The Progressives: Activism and Reform in American Society, 1893 - 1917(The American History Series)

The Progressives offers comprehensive coverage of the origins, evolution, and notable events that came to define the pivotal period of American history known as the Progressive Era. Offers a rich, in-depth analysis of who the progressives were and the process through which they identified and attacked social, economic, and political injustices Features an up-to-date synthesis of the literature of the field including comprehensive treatment of the role of women in the Progressive Movement Considers the movement's enduring impact – and how its vision for a better society became transfixed in the American social consciousness and helped to create the modern welfare state Part of the well-respected American History series Integrates themes of class, race, ethnicity, and gender throughout, offering a concise and engaging account of a fascinating era in U.S. history that forever changed the relationship between a democratic government and its citizens

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1 Setting the Stage: The Birth of the Progressive Impulse, 1893–1900 13 On the Farm 13 City Life 18 Hard Times: The Depression of 1893 24 Businesses: Small to Large 26 Small businesses evolve 26 Big business 34 Mergers and monopolies 37 Labor 38 The workplace in transition 40 The struggle to organize 42 Working women 46 African American workers 49 Immigrant workers 50 A New Era Dawns 51 2 Saving Society: Who Were the Progressives? 56 The Muckrakers 57 From Religious Roots to Secular Salvation 64 Fundamentalists 65 The Social Gospelers 66    Intellectual inspiration 67 From Charity Cases to Social Work 68 Women Progressives 70 Club women 70 Settlement workers advocate social justice 73 Professionalization in the Progressive Era 80 Social workers 81 The medical field 83 The legal profession 88 Engineering 89 Academia 89 The female professions: teaching, nursing, and librarianship 91 Businessmen 93 Labor Unions and Radical Movements 96 Other Special Interest Groups 98 Politicians and early reform 98 The “immigrant problem” 99 African Americans 100 Nativists 101 Farmers and Rural Reform 103 3 “Constructing the World Anew”: Progressive Agency, 1900–1911 106 Stepping into a New World: The Industrial City 106 Settlement Workers Transform the Neighborhoods 109 Women’s Political Culture Emerges 114 Jane Addams elevates settlement activism 116 Workers on the Move 118 Health and safety in the workplace 120 Florence Kelley and the Push for Protective Legislation 127 Child labor 129 Educational Reform 133 Social Centers 135 The Chautauqua movement 138 Country Life Commission 139 Political Pathways to Reform 141 Mugwumps, machine politics, and municipal reform 141 The Good Government movement 143 Beautiful cities and urban planning: from aesthetics to efficiency 145 State Level Reform 148 LaFollette and the Wisconsin Idea 148 Beyond Wisconsin 150 Businessmen Left Behind 151 The Radical Political Reaction 152 Socialists 152 Industrial Workers of the World 153 Labor Leans Political 155 Labor’s Bill of Grievances 156 Workplace activism 160 Progressivism Takes Center Stage 161 4 The Shape of Things to Come: Progressivism and the Transition to Modern Life, 1912–1917 165 The Rise of Consumerism 165 Impact of the automobile 168 Corporate America Takes Control 170 Scientific management 171 Welfare capitalism 173 The Triangle Waist Factory Fire 174 The legacy of Triangle 176 The Election of 1912 178 Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Party platform 180 The incumbent: William Howard Taft 184 Eugene Debs and the Socialists 185 Woodrow Wilson and the Democratic platform 185 Wilson in the White House 186 The election of 1916 189 Progressivism in the National Consciousness 191 Conclusion: The Progressives’ Progress 194 Bibliographical Essay 211 Index 247

About the Author :
Karen Pastorello is Professor of History and Women and Gender Studies at Tompkins Cortland Community College (SUNY) where she directs the Honors Program. She is the author of A Power Among Them: Bessie Abramowitz Hillman and the Making of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (2008).