The Jungle

Progressive Era DBQ

Prompt

Evaluate the effectiveness of Progressive Era reformers and the federal government in bringing about reform at the national level. In your answer be sure to analyze the successes and limitations of their efforts in the period 1900-1920.

The Progressive Era was a time where the likes of Social Gospels, muckrakers,and the federal government united under the banner of social betterment. It was to improve the ills of a society that had fallen prey to the disconcerting aspects of modernization in the cities and where the lives of America's people had degenerated into squalor in places such as tenement housing which were home to poor laborers who worked long hours for low wages in dangerous conditions. Although Progressive reformers and the federal government achieved,to some degree,success at a national level with the passages of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914,which prohibited exclusive sales contracts with the intent of ridding the market of competitors and legalized peaceful strikes, and the Pure Foods and Drug Act of 1906,that prohibited the manufacturing and sale of foods or drugs that had been altered in a fashion that would pose as a harm for human consumption, there were limitations concerning further reforms taking place as in with women's suffrage where women didn't even attain the right to vote till the enactment of the nineteenth amendment on August 18th,1920 or
the copious amounts of African American men drafted into WWI to fight for a country who had yet to bestow upon them rights that the Declaration of Independence had deemed inalienable. The Progressive Era was full of intent to improve and report societal ills but did have limitations with stalwart reformers heading causes, a select few doubting the veracity of the Progressive Movement and the reach of the federal government, and the setbacks that surely inhibited some reforms from taking off immediately.

Progressive Era Reformers and the Federal Government Bringing Light to and Improving Society
Document A
Document B
Document C
Document D
Document E

Those doubtful of the Progressive Movement at achieving reform and Federal Government Reach
Document F
Document G

Limitations in achieving true reform at a national level 
Document H
Document I
Document J

Essential Questions: Progressive Era and World War I

To what extent did muckrakers, Social Gospel reformers,settlement house volunteers, social workers, and other experts reflect the central assumptions of progressivism?

 

The likes of muckrakers, Social Gospel reformers,settlement house volunteers, social workers, and other experts reflected the notions of progressivism since the movement arose to combat the social ills that arose from modernization with muckrakers working to expose the public to problems that needed addressing, Social Gospel reformers who advocated for factory regulations and shorter work weeks, settlement house workers such as Jane Addams and Florence Kelley who strove to improve the lives of the less fortunate, and social workers who wanted an improved quality of life for people pertaining to a wide variety of classes.

How and why did Progressives attempt to free government and Politics from the domination of the political parties?

Progressives attempted to free government and Politics from the domination of the political parties because the politicians of these political parties were invested in corrupt affairs as in accepting bribes and not endeavoring to look out for the common good of the people so in response Progressives called for direct election of Senators and referendums (laws referred to the people for approval).

Evaluate the effectiveness of Progressive Era reformers and the federal government in bringing about reform at the national level. In your answer be sure to analyze the successes and limitations of these efforts in the period 1900-1920.

Progressive Era reformers and the federal government achieved success in bringing reform at the national level with the likes of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906,that prevented the manufactured,sale,and transportation of foods or drugs altered with harmful additives, and the Meat Inspection Act,which prevented the sale of adulterated livestock and associated products, both came as a result of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle which revealed the disconcerting aspects of a Chicago meat packaging company. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911 was a tragic incident that brought some reform in its wake when after 11 weeks of strikes the Triangle company owners agreed to higher wages and shorter hours. Although Progressive Era reformers and the federal government brought, to a degree,reform at a national level their efforts experienced limitations such as administrations of Roosevelt and Wilson conflicting where Roosevelt passed laws that constricted business and Wilson passing laws that supported competition.

Analyze the ways on which the federal government sought support on the home front for the war effort during the First World War.

The federal government sought support on the home front for the war effort during World War I by utilizing propaganda under the Wilson administration. During this time Woodrow Wilson hired muckraker George Creel to stand charge of the Committee on Public Information which distributed pro-war advertisements in magazines and pamphlets that defended the United State's entrance into the war.

