Progressive Era
United States, 1897–1920. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Progressive Era (1890s–1920s) was a period in the United States characterized by multiple social and political reform efforts. To revitalize democracy, progressives established direct primary elections, direct election of senators (rather than by state legislatures), initiatives and referendums, and women's suffrage (which was promoted to advance democracy and bring the presumed moral influence of women into politics). Progressives also targeted monopolies, which they worked to regulate through trustbusting and antitrust laws with the goal of promoting fair competition, and advocated new government agencies focused on regulation of industry.
Seat of power: Washington, D.C.
Rulers
William McKinley
President of the United States, 1897–1901
McKinley successfully led the U.S. in the Spanish–American War and oversaw a period of American expansionism, with the annexations of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and American Samoa. He was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901.
Portrait of William McKinley: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
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Theodore Roosevelt
President of the United States, 1901–1909
Roosevelt championed his "Square Deal" domestic policies after taking over as president, which called for fairness for all citizens, breaking corporate trusts, regulating railroads, and pure food and drugs. Roosevelt prioritized conservation and established national parks, forests, and monuments to preserve U.S. natural resources. In foreign policy, he focused on Central America, beginning construction of the Panama Canal.
Portrait of Theodore Roosevelt: Adam Cuerden, Public domain, file
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William Howard Taft
President of the United States, 1909–1913
As president, he focused on East Asia more than European affairs and repeatedly intervened to prop up or remove Latin American governments. His administration was filled with conflict between the Republican Party's conservative wing, with which Taft often sympathized, and its progressive wing, towards which Roosevelt increasingly gravitated.
Portrait of William Howard Taft: Pach Brothers, restored by Adam Cuerden, Public domain, file
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Woodrow Wilson
President of the United States, 1913–1921
His first major priority was the Revenue Act of 1913, which began the modern income tax, and the Federal Reserve Act, which created the Federal Reserve System. During his first year as president, Wilson authorized the widespread imposition of racial segregation inside the federal bureaucracy, and his opposition to women's suffrage drew protests.
Portrait of Woodrow Wilson: Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain, file
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Culture
- Progressive leaders were often from the educated middle class, and various progressive reform efforts drew support from lawyers, teachers, physicians, ministers, business people, and the working class.
- Most of the victims were recent Italian and Jewish immigrants aged 14 to 23. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), which fought for better working conditions for sweatshop workers.
- For many progressives, prohibition of alcoholic beverages was key to eliminating corruption in politics as well as improving social conditions.
- Corrupt and undemocratic political machines and their oligarch bosses were a major target of progressive reformers.
Picture
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire occurred in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, a borough of New York City, on Saturday, March 25, 1911.
Image: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.