The Progressive Era: Crash Course US History #27

In which John Green teaches you about the Progressive Era in the United States. In the late 19th and early 20th century in America, there was a sense that things could be improved upon. A sense that reforms should be enacted. A sense that progress should be made. As a result, we got the Progressive Era, which has very little to do with automobile insurance, but a little to do with automobiles. All this overlapped with the Gilded Age and is a little confusing, but here we have it. Basically, people were trying to solve some of the social problems that came with the benefits of industrial capitalism. To oversimplify, there was a competition between the corporations' desire to keep wages low and workers' desire to have a decent life. Improving food safety, reducing child labor, and unions were all on the agenda in the Progressive Era. While progress was being made, and people were becoming freer, these gains were not equally distributed. Jim Crow laws were put in place in the south, and immigrant rights were restricted as well. So once again on Crash Course, things aren't so simple.
Hey teachers and students - Check out CommonLit's free collection of reading passages and curriculum resources to learn more about the events of this episode. The Progressive Era was marked by rapid reactions to the Gilded Age: www.commonlit.org/texts/the-p...
Literature such as The Jungle revealed the horrifying conditions of factory industries, one of several which were overhauled with new progressive regulations: www.commonlit.org/texts/excer...
Chapters:
Introduction: The Progressive Era 00:00
The Progressive Era 1:06
Social Concerns of the Progressive Era 1:53
Mystery Document 2:48
The Jungle 4:04
Muckracking, Journalism, and Photography 4:22
Union Organizing 4:55
The Industrial Workers of the World 5:46
Mass Consumption Culture 6:29
The Labor Problem 7:39
Government Solutions to Social Problems 8:46
The Socialist Party 9:30
The 17th Amendment 10:17
Initiatives & Referendums 10:36
Voter Suppression & Jim Crow Laws 11:14
Plessy v. Ferguson 12:12
Booker T. Washington 12:46
W.E.B. DuBois 13:28
Credits 14:30
Crash Course is on Patreon! You can support us directly by signing up at / crashcourse
Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook - / youtubecrashcourse
Twitter - / thecrashcourse
Instagram - / thecrashcourse
CC Kids: / crashcoursekids

[@YouLovesChloe]

All these AP history comments... I'm simply here for my U.S. history class lol

[@samuelketner1391]

Chloe Marie Same!

[@MultiSonixx]

Be glad, idk if I'm speaking for anyone else but my APUSH teacher is a joke, she legit doesn't teach, like in all seriousness

[@jahinoel1365]

Chloe Marie FACTZ

[@nicholascooper945]

Regress. *YOU JUST GOT PRANKD*

[@river6007]

Me too

[@kavyac700]

To APUSH students: We're all in this together

[@1337b3nnyvav00m]

Test tomorrow, we made it!

[@katali5780]

[@Word3111]

Bruh, I have that test tomorrow.

[@RB-do4mc]

same bro, the grind is real

[@erichughes3987]

Have a test tomorrow 🙏

[@lil.liz99]

When your AP test is Friday so you're just watching the whole series

[@3thanguy7]

We all doin that.

[@obiesenpai3869]

+Lizzie Burnham SAME!!!

[@gregorybest6580]

More like the morning of...

[@kelseyperkins1210]

SAME

[@SpencDonut]

+Lizzie Burnham yep same two but now count how many shocks he had in all videos

[@rachelmaybeidk]

To be honest, I have a crazy APUSH teacher that doesn't really teach so this is how I'm learning more in 15 minutes than 3.5 hours a week.

[@emthornsbury]

+RachelEverdeen that is so sad. Teachers should be teaching !!!! Hope it gets better for you!

[@rachelmaybeidk]

+emthornsbury thanks so much for your kind words! I'm pushing through the 2nd semester and just trying to enjoy other classes as much as possible! :)

[@scottchen3590]

So tru

[@ilovebrittanator]

BIG MOOD IM STRUGGLIN

[@waverlyritchie383]

Omg same

[@spike9653]

90% of the comments: APUSH students. 10% of the comments people who are legitimately just interested in history

[@Sable_ish]

88% of comments: APUSH Crammers. 9% of comments: People interested in History. 2% of comments: Both. 1% of comments: Trolls

[@RM-th9ur]

Most APUSH students are interested in history.

[@EmilyHaoEM]

And you believe they are mutually exclusive?

