  rather than party loyalty

6
Reforming State Government

• Secret Ballots
• Direct primary
• Recall
• Initiative
• Referendum

7

• Robert LaFollette
• Governor of Wisconsin
• State passed laws to limit lobbying, conserve
  forests and other resources, and support workers
• Took strong stand against railroads
• Women
• National Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA)
  helped organize the suffrage movement into a
  powerful political force at the state and
  national levels

8

• African Americans
• National Association for the Advancement of
  Colored People (NAACP) fought through the courts
  to end segregation
• Also tried to ensure that African American men
  could exercise voting rights under the 15th
  Amendment