Students learn about the impact of the Progressive Movement on Texas. They focus on notable reforms in Texas: the commission form of municipal government, electoral reform, women’s suffrage, and prohibition.
Students learn about the impact of the Progressive Movement on Texas. They focus on notable reforms in Texas: the commission form of municipal government, electoral reform, women’s suffrage, and prohibition.
Students read an introduction to the Progressive Movement and how Texas reformers participated in national efforts to address social problems and inequalities. They examine a historical photograph of a five-year-old selling newspapers in Beaumont (1913) and respond to a prompt on a class wall about how the image might connect to the Progressive Movement.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, then guide students in interpreting the photograph, prompting them to consider how progressives sought to improve conditions for workers and the poor, including ending child labor. If students struggle to make the connection, plan to revisit their responses later in the lesson so they can apply new learning to refine their ideas.
Students read background text on Progressive-era political reforms in Texas, focusing on the commission form of local government that emerged in Galveston after the 1900 hurricane and the Terrell Election Law’s creation of a statewide primary system. They then complete a concept map graphic organizer showing how local government reorganization and election reform contributed to the Progressive Era in Texas.
Teacher MovesClarify how the Galveston hurricane led to the commission form of government and why this structure was viewed as progressive, emphasizing accountability and efficiency. Explain the purpose and impact of the Terrell Election Law and the primary system. Support students as they build their concept maps, prompting them to connect each reform to broader Progressive goals of fairer, more representative government.
Students read about women’s suffrage in Texas, including early organizing efforts and the milestones of gaining the right to vote in party primaries in 1918 and full voting rights with the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. Using this information and the article Early Years of the Texas Suffrage Movement, they post to a class wall explaining how women’s suffrage is connected to progressivism.
Teacher MovesHighlight key developments in the Texas and national suffrage movements and connect them to Progressive ideals of expanding democracy and political participation. Review student wall posts, share an interesting or exemplary response with the class, and lead a brief discussion reinforcing that gaining the right to vote represented significant progress for women in Texas.
Students read about prohibition as a Progressive-era reform, including concerns about alcohol’s link to social problems, the role of religious groups and women, the 1918 Texas prohibition law, the Eighteenth and Twenty-first Amendments, and the persistence of dry counties. They read Impact, Texas: a Town Built by Prohibition to see how prohibition shaped a specific community, then respond on a class wall by taking a position on whether government should prohibit the sale of alcohol for social progress or whether prohibition violates citizens’ rights, explaining their reasoning.
Teacher MovesClarify the motivations behind the temperance and prohibition movements and how they fit within Progressive efforts to reform society. Encourage students to consider both the social benefits and the civil liberties implications of prohibition. If time allows, invite two volunteers with opposing views to present their arguments to the class and facilitate a respectful discussion that surfaces multiple perspectives and evidence-based reasoning.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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