Assignment 1: The Supreme Court in the Progressive Era
Goal
The goal of this assignment is to allow you to learn more deeply about the U.S. Supreme Court’s influence on history during what is known as the Progressive Era (late 1890s to early1920s).
Skills developed: critical thinking, analysis, effective writing.
Context
In many ways, the late 19th to early 20th century shaped modern America. Industrial capitalism created tremendous change in the way Americans lived, including changes in technology and innovation. But this era also highlighted some major social problems. As you have learned, for some Americans, this so-called Gilded Age brought tremendous wealth, while others lived a life of poverty and deprivation. Corporations exploited workers; African Americans lived within a system of both de facto (in practice) and de jure (legal) segregation; Chinese and other immigrants faced discrimination; women of all ethnicities were not allowed to participate fully in American democracy. However, as more and more Americans became dissatisfied with these problems,
“reformers sought to clean up politics; Black Americans continued their long struggle for civil rights; women demanded the vote with greater intensity while also demanding a more equal role in society at large; and workers demanded higher wages, safer workplaces, and the union recognition that would guarantee these rights” (Yawp, Chapter 20).
Process
Using the sources provided below, in an argumentative essay of 3-4 double-spaced pages, please address the following question:
• How progressive was the Progressive Era?
You may choose to frame your argument around all of the Supreme Court cases included below or concentrate on one of the two areas that the cases fall into: 1. the rights of corporations or, 2. the rights of workers. For either choice, be sure that you are able to put your essay into the context of the Progressive Era by reading Chapter 20 in our textbook.
To obtain the maximum points for your assignment, it should:
• Be at least 3 to 4 double-spaced pages in length.
• Include an introductory paragraph that puts your essay into context.
• Contain an underlined thesis statement in your introduction that directly and specifically answers the question above.
• Include a conclusion that summarizes your essay.
: sude historical accurate iation, tid pel adequate detail and examples that support your thesis from of our course texibook and the
sources below.
• Include direct quotes from sources, but not over two sentences long each.
Cite sources using MLA, or Turabian/Chicago style (your choice).
• Do not copy and paste from any source without proper citation or you will receive a zero for this assignment.
Links to sources:
americanyawp.com/text/20-the progressive era/
supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/193/197/
oyez. org/cases/1900-1940/221us1
law.cornell. edu/wex/standard_oiLco._of_new_jersey_v._united_states_(1911)
encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/erdman-act
oyez. org/cases/1900-1940/1 98us45
constitutioncenter.org/blog/lochner-v-new-york-fundamental-rights-and-economic-liberty
thirteen.org/wnet/supremecourt/capitalism/landmark_lochner.html
oyez. org/cases/1900-1940/247us251
ballotpedia.org/Hammer_v._Dagenhart
sites.gsu.edu/us-constipedia/hammer-v-dagenhart-1918/
oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/208us161
oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/236us1
supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/236/1/