1. Why did the United States Senate reject the Treaty of Versailles and, thus membership in the League of Nations?

The United States Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles and ,therefore membership in the League of Nations because a part of the treaty, Article X,would bind the U.S. to aid any member in the League of Nations that experienced any external aggression. The Republican Leader of the Senate, Henry Cabot Lodge, was a contributing factor in the U.S. Senate denying the treaty when he made revisions to the T.O.V. exempting the U.S from Article X with Wilson,being bedridden, asking the Senate Democrats to not approve unless the revisions were dropped which neither side came to an agreement. 

2. Discuss the developments in the United States from 1918-1920 which produced a general sense of disillusionment and led to the desire for "normalcy" with the election of Warren G. Harding.

Starting from 1918, the United States was coming out of WWI and was involved with other nations, Britain,France,and Italy, in a bid for peace with Germany where then President Woodrow Wilson would urge the United States Senate to ratify the Treaty of Versailles,mainly for the purpose of establishing the League of Nations, which the Senate refused to do because they didn't want the United States entangled in international conflicts. When the U.S. first entered the war, Wilson pegged their entrance as a fight for democracy but when the war came to a close empires such as Russia fell to communist forces under the Bolsheviks instead of strengthening democracy WWI actually weakened it. When the 1920 election rolled around candidate Warren G. Harding advocated for healing,restoration,and normalcy that appealed to the American public who had to make sacrifices to aid the Allied cause and wished for a United States pre-WWI.

Reading Guides

Chapter #28:  Guided Reading Questions

Progressive Roots

Know:                Progressives, Laissez-faire, Henry Demarest Lloyd, Jacob Riis, Theodore Dreiser, Jane Addams, Lillian Weld

1.         What were the goals of the Progressives?

The goals of the Progressives were to fix economic and social problems as in improve the housing and living conditions of the urban poor,fair and clean working conditions for laborers, and universal women's suffrage.

Raking Muck with the Muckrakers

Know:                McClure's, Lincoln Steffens, Ida M. Tarbell, Thomas W. Lawson, David G. Phillips, Ray Stannard Baker, John Spargo

2.         What issues were addressed by the major muckrakers?

The issues addressed by the major muckrakers were the social injustices such as the slums,industrial accidents, and the poor treatment of America's African American population.

Political Progressivism

Know: Direct Primary Elections, Initiative, Referendum, Recall, Australian Ballot, Millionaires' Club, Seventeenth Amendment, Suffragists

3.         Define each of the major political reforms that progressives desired.

Referendum: Citizens vote on laws instead of the state or national government.Recall: Second election by the people to possibly remove an incompetent official.Initiative: Voters can promote legislation themselves.Direct Primary Election: Directly elect U.S. senatorsAustralian Ballot: Way to counteract bribery.Seventeenth Amendment: Senators elected through popular vote.Suffragists: Wanted women's suffrage

Progressivism in the Cities and States

Know: Robert M. La Follette, The Wisconsin Idea, Hiram W. Johnson, Charles Evans Hughes

4.         What changes did progressives make at the city and state level?

Communities adopted the city-manager system which was designed to keep politics out of municipal administration. Urban reformers challenged the likes of prostitution and juvenile delinquency. In Wisconsin mayor Robert M. La Follette took control from crooked corporations and brought it back to the people.

Progressive Women

Know:                Triangle Shirtwaist Company, Muller v. Oregon, Lochner v. New York, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Frances E. Willard, "Wet" and "Dry"

5.         How successful were Progressives in combating social ills?

Progressives combating social ills were moderately successful as in with Florence Kelly whi advocated for improved factory conditions and was actually a chief factory inspector and when the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire broke out, reformers readily fought for better workplaces which made the New York legislation pass stronger laws regulating hours and conditions of sweatshops.

TR's Square Deal for Labor

Know:                Square Deal, Department of Commerce and Labor

6.         What were the three C's of the Square Deal?

The three C's of the Square Deal were control of the corporations,consumer protection,conservation of natural resources.

TR Corrals the Corporations

Know:                Elkins Act, Hepburn Act, Trustbusting, Northern Securities Company

7.         Assess the following statement, "Teddy Roosevelt's reputation as a trustbuster

is undeserved."

