Primary Source Set Progressive Era Reforms
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"The little boy and the big boys prepare for the baseball season" -
Standard Oil Co. v. United States -
State platform - National Progressive Party of the State of New York -
Newspaper article, "Wiley's Poison Squad End Their Test" -
"The American Dope Party" -
Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 -
Bibb Mill No. 1. Macon, Georgia -
"Canned Childhood" -
"Shall women vote?" -
American Federation of Labor Records - Samuel Gompers Letter -
National women's trade union league emblem -
Hell Gate Forest Reserve -
The Tenement-House Committee maps -
Newspaper article, "Flashes from the Slums" -
Proceedings of a Conference of Governors -
Ida B. Wells, "A Red Record" -
New York City Deputy Police Commissioner watching agents pour liquor into sewer following a raid during prohibition -
Newspaper article, "Prohibition can and will be enforced, officials say"
The resources in this primary source set are intended for classroom use. If your use will be beyond a single classroom, please review the copyright and fair use guidelines.
Teacher’s Guide
To help your students analyze these primary sources, get a graphic organizer and guides: Analysis Tool and Guides
Background
The Progressive Era in the United States - roughly the time period from the 1890s to the 1920s - was characterized by a number of social, economic, and political reforms. On the heels of the American Industrial Revolution and the Gilded Age, Progressive Era reformers sought to establish government programs to address a variety of issues, many brought on by what they saw as rapid industrialization, urbanization, political corruption, and the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few.
The primary sources in this set provide students with the opportunity to examine various aspects of Progressive Era reforms. Some of the sources highlight the issues reformers were looking to address. Others examine the work of the reformers themselves - journalists, politicians, scientists, advocates and others - as they fought for change. Still others showcase the results of their efforts. Some topics featured include:
- Anti-trust reform - Reformers argued that some large companies like Standard Oil and U.S. Steel held so much power that they could effectively stifle competition. Legislation such as the Sherman Act (1890) and the Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914) tried to limit this power and encourage free-market competition.
- Consumer Protections - Other efforts sought to hold businesses accountable for misleading or dangerous products. The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906), for example, prohibited the sale of misbranded and adulterated products in interstate commerce, required accurate labeling of ingredients, and established safety standards. It also led to the establishment of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Worker Protections - Labor unions such as the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the National Women’s Trade Union League (NWTU) advocated for fair wages, reasonable working hours, safe workplace conditions, and more. Other organizations like the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) sought to prevent the exploitation of child workers.
- Election Reform - Reformers strove to increase the voice of ordinary voters and counter corruption in the system. In 1913, for instance, the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provided for the direct election of U.S. senators by popular vote, rather than allowing state legislatures to elect them.
- Women's Suffrage - In 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted women the right to vote. Its ratification marked the culmination of over seventy years of advocacy efforts by suffragists.
- Urban Reform - With increased urbanization, many people in cities lived in overcrowded, poorly-maintained tenements. Laws such as the New York Tenement House Act (1901) sought to address these conditions by mandating sanitation and safety requirements. Meanwhile, other efforts such as the Settlement House Movement focused on providing social services to the poor in cities, such as educational programs and healthcare services.
- Prohibition - The temperance movement, which sought to discourage the use of alcoholic beverages, had been around since at least the 1830’s. In 1918, Congress passed the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, outlawing the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages.
- Environmental Conservation - Arguing that current uses of natural resources were not sustainable, conservationists advocated for such laws as the Newlands Act (1902), which funded irrigation projects to reclaim arid lands in the West. Conservation-focused agencies were also established, such as the U.S. Forest Service, which managed national forests and implemented sustainable practices.
- Expansion of National Parks and Monuments - Exploration of the west inspired scholars, scientists, and the federal government to protect historic and scientific features for the public’s educational interest. After the Antiquities Act passed in 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt used his authority to set aside national monuments on existing federal lands to protect these features. National monuments and other protected federal areas were organized under the National Park Service upon its establishment in 1916.
Suggestions for Teachers
- Invite students to analyze a primary source from the set, making observations and formulating questions. Focus student analysis by asking them to identify the problem reformers were trying to address. Based on the source, why do they think reformers wanted to address this issue at this time in history?
- Ask students to work in groups to identify one issue of interest to Progressive Era reformers, represented by an item in the set (e.g. food/drug safety, antitrust, etc.). If necessary, use the bulleted items in the background essay as a guide. Then, using one or more primary sources from the set, ask each group to identify: a) what problem reformers were trying to address, b) how reformers investigated, advocated or worked for change, and c) what final remedy was established. If students cannot identify all three aspects in the available sources, challenge them to search the Library's collections for more insights. As a follow up, ask students to reflect: What if any insights emerge regarding how societal change was achieved in the Progressive Era?
- Ask students to work in groups to examine two or more primary sources that address different areas of reform. Challenge each group to identify similarities and differences among the various sources. Do any common threads emerge? What insights might be learned regarding what Progressive Era reformers saw as the role of government in U.S. society at the time?
- Ask students to analyze a primary source in the set, making observations and formulating questions. Next, challenge them to research how the societal issue being highlighted by the source is addressed today, if at all. How are the roles played by national or local government agencies or other organizations similar or different to the roles played during the Progressive Era? What changes have taken place between then and now? What challenges - including new challenges - still exist today?
