United States History The Progressive Era (1890-1920) | Concordia University Wisconsin

University:
Concordia University Wisconsin
Course:
HIST 1215 | American Civilization II
Academic year:

2021
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321

Pages:

1
Author:

96XGbl6o

The Progressive Era (1890-1920) ● Progressive Movement: A movement to correct the economic and social abuses of industrial society. It supported consumer protection, women’s suffrage, secret ballot, income tax, direct election of Senators, and prohibition. ● Progressives: Believed the government needed to regulate big businesses to protect consumers and workers. They opposed the Laissez-faire policy during the late 19 th century. The progressive movement was a response to the industrialization and urbanization of the U.S., because these factors led to poor, unsafe living conditions and abusive big businesses. ● Jane Addams: Established settlement houses that provided assistance to the poor. ● Robert M. LaFollette: Progressive reformer who wanted to start a civil rights movement for African Americans (was unsuccessful). He also promoted the Wisconsin Idea. o Wisconsin Idea: Greater government intervention in the economy while relying on experts. ● W.E.B. Du Bois: Formed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in order to end segregation and win equal rights. He thought that racism was the cause of slavery and the reason why African Americans were forced into slavery. He supported the idea of “Talented Tenth” and wanted an immediate change in the society. ● Booker T. Washington: Believed that African Americans should pursue education as the key to improving social status. He founded a vocational training institution in the late 1800s to improve economic opportunities for African Americans. (Different from W.E.B. Du Bois in the ways in which African Americans could effectively achieve equality.) ● During this era, states established public schools and passed compulsory education laws. Reformers argued that an educated, literate population was necessary for a successful democracy.