During The Progressive Era

Mayors nearby Washington D.C. even gave city workers the day off so they could attend. For those too far away, there were symbolic marches on city halls across America and American Embassies around the world. James Baldwin who was in France at the time, took part in one of these.

The progressive movement is a middle class response to take on the problems that was caused by the industrialization in the rapid social change that took place during the civil war. It is a collection of reform movements. The progressive era was when reformers or activists who were working to solve the problems in the American society and the government were trying to end the laissez-faire. The root of progressive started during the glided age. This era started in 1890 and ended in 1920. A solution was needed to eliminate all the problems that was faced over the years. The fight for social justices include social reforms, women’s suffrage movement, and political reforms.

The progressive era from the 1890s to 1900s was the time where changes happened in the government in order to eliminate unfair business practices from big businesses corporations, exploitation of labor, and political corruptions. To begin with, many large businesses were corrupt; resulted in the formations of monopolies and trusts taking obscene amount of money. These businesses worked together to take control of the industry and charged unfair prices due to small quantity of competitions. To balance the economic power of these big businesses, the public demanded the government to take actions; the Sherman Antitrust Act was passed in order to “prohibit anti competitive practices and prevent unreasonable concentrations of economic power” (Encyclopedia).

Background-The Progressive Movement was an effort to cure many of the ills of American society that had developed during the great spurt of industrial growth in the last quarter of the 19th century. Progressives were mostly middle-class citizens who saw corruption and wanted change in society.

During the Progressive Era, many citizens attempted to stop the racism within former confederate states by exposing the horrors of the wrongdoings, through speeches, protests, literature and other means of expression, who were known as progressives. One progressive, Ida B. Wells. helped to expose lynchings and racial discrimination through the use of bold and clear literature. Another, Booker T. Washington, believed that blacks should become more economically independent, so that discrimination will eventually cease. W.E.B. Dubois, another progressive, wanted and expressed instant racial equality through the use of forming groups and classic literature.

During the Progressive Era, which was known as a large reform movement, there was a widespread across the United States of political reform and social activism. The main focus and goal of the Progressives and their movement was lowering government involvement and eliminating corruption in the government. Progressives reacted to problems caused by large factories and cities. Furthermore, they attacked big corporations, such as the Armour meat-packing company and others, for how harsh their practices were. The progressives exposed these companies and how they treated workers, removed competitors, and set high prices. The meatpacking industry capitalized when the growth of livestock farming in the Midwest started to grow rapidly. Meatpacking companies and industries, such as the Armour meat-packing company, handle the slaughtering, processing, and distribution of animals including cattle and pigs. Although the meatpacking industry created a lot of jobs, working in a meatpacking company was not luxurious because the factories were unsanitary, unregulated, and tremendously dangerous.

Throughout America's history, there have been numerous social and political movements that have had a profound and lasting impact on American culture. Movements such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Suffrage Movement have influenced and shaped American ideals and beliefs. These movements were typically driven by a cause. From the 1890s to the 1920s, a period of social and political reform flourished in America. This was driven by the desire to eliminate corruption in the government. People wanted to have a positive impact on society and they wanted to speak up for what they believed in. This era was a pivotal turning point in the history of the United States. This era was known as the Progressive Era.

Progressives were groups of reformers dedicated to improve the social and the political problems in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They live generally in the towns, were well instructed professionals, and thought the government could be an instrument for the transformation. They started a social movement that turned into a political movement. Unfortunately, the remainder of the population was subject to law incomes, long working hours, risky industrial tools, and unprincipled employers. Progressives believed the problems (poverty, violence, greed, racism, class warfare) that the society faced could best be directed by offering good education, a safe environment, and an efficient workplace. In the words of historian Howard Zinn, the Progressives worked to “stabilize the capitalist system by repairing its worst defects. 2and restore some measure of class peace in a time of increasingly bitter clashes between capital and labor” (Zinn 354). The progressive tried to reform the United States; however, they were incapable to make significant changes and improve the labors of the working class.

During the Progressive Era, various groups responded to the political, social, and economic woes that resulted from the rapid industrialization and urbanization of America during the 19th Century. The mass immigration of foreigners and the northern migration of Africa-Americans led to urban overcrowding and competition for wage-paying jobs. Electric lighting allowed factories to expand the working hours and increase the output of manufactured goods. There was little regulation for employee welfare and many men, women, and children toiled long hours in unsafe factory conditions. Expanding communications through the widespread use of telephones, magazines, and newspapers brought the plight of the poor and oppressed to middle-class America. Improving personal economics allowed these reformers to think less about personal issues and more about society at large. These middle-class Americans led a social movement to cope with the problems associated with rapid industrialization in the 19th Century by bettering society through governmental, business, and social reform.

One interesting point of Progressive movement is the wide range of political, social, economic, and moral reforms that they achieved. Before the Progressive movement, farmers and workers were struggle to survive while the rich people has becoming richer. As out textbook explains, the government was, “promoting and preserving inequality by favoring the rich” (P 73). Therefore, the Progressive movement fight for to improve a government that would benefit all Americans. The social activist efforts paid off and great reforms were reach, “the eight-hour day; the minimum wage, the conservation of natural resources and the protection of our air, water, and land; women’s rights and civil rights; free trade unions, Social Security’ (P 77).

From protests going on today to the foundation of our nation, when Americans do not like something, they act. The Progressive Era, following the aptly named Gilded Age, was riddled with problems in two main areas: urban life, and working conditions. While during the Progressive Era efforts in these sectors differed greatly in how they aimed to help, both shared a common goal legal reform and bringing the American people to a greater level of equality.

During the time period in between the 1890s to the 1920s, also known as the Progressive Era, was a time period that social activism and political reform within the United States flourished. A main goal throughout this era was eradicate corruption in the government by uncovering and undermining political machines and their bosses. This was meant to form a better and more direct democracy. Also, Progressives sought out to regulate monopolistic trust corporations through various antitrust laws, which aimed to promote fair competition for the benefit of the consumer. Although the Progressive Era brought about many reforms and public figures for the greater good of the American people like muckraking journalism, Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, Susan B. Anthony and Jane Addams and significant policy changes, the era, however, did end when America because our nation entered World War 1 and the Great Depression following several years afterwards.

In the 1890s, American women emerged as a major force for social reform. Millions joined civic organizations and extended their roles from domestic duties to concerns about their communities and environments. These years, between 1890 and 1920, were a time of many social changes that later became known as the Progressive Era. In this time era, millions of Americans organized associations to come up with solutions to the many problems that society was facing, and many of these problems were staring American women right in the face.

1. The Progressives was a group made up of middle-class men and women who lived in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York also rural areas like Wisconsin. Most have very religious families roots. While the Progressive movement began as the efforts to clean up the cities, it soon became much more. However, there have been many reform efforts that range from lowering poverty, to improving the urban housing, and labor reform.

On March 3, 1913, dressed in a white cloak riding a white horse, lawyer Inez Milholland guided the great woman suffrage parade along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. (Harvey, n.d.). Following Inez Milholland stretched out a lengthy line with nine bands, four mounted brigades, three announcers, about twenty-four floats, and more than 5,000 marchers including, women and some men (Harvey, n.d.). In an article by the New York Times from 1913 described that while it was possible to keep free just a tighten walkway in which the “suffragists” passed through; there were still other delays along the way (5,000 Women March, Beset by Crowds, 1913). It was almost sundown when the final marchers made their way to the White