[@realqhost]

@@RM-th9ur Can not confirm

[@sannarah1456]

You forgot about us non native speakers of english studying english 😢

[@mustang6172]

Upton Sinclair later said, "I wanted to touch America's heart, but instead touched her stomach." ... Or something to that effect.

[@erichuang7524]

Damn

[@hannahweibel2631]

I totally guessed "the Jungle" was going to be the mystery doc

[@ybba15]

*AGGRESSIVELY WATCHES THE ENTIRE SERIES IN ONE NIGHT TRYING TO CRAM FOR THE APUSH FINAL*

[@col.sanders5987]

Amen. Test is tomorrow, and I'm prepared to get a 2.

[@aidenburke6037]

Col. Sanders same brother

[@FakeWonder]

"I can only imagine how LONG and HARD you've worked to get the phrase beef-boner into the show and you finally did it." You have one sense of humor John

[@bunney3272]

If pro is the opposite of con, what is the opposite of progress?

[@mastercaster02]

+Sir George Severn LEL DOOD SO CLEVAR Y U NOT RUNNING 4 PRES RYTE NAOW LOL GET IN ON DA RACE MAN THE ELECTION IS NXT YR

[@bunney3272]

***** *****? You need to be 35.

[@mastercaster02]

Sir George Severn LEL 35 WUT DOOD YEARS DAYS MUNTHS OR ALL OF THE ABOVE

[@bunney3272]

***** 35 years old.

[@Davbay2]

Congress

[@aliciaselvera2233]

Our APush teacher made us spend two days listening to a reading of The Jungle. The only reaction I got from that novel, besides vomitting into my mouth, was joy from guessing the mystery document correctly.

[@nc2748]

Alicia Selvera I studied this in middle school lol...I was sick to my stomach and I didn't eat the meat in school cause it would always remind me of the books description..took me long to get over it lmao.

[@friendlycreature6375]

What APUSH stands for

[@b3gaming673]

@@friendlycreature6375 AP us history

[@nickhartman9898]

SAME

[@manswine7735]

@@friendlycreature6375 Advanced Placement United States History

[@sesamecie2034]

Who else is here cramming for the Online AP exam?🤪

[@eldadesta9343]

@@belizbaloglu4400 honestly were lucky we get to have study guides out

[@belizbaloglu9771]

Elda Desta truly

[@eldadesta9343]

@@belizbaloglu9771 im 1000% depending on all the notes I took I actually can't belive I was gonna take this test with just my pencil out in a classsroom lolll

[@JohnBrown-dx8kp]

i want to cry lmao

[@amanda-pp1rx]

@@JohnBrown-dx8kp same

[@DANversusWTP]

He concluded so strongly that I was subconsciously waiting for "Hank I'll see you on Friday"

[@madisonleigh2963]

2 hours till the exam. I am watching this at twice speed... Welp... Procrastination is great!

[@jackycalderon5943]

Madison Leigh 56 minutes until the exam

[@xenacuevas8811]

Mr. Green, you are simply THE BEST because unlike many many school teachers you don't scream, get neurotic or lose patience and you have precise and clear thoughts. Most importantly passion!

[@Shiftyeyedog]

This is the first time I guessed the Mystery Document author! GO ME!

[@declyn1380]

Shiftyeyedog same!!!!!

[@psychxkappa5788]

When your APUSH TEST is in two days and you just finished chapter 30

[@jonl727]

i'm so screwed

[@brij5778]

Watch it on x2 speed

[@maximoruiz2945]

We didnt even get to chapter 30

[@nishatnguyen]

"touch your nose to prove literacy" - animations in this video do not have noses. Great. Good.

[@hootenanny.in.e]

Good luck to everyone tomorrow!!!

[@AriannaWhitacre]

He should be a History teacher, like I have to take a test early on this and Gilded Age so watching his videos

[@AriannaWhitacre]

but like he should be my history teacher cause yeah

[@haelynnestudio]

Yeah I am writing an essay for APUSH on the progressive era and this video gives me enough information to write about it.

[@griffinforsgren7720]

4:05 "I aimed for the heart of America, but I hit it in the stomach" - Upton Sinclair

[@fartzinwind]

When you say "the first book", does that mean you have barfed on multiple occasions while reading?

