Lesson 5: Progress and Setbacks for Social Justice

Key Idea

During the Progressive Era, many women challenged their traditional roles in society and became leaders in a range of social and political reform movements. They worked to improve public health, reform schools, and address issues like child labor and poverty in growing cities.

A central goal for many of these women was achieving suffrage, or the right to vote. Leaders like Carrie Chapman Catt argued that if women had a voice in politics, they could more effectively push for other social reforms. They organized marches, delivered speeches, and lobbied politicians to gain support for a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote.

Key Idea

During the Progressive Era, many reformers viewed alcohol as a major cause of social problems like poverty and domestic violence. Women, in particular, led the charge for temperance, or a ban on alcohol. They formed the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), which became a powerful national organization.

Through marches, speeches, and political lobbying, the WCTU and its allies built a massive movement. Their campaign successfully persuaded the public and politicians that a national ban on alcohol was necessary. This effort led directly to the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919, which made the sale of alcoholic drinks illegal.

Key Idea

During the Progressive Era, African American leaders disagreed on the best way to achieve equality and end discrimination.

Booker T. Washington argued that African Americans should focus on learning trades and building economic power. He believed this approach would gradually earn them respect and full rights from white society.

Key Idea

During the Progressive Era, many minority groups faced widespread prejudice and discrimination. African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Native Americans were denied basic rights and opportunities. In response, these groups began to form organizations to challenge injustice and demand equal treatment.

A key example of this was the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. Leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois and other reformers, both Black and white, created the NAACP to fight for the political, social, and economic equality of African Americans. The organization used journalism and the court system to challenge segregation and lynching.