Progressivism - What Would Progressives Do?   Tags: muckrakers, progressive, reformers, u.s. history  

1. Regulation of big business

2. Protection of the industrial worker

3. Promotion of greater participatory democracy

4. Protection of the consumer and social welfare

5. Protection of the environment

6. Promotion of moral improvement

What Would Progressives Do?

Imagine a conversation with a progressive reformer. With whom would you like to speak?  What issues concerned him/her during the Progressive Era?  What reforms did they propose and/or help initiate? What modern day  issues would interest or concern them?  What would you ask him/her?   Your purpose is to bring your reformer “alive” and allow others to understand your reformer’s work.

Create the conversation between you and the progressive reformer by writing, drawing (cartoon or graphic novel style), recording or filming it. 

1. Identify the Progressive reformer with whom you’d like to converse (see the list that follows). If you’re having trouble picking someone (or might like to find someone related to a reform not mentioned on the list), look through 17 and/or see a librarian or me to get some help.
2. Do some basic historical research about your reformer (start with our textbook and basic internet research). 
3. Conduct further research on your  reformer (we will spend a day in the library to help with this research) and start thinking about a few modern day issues that your reformer might comment on.
4. Generate a list of thoughtful questions you’d like to ask the historical reformer and start writing a rough draft of your reformer’s responses. 
5. For those writing, recording, or filming your conversation: create a setting—time and place—for the conversation.  Will it be a formal interview or informal conversation?  Is it a formal newsroom interview? A Facebook conversation? A casual coffeehouse discussion?   Or, has the progressive reformer made his way to Jon Stewart’s Daily Show or The Colbert Show?
6. Write, record, draw or film the conversation between you and the historical reformer.
7. Length of interview should be based upon 5—8 questions.

Suggested Resources:

• The Americans (Chapter 17 and possibly, 14-16) for key names, terms or topics.
  

• “The Progressive Magazine" online:  http://www.progressive.org/ This is a current magazine that was founded during the Progressive era and continues to write about reform issues.

Brennan & Macnab
last updated by R. Brennan
February 2013