[@ssatyavolu1]

fartzinwind idk

[@starwarsrules4826]

LMAO

[@TheSuperCanucks]

fartzinwind trogdor

[@Lukas-lx7rv]

Chapter 3 of fast food nation

[@Orangeboyhd]

BEEF BONER

[@Itsph4nt0m]

As much as I like my AP teacher, APUSH doesn't let him teach everything in 2 semesters. So I gotta do, currently 8 AMSCO's and 40+ US History Crash Courses. The AP test in on April.

[@michaellastname2421]

Why is it so hard for me to understand history? I have practically no idea of what you just said.

[@23cokebottles]

to be fair, CC usually does a crappy job of communicating main ideas/events/consequences/relations/basically everything clearly and effectively. I find John's attempts at humor muddying and the graphics more distracting than helpful...that said, this is the only source I know that'll give me a summary/overview of whatever unit I'm working on atm...I get what they're trying to do, they're trying to keep it entertaining and engaging but I find it unhelpful. So yeah, that could be it.

[@cheyennedobie6828]

Same. I suck at history

[@michaellastname2421]

Cheyenne Dobie Same. I'm more of a math and science person. Most people I know are really good at history and English, so I feel really dumb when they find a history lesson or English essay so simple when I'm completely lost. I guess that's why I want to become a mechanical engineer.

[@WVU.STEELERS.CELTICS]

Michael LastName I'm a history and English guy.... You should be happy because math and science gives you jobs.

[@mna9211]

He actually made progressivism hard to understand but it is easy.

[@MrMusicman456]

The Rush joke at the beginning earned you my undying loyalty

[@Roenazarrek]

OTP means "one true pairing" meaning Hazel and Agustus were people's favorite combination of characters in fandom, in case anyone was wondering.

[@MrTeacherDO]

The "Wibbly Wobbly" got me

[@Decetop]

A video on the Progressive Era without mention of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire? One of the biggest work place tragedies in American History? The event responsible for nearly all workplace safety laws in the U.S.? That Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire? And you omitted it? Come on, man.

[@4esolid]

Decetop my thought exactly too

[@blixer8384]

He also omitted the Battle of Blair Mountain the largest Labor Uprising in American History and the largest uprising since the American Civil War.

[@dylaneidson5466]

how do you talk so much with out breathing????????????????? :O

[@marissaoslick1961]

+Dylan Eidson Jump cuts, man.

[@godlessrecovery8880]

Power of editing.

[@TheLesliericheytoo]

Hey! Thanks so much for what you do. I teach AP and Dual US History (and government and Eco) and use these to either introduce a unit or sum it up. They are awesome! Showing the TARDIS and using the phrase "timey wimey" just bumped you and your writers to the top of my high esteem list. These quiky ditties filled with both historical facts and current pop culture entertain my little nerds and broaden the horizons of my bright, but non-nerds as we go through and explain the references. Keep it up, you are very much appreciated.

[@buggranger4781]

Who else got the AP US test tomorrow ?

[@jherc12990]

Same!!!

[@rhi9025]

I do too!!! Good luck!!! :)

[@Link-wy3zi]

Bug Granger yup, that late night cramming be very much real

[@danielahernani3933]

Link6579 IS ANYONE IN THE NEW YORK TIME ZONE WHO WANTS TO TELL ME THE ESSAY PROMTS TOMORROW?

[@Link-wy3zi]

Daniela Hernani sorry im from California

[@corrines4270]

is he kinda awkwardly cute or is it just 1am and my brain is fried from studying for my test tomorrow..

[@spankylewis2010]

Anyone watching in 2019? This is super helpful (where we started and where we are)

[@kendra6007]

REDISCOVERING ME 2020 my dude

[@melancholiclonging8641]

Kendra600 yep

[@musicrulesmylife123]

I'm just glad John is helping me not fail my AP US history test tomorrow. Thank you to crash course!

[@calebbrown243]

Anyone else here for APUSH finals

[@jasona1000]

yes.

[@hiimsky4381]

+Caleb Brown I'm cramming some study for a Gilded Age & Progressive Era test. We got so behind this year because of all the snow days we've recently had.

[@LazyStormTrooper]

+Hi, I'm Sky You sound lucky. I have a test from the Progressive Era to the start of the Cold Wars tomorrow.

[@SabbathSilverclaw]

no...

[@jordanthomas4379]

Caleb Brown what the hell is “APUSH”?

