Topics

Hurricane of 1900
Spindletop
Populism
Progressive Era
Texas Railroad Commission
James Hogg
Growth of Urban Areas
Womens Suffrage
Temperance Movement
Prohibition

Hurricane of 1900

The Great Galveston Gale (Hurricane)

1900 September 8, 1900
Estimated death toll between 8,000
10,000
3,636 houses destroyed Cost $5.5 million
The elevation of island was increased and
seawalls were built, city infrastructure
improved
Galveston as a port began to diminish,

Progressive Era
1880 1920
Legislative reforms were passed in the areas of labor,
child labor, education, prisons, banking, and public
safety. These reforms continue protecting Texans.
Most reforms ignored minorities

Agreed with national progressives in the need for

social control
Differed from national progressives in aiming for a
democratic society for whites only
Texas progressives were tied to older agrarian
solutions

Progressive Goals
Good government
End corrupt politics
Improve rural life
Jim Hogg
Curtail the influence of large corporations
"Purify" society
Reform: prison, education, welfare, suffrage
Jim Hogg runs his campaign for governor on a
Progressive platform to end corruption and fix
problems

1901 - Oil discovery at Spindletop

Political
Creation of the Texas Railroad Commission set limits to regulate and control oil
prices
Economic
Growth of cities and rise of boomtowns
Increased jobs and oil-related services
Development of other parts of the state
Growth of automobile industry
Social
Improved the standard of living in Texas
Amon G. Carter gives millions to education (TCU)
Philanthropy increases in Texas

Texas Populists
Populism Nationwide movement of rural citizens
who had not benefited from the modern lifestyle
made by the growth in industry
Goal in Texas Wanted the government of the
people to protect the interests of common workers
Farmers Alliance (farmers, ranchers, and farm
laborers) spread throughout South Texas forming
their own party in 1892.
They called themselves the Peoples Party or
Populist Party
Demanded government regulation of businesses;
public ownership of the railroads, telephone, and
telegraph lines; and elimination of the national
banking system

Texas Populists

Called for labor reform, a graduated income tax, and the direct
election of US Senators (17th Amendment 1913)
Supported the creation of public warehouses where farmers could
store their excess crops until prices increased
Won some elections in 1892 and 1894 at the state level but
movement faded after 1896 because the Democratic Party began
to adopt many of the Populists ideas.
Why was labor reform necessary? (Hint: look at the child
laborers ghosted in the background of this placard) How would
America be different without these reforms?

Texas Railroad
Commission

Purpose of the Texas Railroad

Commission is to set limits to
regulate and control oil prices

As its name implies, the commission

was originally established to oversee
railroads. Riding a wave of Populiststyle resentment of the railroads,
James S. Hogg won the governorship
in 1890 largely on his promise to
have them regulated

TEMPERANCE IN TEXAS
The temperance movement was a driving force behind the
women's suffrage movement in the South and West.
Temperance workers believed that greedy and selfish alcohol
manufacturers were knowingly selling a dangerous product
to the public and causing great social harm in the process .
For many women, it was their belief in temperance and prohibition that inspired them to work to get
the vote.
On the national level, their leader was William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska. A prairie populist,
Bryan skyrocketed to fame in 1896 when he unexpectedly captured the Democratic nomination for
president after an electrifying speech in support of farmer's rights, in which he swore, "You shall not
crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!" For the next 30 years, Bryan would be the most prominent
national spokesman for the concerns of rural and small-town Americans. Known as the "Great
Commoner," he won the Democratic nomination again in 1900 and 1908 and served as Secretary of
State under Woodrow Wilson. Bryan was a fundamentalist Christian and is often described as a
political evangelist. He championed peace, prohibition, and women's suffrage along with a literal
NO MORE
interpretation of the Bible.

DRUNKAR

Prohibition in
Texas
Started by the Temperance
Movement (Christians who wanted
a dry Texas), Prohibition (no
drinking alcohol) came to Texas
with the 18th amendment or
Act. 1920 until 1933 when
Volstead
Lasted from
it was
repealed by the 21st amendment.
Wealthy people
had access to illegal

Austin, 1934, beer

Womens Suffrage
19th Amendment gave women
the right to vote in the United
States.
The Texas Equal Suffrage
Association supported and
campaigned for the
passage of this amendment

URBANIZATION IN TEXAS
RAILROADS INCREASE HUMAN MOBILITY
TOWNS SPRING UP AROUND THE RAILROAD.
BUSINESS DEVELOPS AROUND RAILROAD DEPOTS;
TOWNS ARE CREATED. POPULATION INCREASE
LIFE IN THE CITY BECOMES MORE ATTRACTIVE TO
PEOPLE; MIGRATION FROM RURAL AREAS AND
FARM LIFE TRANSITION TO URBAN (CITY) LIFE AND
WORK IN INDUSTRY & FACTORIES
AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE DISCRIMINATED
AGAINST AND DENIED THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS OFTEN
BOOMTOWNS FROM OIL STRIKES BRING MORE
POPULATION TO HOUSTON, SOUTHEAST TX