THE PROGRESSIVE ERA- Notes.docx - 1 THE PROGRESSIVE ERA:...

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THE PROGRESSIVE ERA: 1890-1920
Cleaning up the messes of the Gilded Age!
I-The need for reform
 The gap between the poorest and the rich widened. For example, Carnegie made $40
million in 1900. He took home $25 million or 63% of the profit.
 Vast immigrants poured into cities, still without much of a support system, and having to
deal with corrupt politicians. For example, the slums had open sewers where rats and
other disease spreading pests congregated.
 The Middle class, recognizing this tremendous gap as they made their way work, saw
their cities suffering from overcrowding, crime and corruption. Conditions in the
workplace were unfair, and trusts and monopolies dominated big business. They adopted
an approach called the SOCIAL GOSPEL MOVEMENT, which contained elements of
Christianity that emphasized the need for social justice, and a moral obligation to help
those in need.
 Progressives used the media to promote their causes. MUCKRAKERS , or investigative
journalist, exposed corrupt businesses, and political life. Listed below are the most
famous muckrakers:
o Lincoln Steffens - exposed corruption in the cities in a book called The Shame of
the Cities (Political Machines)
o Ida Tarbell - exposed corruption in Standard Oil with her book The History of
Standard Oil
o Jacob Riis- Wrote about NYC slums in his book How the Other Half Lives
o Upton Sinclair- wrote a book called The Jungle , which exposed Chicago’s
meatpacking industry. In his book he writes about the unsanitary conditions
(sweeping the floor and putting all dirt, dead rats and droppings into the sausage
bin). This book led to two major pieces of legislation.