[@tinbitberhanu8125]

I'd suggest a caption for the libertage but I'm afraid I'm 3 years late...

[@raintalonxOc]

+Tinbit Berhanu o my god yes

[@qayyahsplace5041]

Me: seeing all these AP comments Also Me here before taking my junior yr history final: “Heyy...how y’all doing”

[@ashleighlewis9282]

no better place to be at 2 am, 8 hours before the exam :)

[@keiraw1113]

Who’s here cramming the day of the May 2020 exam.

[@DianeJasmine]

Watching these videos transports me to a very specific time in my life and it is WILD because I'm supposed to watch these in teacher mode and instead I feel like I'm in 10th grade.

[@scaramouche7353]

Cramming on the day before the test. People tell me not to do it but I can't help myself

[@KingDrew]

YES I WAS RIGHT ON THE MYSTERY DOCUMENT. BOUT TO ACE THIS FINAL!

[@eglnst74]

I love you. You've helped me understand the Progressive Era so much better, and I definitely needed this to get ready for my APUSH unit exam. Green, YOU are awesome.

[@kevinr.9733]

What's great about these videos is that they are highly informative but don't take themselves too seriously. Anyone else notice the Pokéball in the cornucopia?

[@learning4evryone705]

+Kevin R. I noticed the Pokeball as well

[@Perfect.Spirited.]

I never thought I would know the mystery document!

[@Krebons1200]

This definetely helping me out with my American Studies class. It's much easier to remember like this

[@foreverandeveryt919]

You saved my butt in a test that I study last minute for I’m not sure how to show my thankfulness to you but I want you to know that I’m thankful for you making these videos

[@rockwall5329]

To anyone cramming these videos the day before the test, best of luck :)

[@jennifertorres4743]

Rockwall you too!!! im freakin scared of the short answers but aNYWaYs good luck to you

[@rockwall5329]

Jennifer Torres Thanks, just finished and I found it pretty easy

[@Farlian_]

Lol, doing this before a different test, but I'll be coming back in May.

[@meganc.1232]

Keaton Spell Well, it’s May. I got to take it tomorrow RIP

[@meganc.1232]

Rockwall Really? Thanks, that gives me some confidence.

[@teresabrown4741]

I get so excited when we watch Crash Course during social studies because John Green is hella rad ❤️

[@scottylilacleona9193]

Wobblies! The I.W.W. was an amazing union, and they still are. Still, it's hard for any group to recover from having ALL OF THEIR UNION HALLS BURNED DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT! 1917. It happened.

[@nathangiannini3282]

Test is tomorrow boys, time to start studying

[@jennifertorres4743]

omg me toooo

[@starwarsgaming7918]

Didn't bother to learn this when we reviewed it... and now the AP test is Friday...

[@HurricaneWind425]

F

[@starwarsgaming7918]

So turns out my DBQ was on this 😂 Thank you crash course 🙏

[@docpi3141]

My apush test is tomorrow and im binging crash course lol

[@AS-fe9hd]

'CRAMMIN #APUSH2k16

[@fabfooyum9292]

+Aaron Stewart LOL TRU

[@chailatte44]

+Aaron Stewart Same tho

[@witchboob]

BRO IM CRAMMIN IN 2019 YEET

[@acponyluv]

Now I know I'm not the only one who always thinks of "wibbly wobbly timey wimey" when I hear wobbly! You have totally earned my respect ;)

[@ShandoGuardian]

"your nephew's sister's cousin" translates to either, 'your son/daughter' or 'your nephew/niece'

[@fluorescentadolescent2189]

Or it could be your niece's cousin (to whom you are unrelated)

[@melissa8313]

This is a great series, you really present the information well given the limited time. Thank you for making these! They've been a Perfect way to go over concepts! 👍💕📚

[@AustinJP2]

Watching Crash Course the night before the APUSH exam at 2x speed

[@niallregan7042]

gotta get that 3

[@chrismaginn4251]

John with the Prog Rock shoutout! xD Thanks for calling on my favorite genre.

[@capnbobretired]

I've watched a number of your courses. One of the things I like about your series is that you talk really fast. If you are covering something I am familiar with, its not tedious to hear you talk about it. If its new to me, I can usually absorb the information. If I need to, its not a bother to back up and listen to the not fully assimilated section again. Good job, and entertaining in a "learning something important" way.