Teddy Roosevelt's reputation as a trust buster is undeserved as he endeavored to stop big corporations from securing monopolistic pursuits that put the people at a disadvantage.

Caring for the Consumer

Know:                The Jungle, Meat Inspection Act

8.         What was the effect of Upton Sinclair's book, The Jungle?

Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle sparked outrage and disgust from the American people since it detailed the filth and disease that poured from Chicago's slaughterhouses.

Earth Control

Know: Forest Reserve Act, Gifford Pinchot, Newlands Act, Conservation, Call of the Wild, Boy Scouts, Sierra Club

9.         What factors led Americans to take an active interest in conservation?

Americans began to take an active interest in conservation when there was a noticeable depletion of resources and the nation's forests were shrinking to timber mills.

The "Roosevelt Panic" of 1907

10.       What were the results of the Roosevelt Panic of 1907?

The "Roosevelt Panic" of 1907  was a momentary lapse on Wall Street which caused people to go on bank runs,commit suicide,and criminal indictments against speculators.

The Rough Rider Thunders Out

Know:                William Howard Taft, Eugene V. Debs

11.       What was the legacy of Teddy Roosevelt's presidency?

Theodore Roosevelt's presidency legacy was marked by the great heights of power and prestige he built in the presidential office.

Taft:  A Round Peg in a Square Hole

12.       "William Howard Taft was less suited for the presidency than he appeared to be." 

William Howard Taft, a man second in his class at Yale and an established lawyer and judge, did not live up to his accolades when he became president and was more known for his passive nature than his ability to help his nation. 

Explain

The Dollar Goes Abroad as a Diplomat

Know:                Dollar Diplomacy

13.       What was dollar diplomacy and how was it practiced?

Dollar diplomacy was using America's wealth to negotiate policies when it came to foreign affairs.

Taft the Trustbuster

Know:                Rule of Reason

14.       Who deserves the nickname "Trustbuster," Roosevelt or Taft?

Taft deserves the moniker "Trustbuster" since he filed suits against ninety trusts during his presidency compared to Teddy Roosevelt's forty-four in his seven and a half years in office.

Taft Splits the Republican Party

Know:                Payne-Aldrich Tariff, Richard Ballinger, Gifford Pinchot, Joe Cannon

15.       Why did the Progressive wing of the Republican Party turn against Taft?

The Progressive Wing of the Republican Party filed suits against Taft because of his dismissal of Gifford Pinchot on the mere grounds of insubordination.

The Taft-Roosevelt Rupture

16.       How did the Republican Party split at the party's 1912 convention?

The Republican Party split at the party's 1912 convention with people who supported Theodore Roosevelt and those who supported William Howard Taft.

Chapter #29 Guided Readings

The "Bull Moose" Campaign of 1912

Know:                Bull Moose, New Nationalism, New Freedom

1.         Explain the difference between Roosevelt's form of progressivism and Wilson's.

Wilson's progressivism, New Freedom, called for stronger antitrust legislation,banking reform, and reduction of tariffs while Roosevelt's, New Nationalism, called for about the same things but with women's suffrage and continued consolidation of trusts and labor unions.

Woodrow Wilson:  A Minority President

2.         "The [1912] election results are fascinating."  Explain.

It was fascinating since Woodrow Wilson didn't have a great number of popular votes but he amassed more electoral votes than Taft or Roosevelt.

Wilson:  The Idealist in Politics

3.         How did Wilson's personality and past affect the way he conducted himself as president?        

Wilson's personality and past affected the way he conducted himself as president since he came off as cold to the public and would often only find common ground with scholars or people of his intellectual equivalency and his black and white view of the world made him a difficult compromiser.

Wilson Tackles the Tariff

Know:                Underwood Tariff

4.         What were the three parts of the "triple wall of privilege?"

The antiquated and inadequate banking and currency system.

Wilson Battles the Bankers

Know:                The Federal Reserve Act

5.         How was the Federal Reserve System different than the banking system that existed in the U.S. in 1913?

It was different since it guaranteed public control and could issue paper money.

