Progressive Era, Labor Unions and Muckrakers

• Progressives were reformers from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.
• Progressives set out to resolve the social and economic issues that arose from industrial society.
• They worked to ensure the government addressed issues such as poverty, poor working conditions and corruption.
• Unions were established in the mid-1800s.
• Unions fought for better working conditions, fair wages, and shorter hours.
• Early unions included the Knights of Labor, and the American Federation of Labor.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (1911)

• In 1909 workers went on strike for improved conditions.
• A fire broke out in 1911, killing 146 people and injuring 71.
• This event highlighted the importance of enhanced workplace safety measures.

Muckrakers (Progressive Journalists)

• These journalists revealed corruption, wealth inequality, and poor working conditions.
• Jacob Riis exposed slum living conditions in “How the Other Half Lives.”
• Ida Tarbell revealed Rockefeller’s ruthlessness in “The History of the Standard Oil Company”.
• Frank Norris, in “The Octopus”, depicted railroads' control over California farmers.
• Upton Sinclair exposed unsanitary conditions of the meatpacking industry in "The Jungle".
• "The Jungle" led to the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.

Social Gospel

• Protestant movement applied Christian principles to social issues.
• Social issues addressed included wealth inequality and child labor.
• The movement emphasized societal salvation over individual salvation.

Women's Movements

• The Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) formed in 1874.
• The WCTU advocated for the elimination of alcohol to combat social problems like abuse and poverty.
• Carrie Nation was a radical member known for attacking alcohol establishments with a hatchet.
• Jane Addams founded Hull House which provided community services.
• Hull House inspired the creation of additional settlement houses.
• The Suffrage Movement led to women gaining the right to vote, ratified in 1920 with the passage of the 19th Amendment.

Monopolies & Trusts

• Monopolies were large corporations that eliminated competition.
• Poor working conditions were a result of Monopolies.
• The Interstate Commerce Act (1887) allowed government regulation of business.
• The Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) made monopolies illegal, however it had loopholes.
• Theodore Roosevelt pushed for antitrust regulations, an act commonly called Trust-busting.
• Roosevelt's Trust-busting targeted companies such as the Northern Securities Company.

The Election of 1912

• Theodore Roosevelt ran as the Progressive Party candidate against William Taft a Republican.
• Roosevelt's third party was known as the "Bull Moose Party".
• Roosevelt and Taft split the Republican vote, leading to Woodrow Wilson winning the election.
• Woodrow Wilson signed the Clayton Antitrust Act (1914).
• Wilson created the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Federal Reserve

• The Federal Reserve is made up of 12 regional banks.
• The Federal Reserve regulates the U.S. money supply.
• The Federal Reserve implements monetary policy.

World War I (The Great War)

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination on June 28, 1914 triggered alliances into conflict and began WWI.
• The Triple Alliance consisted of Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Italy.
• The Triple Entente included Russia, France, and Britain.
• The U.S. remained neutral but had strong ties to Britain and France.

New Technologies in WWI

• Trench warfare led to a stalemate with heavy casualties and brutal conditions.
• New weapons included tanks, U-boats, airplanes, flame throwers, poison gas, and machine guns.
• The Lusitania, a British passenger ship, was sunk by Germany in 1915.
• The sinking of the Lusitania angered the U.S.
• The Zimmerman Telegram, a German offer to Mexico to attack the U.S., prompted the U.S. to enter the war.

U.S. Military Involvement

• The Selective Service Act of 1917 required men to register for the draft.
• African American and Native American soldiers served in segregated units.
• The 92nd & 93rd Divisions fought in France and earned recognition.

End of War & Consequences

• Germany surrendered on November 11, 1918, marking the armistice.
• The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 killed 50 million people worldwide.
• The Treaty of Versailles (1919) ended the war.
• Harsh penalties on Germany from the Treaty of Versailles contributing to future tensions.
• Wilson’s 14 Points called for long-term peace.
• Wilson's 14 Points pushed for the creation of the League of Nations, though it was largely ignored.
• After advocating for the League of Nations, Wilson had a stroke.
• After Wilson's stroke, his wife managed his duties.

Post-War Effects

• Adolf Hitler was enraged by the Treaty of Versailles after WWI.
• Hitler later rose to power in Germany.
• The Russian Revolution of 1917 led by Vladimir Lenin created the first communist state.

Explore the Progressive Era, labor union movements, and the role of muckrakers. Learn about reformers addressing industrial society's issues like poverty and working conditions. Key events include the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and journalists exposing corruption.