[@aviskolnick4448]

As a potterhead I appreciate all the HP references.

[@MG-sj2re]

That moment when you know the author of the mystery document before it's revealed. "Yasssssssss"

[@stephanpierson7235]

Love this guy! Going back and watching all of them again. Where is you sure, we need more content!

[@kittehgorawr4993]

Thank you John Green for helping me study at the last minute for my US history test.

[@ggalloway1]

John, I have to say this is my favorite US History episode yet. Thanks for watching? No sir, thank you for sharing this with us all.

[@coffee4laffdip]

"'Broad participatory democracy doesn't always result in an effective government' he said, sounding like the Chinese national Communist Party" hahah

[@ceciliafaye2813]

Your videos are awesome! Thank you for your insights and knowledge of our country and its history.

[@yaslinreyes4011]

I've got my US History midterm on Monday. This is extremely helpful

[@nishatnguyen]

Pointing to Germany....... *points to all of Eastern Europe* ok nice job John.

[@skullyairsoft80]

YES finally I see a picture of rush in a non rush video.

[@Veritech127]

Ikr

[@jacksonbarrett1878]

john must be an 80s kid lol

[@ahobbitstail7022]

I listen to these lectures while working in a hotel kitchen, and I've got to say, they keep me sane. Stay in school kids.

[@livvyisawsum]

As someone from the greenpartsofnotamerica these videos are really interesting, because we do learn about the period from the American revolution to the American Civil War in school but we always just stop there :)

[@samuelspencer2823]

Thumbed up for Rush.

[@Veritech127]

Same

[@williamherbert7938]

I actually got the mystery document!

[@shivampathak152]

I’d like to thank this video for getting me thru my reform prompt for my APUSH DBQ

[@shawn8847]

I love this show. I watch it all the time.

[@allisonsmith2702]

Lol, we watch these in my U.S. History Class! They're awesome! Love John Green's books btw😂💕

[@KLARachelle]

I would be learning a lot more in American History if you were my professor.

[@aranzamurillo8729]

i'm new to the US and i'm in US history and this helps me more than my teacher, thank you

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

After reading the comments I feel weird watching these for my own enjoyment rather than for a course.

[@shiaawasee]

John Green's hands literally can't stop moving. lmao

[@Christian-kt8jj]

The mystery documents reminds me of the Mail the guy from blues clues would get 😂

[@flibbertigibbet448]

"It goes 'bing' when there's stuff!" That's not the only thing I got out of this. Thanks for helping me truly understand the stuff that was discussed in my sadly boring history lectures. You are a godsend.

[@simonebeerendonk3572]

i thank you endlessly for making this videos i have history exam next week THANK YOU

[@Drakelx55]

OMG yes! John finally said Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey! Allons-y!

[@alejandrahernandez5062]

The exam is here my friends

[@vatow7502]

Test tomorrow boys. Grind time is the prime time.

[@SolusEclipse]

I have a midterm tomorrow and this helps more than you could imagine...

[@AlanNadeauIII]

6 no-shocks to 4 shocks. Great work John. You might just make it to the Mystery Document Playoffs, if you know what I mean.

[@amitzkeylah9231]

When you have a test the next day and don't want to read your history book, so you just watch the entire series on repeat for 24hrs.

[@aleccubides2570]

very very good video, It helps me understand more compared to when my history teacher teaches. Plz make more videos

[@anthonyover]

These videos were good back in apush... still good refreshers in college!

[@karl8539]

We meet again, APUSHers

[@connernorman8480]

bro i just wish you would slow down a bit 😭

[@ethanrobbins6314]

I have 4 essays on this era due this week and we only have a week.. gotta love online express courses

[@BethTaylormuzic01]

You have aided me in the success of my AMH2020 exam and for this I am grateful.

[@addieschlingmann5978]

I GUESSED UPTON SINCLAIR YES BITCHEZ BOUT TO GET A 100 ON THIS TEST

[@samuelketner1391]

imagineaddie Did you ?

[@jacksontaylor290]

I don't watch these for APUSH, I watch them for College.

[@andrewglinski4722]

Jackson Taylor same

[@renaepass3420]

THANK YOU so much for making videos like this.Its going to help me on my U.S history test that I'll be taking soon😂😍Our teacher likes to show us these every unit and they really help😏

[@jaredward6765]

Have to say, these videos have helped me a lot! Thanks!