The President Tames the Trusts

Know:                Federal Trade Commission Act, Clayton Anti-Trust Act

6.         How did Wilson curb the trusts?

He passed the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Clayton Anti-Trust Act which sought to root out monopolies.

Wilsonian Progressivism at High Tide

Know:                The Federal Farm Loan Act, Warehouse Act, La Follette Seamen's Act, Workingmen's Compensation Act, Adamson Act, Louis D. Brandeis

7.         Describe some of the positive and negative outcomes of Wilson’s progressive legislation and actions.

Positives

• Made credit available to farmers at low rates of interests
• Helped acquire decent treatment and living wages on American merchant ships
• Granted assistance to federal civil-service employees during periods of disability

Negatives

• Perpetuated segregation between whites and blacks
• Didn't seek improvement on treatment of African Americans

New Directions in Foreign Policy

Know:                Haiti

8.         Contrast Wilson's ideas of foreign policy with those of Roosevelt and Taft.

Wilson wasn't a fan of the aggressive foreign policies of Taft or Roosevelt. He didn't like Roosevelt's "club swinging" or Taft's Dollar Diplomacy. He preferred to remain civil and neutral,but the political turmoil in Haiti forced Wilson to send troops to protect American lives and property.

Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico

Know:                Victoriano Huerta, Venustiano Carranza, Francisco ("Pancho") Villa, ABC Powers, John J. ("Black Jack") Pershing

9.         Why did Mexico give such trouble to the Wilson administration?

Mexico gave Wilson's administration trouble because it was exploited by foreign investors who gained riches while Mexico's own people were still poor, and Wilson refused to acknowledge Victoriano Huerta as president of Mexico and was adamant on not using Dollar Diplomacy.

Thunder Across the Sea

Know:                Central Powers, Allied Powers

10.       What caused Europe to plunge into WWI in 1914?

Europe plunged into WWI in 1914 because the heir to the Belgium thrones of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a Serb.

A Precarious Neutrality

Know:                Kaiser Wilhelm II

11.       What caused an officially neutral America to turn against the Central Powers?

They still traded with the Allied Powers whom the Central Powers fought against.

America Earns Blood Money

Know:                Submarine, Lusitania, Arabic, Sussex

12.       How did Germany's use of submarines lead to tense relations with the U.S.?

They were willing to use the submarines to sink enemy ships while knowing a misfire could happen which could possibly sink American ships, and it all came to a head when Germans sunk the Lusitania which sparked anger among Americans who called it mass murder.

Wilson Wins Reelection in 1916

Know:                Charles Evans Hughes, "He Kept Us Out of War"

13.       What were the keys to Wilson's electoral victory in 1916?

The key to Wilson's electoral victory in 1916 was his slogan "He Kept Us Out of War" which appealed to the majority of America's populace who did not want to be entrenched in Europe's war.

Imperialism DBQ

Matt 

Suleima

Yocelyn 

Gabby

Prompt:

To what extent was the late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century United States expansionism a continuation of past United States expansionism and to what extent was it a departure?

The late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century United States expansionism saw a continuation of past American expansionism which began in the days of old in colonial America which was subject to European influence. The United States began to shadow after its European predecessors, who were actively involved in colonizing the "New World" and Africa, with the likes of the Manifest Destiny,which promoted westward movement, and the White Man's Burden. As a continuation of past expansionism, America saw a divide in its people with those favoring the idea for political motives, ones who entertained the subject based on religious convictions,and persons who were more or less against the concept.

Political

Topic Sentence: 

Individuals invested in the idea of expansionism for political motives(canals for trade,new markets,strategic territories for the likes of naval bases,achievement for their country as a world power, influence on foreign lands).

Documents: C,E,A,G

Religion

Topic Sentence:

Agreement on expansionism ideals under the guise of religious facets (convert new members,spread the language of conquering country)

Documents: B

Against

Topic Sentence:

Individuals who are more or less against expansionism based on an array of reasons ( against the basis of American ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence,cultural clashes,regards to U.S. Citizenship).

Documents: D,F,H