Progressivism : The Causes Of The Progressive Era

People thought that they were destined and supposed to make advances and progress with society (477). Progressivists were mainly middle class Americans, experts, and women. They pushed for honest and responsive government, an efficient economy and government, and protection to the vulnerable. Progressivists are known to have instated a new boldness and confidence for the American people and wanted to be the best they could be. They were also concerned with poor people. They wanted to ease poor living conditions and protect them and help them. Women played a huge role in progressive reform. The Progressive Era was the time of one of the largest movements in American history, women’s suffrage (483). During this time, women pushed for equal rights as men, especially the right to vote. Women slowly started to gain ground in the movement and finally gained the right to vote in 1920 when the 19th amendment was

“Drawing support from the urban, college-educated middle class, Progressive reformers sought to eliminate corruption in government, regulate business practices, address health hazards, and improve working conditions.” Each American had their own ways of incorporating the upper class train of thought and applying it to their tactics of forced change among industrial and political governments. Progressives eventually formed their own political party in order to advance their ideas. Women were also active within the Progressive Era. The Progressive Era was the time that women began to push forward for the right to vote, and also advocate for their families. “At the end of the nineteenth century, women were considered the ‘Moral Guardians’ and protectors of the home.” In a literal sense, Progressives wanted to turn America into a Middle-class heaven, where civility, health, education, and economic security flourished. Without the influence of the almighty Rockefeller, and the rest of the 2% upper class, America may not have transitioned into the Progressive Era as

The progressive Era was times in History were local state and federal government took a leap forward in power and activism. In addition, the progressive era, was a time of development of new reforms and changes for America. Progressivism handles a wide range of problems and struggle for America. Such problems were created by unstructed industrialization, urbanization and immigration. As well as, the unfavorable distribution of power and wealth. Progressives believed strongly that problems such as these needed immediate action. Progressives existed in churches, organized labor, local political life, organizations and progressives of high education. Progressives wanted to make America better through inniatives, arranged action, idealism and social scientific research. Progressive had a tendency to expect the best possible outcome of situations. By, the 1920’s, progressives put in effect, changes of all aspects of society and government. Nevertheless, progressives had unhonorable qualities as well. They were biased of class and prejudiced against races.

The Progressive Era was an era of reforms to bring the United States up from its corrupted and poverty-stricken condition. In light of these reforms, new ideas were formed, challenging tradition. Of these, the early women’s civil rights movements of the late 1890’s to late 1910’s stood as one of the most prominent. In 1917, towards the end of the era and right before President Wilson ratified the 19th Amendment, feminist and journalist Alice Stone Blackwell responded to possible outcomes if women were allowed the right to vote. Blackwell’s response towards anti-suffrage ideals is significant to the Progressive Era due to her deconstruction of the arguments against women’s suffrage, essentially revealing its acceptance would not present a

“There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.” (Woodrow Wilson) This quote from one of the most progressive presidents of all time, really represents what the progressives were after during their movement; during the Progressive Era, American citizens were looking for change socially, politically, and economically due to urbanization and industrialization. Although all 3 of the early 20th century presidents were progressive in their reforms, Theodore Roosevelt was the most progressive out of these because he regulated business, fought for labor reform, and conserved natural resources.

The Progressive Era was a period of social activism and political reform that grew from the 1890s to the 1920s. Social reformers and journalists, like Jane Addams, Jacob Riis, and Ida Tarbell were some of the powerful voices for progressivism. “They concentrated on exposing the evils of corporate greed, combating fear of immigrants, and urging Americans to think hard about what democracy meant.” Many progressive reformers wanted to end corruption in the government, regulate business practices, address health hazards, and improve working conditions. It was also an era of conservationists. Conservationists are people who protect and preserve the environment and wildlife. Throughout the Progressive Era, there were many conservationists who wrote and described nature, but the most well-known figure in conservation was John Muir. John Muir worked to protect Earth’s beauty by traveling and exploring nature, co-founding the Sierra Club, and by influencing others through his writings and by showing some of the most important people how the wildlife was magnificent.

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.

The progressive movement was primarily a reform movement. The movement was pivoted to cure many of the problems of the American society that had developed during the great emission of industrial growth in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. In this Era, the boundary had been restrained, great nations and businesses developed as well as overseas empire established but all citizens were entitled to share the new wealth, optimism and prestige. Therefore, the main goals of the movement were to eradicate the problems cause by immigration, urbanization, industrialization as well as corruption in the government. The movement was succeeded by several progressives who included politicians, writers as well as social welfare advocates who ensured that society would develop as a result of government action.

Taking place in the United States between the 1890s and the 1920s, the Progressive Era was a period characterized by political reform and social activism. Due to the popularity of the Progressive ideals during this time period, American citizens elected for president candidates, such as Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, who subscribed to these ideals. Of the three Progressive presidents, Wilson was the most effective when it came to addressing the major issues of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as many reforms were enacted during his presidency, including reforms related to his “New Freedom” program, despite the controversy surrounding the majority of these reforms.

Looking back on the Progressive Era, we see many women activists and their roles in the fight for women’s rights. With the arrival of a new century also came many changes. Society was adjusting to industrialization, urbanization, a growing and powerful economy, and, of course, immigration. As a result of these changes, many people became fearful that traditional values would change as well. Progressive Reform in America began in the late nineteenth century, and an expanding job market as well as changes to the American lifestyle lead to women’s want for change in their public roles. Women activists began fighting for issues such as more opportunities for education and jobs, health advancements, and of course, voting rights. In doing so, women made great advancements in suffrage during the Progressive Era, and without a doubt, changed the nation for the better.

1st sub-topic- Progressives believed that the American society was ill due to unjust with the workers and farmers, in other words corruption.

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.

The Progressive Movement in the late nineteenth century, early twentieth century presented quite a situation for historians to conquer. At the turn of the twentieth century political questioning was the norm. Practically every historian that writes about this time period has a different opinion of what made up “Progressive Movement,” some even going so far to beg the question if it was actually a movement or if it was more of an “era.” The two are interchanged so often that they have in many ways come to mean the same thing although according to some they are distinctly different.

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.

During the historical period commonly regarded as the Progressive Era in the 1900s, began with the First World War in which women joined the political field in extraordinary amounts. Women were incorporated in leading positions in an array of social reform endeavors, comprising of suffrage, equality, child welfare, and nonviolence (Haman, 2009). Women in the ear started to establish conferences; spoke at gatherings, petitioned government representatives, led marches and protests. Women were also involved in a multiple policies that, for the first time in U.S. history, provided them with a visible presence on the political arena (Haman, 2009). The lines that divided women’s household and public existence became distorted as women joined the