Reformers and Progressives

• the richest and most productive industrial country, but working and living conditions were bad

• long working week, low wages, no compensation if they got killed or injured

• attends to form labor unions failed (competition for jobs, employers, government…)

• A.F.L. (American Federation of Labor) was the leading labor organization with the leader Samuel Gompers that was formed of skilled workers (real chance of success because they can’t be replaced easily) – they didn’t demand revolution like in Europe to overthrow capitalism and replace it by socialism, they only wanted to improve the existing system

• 1906 – Upton Sinclair, one of the “muckrakers” described in his novel “The Jungle” the life among immigrant workers in the slaughter houses of Chicago – Americans were shocked

• after 1900 many Americans became “Progressives” – idea that government should interfere in business or people’s lives if necessary (not “laissez faire” anymore)

• leader Theodore Roosevelt (president) – people deserve fair treatment – “a square deal”

• he wanted to provide businessmen enough freedom but also to prevent them from taking unfair advantages from other people

• passed conservation laws to save the natural’s resources

• Woodrow Wilson who became president after Roosevelt also supported the Progressives in his policy called “The New Freedom” (reduction of bribery, corruption, compensation for injuries at work, encouragement of international trade, reforms in banking, no children labor..)

An American Empire

• 1890s European countries were claiming many overseas colonies; U.S. bought only Alaska from Russia but believed that they should do the same (gain trade, power, wealth, prestige) and that they should bring the Asian, African and Latin American the western way of life

• 1895 – Cuba rebelled against Spanish rule

• 1898 – U.S. sent the Maine to show their sympathy which was blown up – journalists (Hearst, Pulitzer) accused Spain – U.S. with president McKinley went to war with Spain

• war was fought in Cuba and Philippines (from bases in Philippines American could protect the American traders in China)

• Spanish were defeated, U.S. gained Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam and Hawaii

• Americans helped these countries do develop (schools, hospitals…) but they became independent soon because U.S. remembered they own rebellion against Britain

• Cuba – American help to win independence was just a pretence – Cuba had to give them land at Guantanamo bay to build naval base and accept Platt Adament (when American interest is in danger, U.S. can intervene – Cuba was little more than a protectorate)

• Monroe’s Doctrine – warned European not to interfere in Latin American affairs

• Roosevelt’s Corollary – U.S. would interfere there if necessary to ensure internal stability

• “Dollar Diplomacy” – close relationship between foreign policy and business interest, when President Taft encouraged investing in strategically important areas

• U.S. helped Panama to rebel against Columbia which owned Isthmus of Panama, so that U.S. could build a canal there