Progressive Era was a period of economic, political, and social reform in the United States. The era began in the 1890’s, during a nationwide economic depression, and was over by the time the United States entered World War I in 1917. Many of the reforms of the Progressive Era were enacted at the local and state levels. However, the U.S. Congress also adopted some key measures.
Industry in the United States had grown swiftly during the 1800’s. This fast growth caused such problems as corrupt politics, city slums, and poor working conditions in factories and mines. In the 1890’s and early 1900’s, many reformers helped bring about laws aimed at relieving these problems. These reformers began to call themselves progressives about 1905.
Economic reforms
of the Progressive Era included increased government regulation of business and a series of tax reforms. In 1890, the U.S. Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act, which banned industrial monopolies that limited competition. But the act had little immediate effect, partly because its wording was vague. Progressives worked for a stronger law to prevent business abuses. In 1914, Congress set up the Federal Trade Commission to stop illegal business practices. See Antitrust laws.
Before the Progressive Era, many taxes had been based on property. But many wealthy people hid such property as stocks and bonds from the government and did not pay taxes on them. Largely for this reason, progressives demanded that taxes be based on income rather than on property. In 1911, Wisconsin passed the first effective state income tax law. Two years later, Congress enacted what became the first permanent federal income tax in the United States.
Political reforms.
Many city and state governments were controlled by corrupt business executives and politicians who tried to block economic reforms. But in the 1890’s and early 1900’s, progressive mayors gained office in a number of cities. These mayors, including Tom L. Johnson of Cleveland and Samuel M. Jones of Toledo, Ohio, worked to end corruption in law enforcement, public transportation, and other city services. Progressives also worked to increase the political power of the voters. In 1903, Los Angeles became the first city to approve recall, which let voters remove a person from public office before his or her term ended.
State governments also adopted political reforms. A number of states granted home rule, the right of a city to govern itself. In 1898, South Dakota passed the first state initiative and referendum laws. Under the initiative, voters could pass laws without the need for the state legislature’s approval. The referendum enabled voters to overrule laws adopted by the legislature (see Initiative and referendum). Wisconsin, led by Governor Robert M. La Follette, adopted the first effective state direct primary law in 1904. This law allowed the voters to nominate candidates. Previously, each political party had held a convention at which delegates nominated candidates.
Political reforms on the federal level included the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment, adopted in 1913, provided for United States senators to be directly elected by the people. The state legislatures had previously elected U.S. senators.
Social reforms
of the Progressive Era included improvements in the living and working conditions of the poor. Many states passed housing regulations to help relieve crowded city slums. In some slums, progressives set up centers called settlement houses. Reformers and slum residents met in them and worked to improve slum conditions. One famous settlement house was Hull House, founded in 1889 by Jane Addams and Ellen Starr, two Chicago social workers.
In many factories and mines, employees worked long hours for low wages and operated unsafe machinery. Progressives helped bring about state laws that required safety precautions in factories and allowed workers to collect money for injuries suffered on the job. Some states also set a minimum wage.
In the early 1900’s, work’s by writers called muckrakers exposed many social and political injustices and helped bring about reforms. Leading muckrakers included Jacob Riis, Upton Sinclair, Lincoln Steffens, and Ida Tarbell.
In spite of their achievements, progressives failed to significantly curb the power of large businesses. However, they exposed injustices and created the patterns of reform that became the basis for reform movements later in the 1900’s.
