Caroline Donohew 4/30/30

Review Assignment DBQ Outline

Prompt #5: Evaluate the extent to which the Progressive Movement fostered political change ​ in the United States from 1890 to 1920.

Relevant Background: ● Progressive Era followed a period of laissez-faire government regulation ● Drastic changes also taking place across country because of the second industrial revolution and economic, social, and political problems were growing ● Corruption from political machines in state and municipal governments was out of hand ● People began recognizing their lack of political voice and lack of rights (especially minorities) and grass-roots movements grew ○ Populists and initially Progressives were both grass-roots and both were in response to laissez-faire government

Claims Relating to Prompt: 1. While the drastic changes of the Progressive Era helped by increasing government supervision of corrupt businesses and lessening the influence of political machines by giving white male citizens more voting power, reforms for minority citizens fell far behind. 2. The political decisions and changes of the Progressive Era drastically changed the country by giving citizens a louder voice in governmental decisions, economically cracking down on the out-of-hand monopolies, and socially paving the way for the reform movements of the future.

Summaries of Historical Documents & Outside Evidence: ● Excerpt from Theodore Roosevelt, “The Square Deal,” Delivered on September 7, 1903, to the New York State Agricultural Association in Syracuse, NY. https://www.humanitiestexas.org/sites/default/files/TRSquareDeal_0.pdf ○ Point of View: President Theodore Roosevelt in his first term, believed in ​ trust-busting and that everyone should have equal economic opportunity. ○ Purpose: To state that everyone deserves a “square deal” in which everyone ​ would be treated the same under the law despite their economic situation. ○ Historical Situation: Fairly early on in the Progressive Era, issues of out-of-hand ​ monopolies and business corruption were becoming more widely known and citizens were feeling overrun by corruption. ○ Audience: In general, to the American people, but more specifically to those ​ attending the annual Labor Day fair at the NY State Agricultural Association. ○ Outside Evidence: Clayton Antitrust Act passed in 1914 (although years after this ​ speech), lessened the influence of monopolies by making it illegal for companies to do activities that decreased competition. ● Excerpt from Governor Hiram Johnson’s First Inaugural Address, “The Initiative, Referendum, and Recall,” Delivered on January 3, 1911. https://governors.library.ca.gov/addresses/23-hjohnson01.html ○ Point of View: California Governor Hiram Johnson’s first inaugural address. ​ ○ Purpose: To advocate for more political power amongst the people for them to be ​ able to “recall” a politician they dislike by voting, and for them to be able to vote on referendums directly. ○ Historical Situation: State and municipal governments were extremely corrupt at ​ the time due to the lack of regulation from the Gilded Age. People rallying to have voices heard. ○ Audience: The people of California and citizens who want to be able to have a ​ larger decision in the political process. ○ Outside Evidence: 17th Amendment ratified in 1913 also gave people more ​ political voice by allowing them to choose nominees in direct primaries. ● Excerpt from W.E.B. Du Bois, “Open Letter to Woodrow Wilson,” March 1913. https://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/open-letter-to-woodrow-wilson/ ○ Point of View: W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the biggest leaders for Civil Rights in the ​ 1900s and helped found the NAACP. ○ Purpose: To call for executive action against racism and unfair treatment of ​ African Americans, asking to be able to vote, become educated, and to be treated the same as whites. ○ Historical Situation: African Americans Jim Crow Laws, literacy tests, and ​ overall segregation and mistreatment across the country despite the changes occurring elsewhere during this time. ○ Audience: President Woodrow Wilson. ​ ○ Outside Evidence: Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896 established a precedent of ​ “separate but equal” between blacks and whites when Homer Plessy (⅛ black) refused to move to the “colored” section of the train and was arrested. ● Excerpt from Louis Brandeis’ Brief in “Muller vs. Oregon,” October 1907, to the Supreme Court of the United States. https://louisville.edu/law/library/special-collections/the-louis-d.-brandeis-collection/mull er1.pdf ○ Point of View: Louis Brandeis, a lawyer who fought for the National Consumers’ ​ League and used social science research and statistics to fight for better working conditions for women. ○ Purpose: To legally limit the workday for women to 10 hours per day by arguing ​ that their current situation violates the Fourteenth Amendment. ○ Historical Situation: Women, men, even children were facing extremely harsh ​ working conditions and businesses employing them weren’t being regulated. ○ Audience: The Supreme Court of the United States, but eventually, the entire ​ country by setting a precedent. ○ Outside Evidence: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire happened in 1911 (after the ​ case), but showed that female workers were still not being protected, the deadliest industrial disaster in history. ● Excerpt from the “Omaha Platform” of the Populist Party, July 3 1892, in Omaha NE. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/ushistory2os/chapter/primary-source-the-omaha-platf orm-of-the-peoples-party-1892/ ○ Point of View: The Populists (“People’s”) Party, made up of rural voters in the ​ South and West, the Knights of Labor Union, and others who disliked laissez-faire politics and corporate/elitist beliefs. ○ Purpose: To outline their beliefs and to discuss anti-elitist and anti-corporate ​ ideals, to state their belief that those who earn wealth should keep it. ○ Historical Situation: Those in more rural areas were dissatisfied with the corrupt ​ government and feeling like their voices weren’t being heard. ○ Audience: All rural and working-class Americans who felt like they were being ​ downtrodden by the government. ○ Outside Evidence: Mary E. Lease, a political organizer, lecturer, and advocate for ​ the People’s Party and women’s suffrage, clearly stated the opinions of the rural voters in saying “raise less corn and more hell” (stating that the rural citizens were tired of being ignored).