The Progressive Era Of The United States

The Progressive era was a massive turning point in America’s history. The suffrage movement, Scopes Monkey Trial, and prohibition all had a large impact on America. Each event had a unique effect on the future and we still see the effects of these events today.

During the latter part of the nineteenth century, presumably around the 1890's, it became known as the Progressive Era, a time of change, reform, and adaptation. As Vernon L. Parrignton put it, it was a "democratic renaissance" (Vernon L. Parrington in The Progressive Movement: Liberal or Conservative). So what was Progressivism? Well, its main goals were to curb corporate power, to end business monopolies, and to wipe out political corruption. They also wanted to democratize electoral procedures, protect working people, and bridge the gap between social classes. They called for reforms such as the referendum, initiative, and the recall. They wanted the Americanization of the immigrant and the

Although the Progressive Era managed to solve much of the backwater left over from Industrialization, it failed in regards to discrimination. America would have to wait decades later for the issue of civil equality to truly be addressed. Due to the apathy of the politicians during that time, the desperate need for a scapegoat, and the hypocrisy people displayed when confronted with the topic, the movement that was intended to achieve “progress” in society completely forgot about equality.

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

From the 1890s to the 1920s, many social and economic reform movements were taking place within American society, and this time period became known as the Progressive Era. People advocated for women’s suffrage, temperance, rights for African Americans, better working conditions in factories, and much more. One prominent figure from this time period is Carry A. Nation, a temperance activist. Nation would pray, sing hymns, throw bricks, and attack bars with hatchets. Her action resulted in her being jailed, written about, and led to her writing her own magazine. Carry A. Nation’s tactics of praying, singing hymns, and violent attacks were effective in the banning of alcohol, with the 18th Amendment, due to the publicity and fame she received.

The Progressive movement occurred after the civil war moving into the 20th Century and into the first World War. It focused on four main goals: Cleaning up politics, limiting power of big businesses, reducing poverty, and promoting social justice. In this paper, I will show some of the attempts to accomplish these goals, and some of the failures of the movements.

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.

Where did some of modern America's issues originate from? The answer to that is the Progressive Era. The Legislation of that era laid all of the groundwork for today, and much of it is still in public debate today. Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, three of the presidents from that era, all played roles in the groundwork. These presidents passed acts, tariffs, and amendments that are still with us, and debated today.

In his novel Sinclair begins with the story of Jurgis and his family, how they struggled to find money for their own home. Because of their money problems they were not able to keep the house rented to them. Many people of higher rankings and sometimes even those who were just like Jurgis’ family often took advantage of them. Simply because they thought they were better than them. They also discriminated against them because of their background and took advantage of their “American Dream”.

Jurgis and his family are thrust into the polluting factories, toiling away for meager wages. Even as all of them work, including the children, it’s barely enough to scrape by to pay for rent and food. “Working harder,” as Jurgis says, only brings them closer to death. As the result of capitalist greed, workers are treated as only a means to an end, making profit while the workers scrounged up cents a day to make ends meet. Immigrants such as Jurgis were a seemingly endless supply, and employers manipulated this to implement cheap wages for long hours. All around Jurgis, his family members waste away; his wife, Ona, dies during childbirth because their family couldn’t afford a doctor inside the attic of a dingy house. One of the children, “wretchedly sick and undersized” [1, Ch. 13, pg. 91] was perpetually sick and dressed in shabby clothes and forced to crawl under heavy machinery. Furthermore, one particular scene describes Ona’s rape; if she didn’t sleep with her boss, Phil Connor, her whole family would be without work. Sinclair portrays capitalism as soulless and lacking any empathy for humanity.  Jurgis keeps “working harder,” [1, Ch. 1, pg. 14] but capitalism forces him to work harder and harder until he cannot work any harder. Jurgis then comes to be educated in socialism, where he is enthralled by the idea. His journey through the jungle has only brought him grief, and in the end he can only rely on himself. The people that have meant most of them have submitted themselves to capitalism or have died at the hands of their work. The economic system has failed him, the judicial system has failed him, and he had nowhere to turn. Socialism was his answer, and so after meeting Hinds, who educated him, his life turned around and gave him a purpose to fight for.

Throughout the novel it is evident that factory owners care more about their profits, than the health of their workers. Jurgis would often work long shifts for little pay. In the story the Sinclair states, “And for this, at the end of the week, he would carry home three dollars to his family, being his pay at the rate of five cents per hour—just about his proper share of the total earnings of the million and three-quarters of children who are now engaged in earning their livings in the United States" (85). This quote proves that Jurgis was laboring long hours, every single day, to make no more than a child. Due to this Jurgis struggles to provide for his family and purchase necessities to live a healthy lifestyle. Eventually his lack of success leads him to drinking and corrupt activities. The corrupt practices of the factory owners are evidenced by child labor, sale of contaminated meat, and abuse of female workers. While capitalist gain financial earnings, the corruption that takes place destroys the heart and soul of workers throughout the stockyards, until all hope is lost.

Sinclair emphasizes that the downfall of Jurgis and the family was caused by capitalism and pursuing the American dream. Sinclair is addressing readers who wonder why Jurgis has adopted these new values and why many people scam and cheat system. Now in my opinion, he is trying to put you in their shoes, to ask yourself if you would push through, even when your best isn’t enough. This is the best way, if not the only way, to survive the jungle. Sinclair writes about how Juozapas was digging in the dump, and instead of food, he found a young, rich lady that would later offer Jurgis a job at the steel mill after the family's touching story. Sinclair inserts this event into the book in order to show the reader how different immigrants were treated

The main theme is capitalism should be overtaken by socialism in order to restore humanity. In each chapter Sinclair explains a failure of capitalism. For example Jurgis is very upset after he is sentenced to jail that anyone with money can get away with anything. He explains that the owners in Packingtown will do anything for money and do not care about anything but becoming rich. This symbolizes a hungry

Upton Sinclair mainly focuses on the issue of capitalism, he illustrates the injustice by showing the harsh living condition of the workers in Packingtown. When Ona and Jurgis take a tour around Packingtown, they are shocked to the filthy areas of meatpacking, but still Jurgis tells Ona, “tomorrow I will get a job ... and then we can get a place of our own” (Sinclair 16). This quote shows how determined Jurgis is to start a decent life in the filthy city of Packingtown. He gets a job sweeping slaughtered cow guts in the factory, although the place is dirty, he is pleased because he is able to make two dollars for his twelve hours shift. Jurgis doesn’t allow his children to work because he wants them to go to school, but the rest of the family finds work for low wages. Soon working at the factory, Jurgis is asked to join a union, that was started by workers who were not happy with the working conditions and wages and wanted to riot for a change. However, Jurgis didn’t join them because he believed “If they couldn't do it, let them go somewhere else” (Sinclair 34). This quote shows the mentality that Jurgis has, the eager to work harder, and those who are lazy will be left behind. The winter comes in Packingtown and brings lots of deaths because of the cold, a lot of the workers have died, which is not a problem because there are many more who are willing to take their jobs. Soon, Ona gives birth to a child named, Antanas, Jurgis is really excited to become a father but had