The Progressive Era

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 a time period in America after reconstruction that took place from 1900 to 1920. The progressive era focused mainly on social and political reform, trying to fix America's economy by working towards equal conditions for individuals, stopping political corruption and increasing government intervention on social and economic issues. Progressivists were social activists and political reformers working to improve conditions and the treatment of the American people. They believed that the government could be a tool for change. Progressive reform started out as a social movement and later on took a more political stand. The progressive era was successful in the fight to reform the United States by improving industrialization, urbanization cities, and reforming America's social and gender classes.

The Progressive Era was a time period between the years 1900-1920 and it marked a time in American history in which society was bursting with enthusiasm to improve life in the industrial age by making political and social changes through government action that ultimately led to a higher quality of life for American citizens. Progressives were known for their beliefs in limiting the power of big business, strengthening the power of the states, and were advocators against corruption and social injustice. These progressive reformers as well as the Federal Government successfully managed to improve the quality of life and establish a precedent for a move active government, although neither was completely successful in solving significant

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.

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.

Industrial Revolution. Many progressives desired a limitation on the power of big businesses, an improvement on the democracy of the people, and an increase in social equality among the people. The progressive era was a time of enlightenment and reform for the United State, in that it improved the quality of life through government regulation, muckraking, and conservation.

There are many ways in which the progressive era saw expansion and restriction of political and economic freedoms. In the progressive era, the economy grew enormously. But because America was changing from a rural society to more of an urban scene, industrialization occurred. As a result, businesses were booming, which jump started the economy. This was the beginning of the uprising of America’s economy during the progressive era. Big business essentially became in control of the economy, and this is where we see those restrictions. Because big businesses were in control of the economy, greed became an epidemic among businesses and corporations which resulted in unfair working conditions and unsteady shifts for the working class. It also created a larger gab between the working class and the business owners in terms of wealth. However, this did not last long as reform came. These victories helped shape the expansion of the economy of the progressive era, which included a minimum wage, predictable 8-hour work shifts, and better working conditions. The economy thrived in which more people sought jobs and retention rates in jobs rose due to the better working conditions.

From the time of 1890- 1920 was the progressive era. In this time the American people experienced a very rapid industrialization in their major cities, where it grew not only with industrializing but economically as well. In this time we adopted many laws about working conditions that we still have today. For example, the government adopted laws about Jacob Riis and the photos he took, child labor, and women's suffrage movements. In the next few paragraphs I will explain to you why these three subjects are some of the most important things that happened in this time period.

The Progressive Era helped respond to the economic and social problems due to industrialization. This movement helped changed living conditions. The Progressive movement was socially and economically successful because it opened the eyes of the public and caused change.

The Meat Inspection Act of 1906 was an attempt to regulate the meatpacking industry and to assure consumers that the meat they were eating was safe. In brief, this act made compulsory the careful inspection of meat before its consummation, established sanitary standards for slaughterhouses and processing plants, and required continuous U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection of meat processing and packaging. Yet, the most important objectives set by the law are the prevention of adulterated or misbranded livestock and products from being commercialized and sold as food, and the making sure that meat and all its products are processed and prepared in the adequate sanitary and hygienic conditions (Reeves 35). Imported meat and its various

Before the 1900’s American politics and the way the government was run were very different than it is today. There were many influences to contribute to this factor. The major influence for this factor was a time period called “The Progressive Era”. The Progressive Era lasted from 1900 to about 1920. The Progressive Era was a major influence to American politics and the government because that was the time where everyone decided it was time to become a more “for the people” nation. When I say a “for the people” nation, I mean this was a time period where everyone wanted equality, peace, and freedom. The era experienced three main powerful movements. The three movements were becoming an improved government, the women suffrage movement, and

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair is a book set in the Stockyards of Chicago in the early 1900’s. The book has multiple characters, but it mainly follows the character of Jurgis Rudkus who is a Lithuanian man struggling to get by once he moves to America with his love interest and family. This book brought attention to major problems and scandals in the industries, and therefore brought change to the States that is still visible to this day. One of the many conflicts during this time were companies selling spoiled or diseased meat.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, America struggled with finding comfort and equality through mass industrial maltreatment, political duels, and hypocrisies; this point in time is what historians named Progressive Era (1890- 1920). In this era, it was believed that America was in dire need of improvement in areas such as the economy, government, and social justice. Progressivism contributed in changing how people viewed government and inspired many to fight for their right to be; however, progressivism was subject to bias, being influenced by Christian morals, which featured racial, ethnic, and class prejudices. Still the people took action and ignited reforms across the nation that changed the texture of American society

At the turn of the 20th century, the Progressive Era, a movement that attempted to assist the workers and the downtrodden, began. When it first started, there was a massive shift from capital goods to consumer goods in the American economy. With the rise of consumerism, traditional jobs, such as those of the skilled laborers, began to disappear and were replaced by manufacturing jobs with little to no industrial freedom. Although unionization helped people attain some level of industrial freedom and higher wages, the wage gap was still quite large and increasing. Despite it not having helped as much as they had hoped, the liberal consensus, and more specifically liberal economic theory, helped the middle and lower classes by making the economy more inclusive. While liberal economics and specifically Keynesian economic theory helped the general economy only in times of expansion, they both helped the average citizen more than conservative economic theory did in any period.