...“I am in this cause with my whole heart and soul. I believe that the Progressive movement is making life a little easier for all our people; a movement to try to take the burdens off the men and especially the women and children of this country. I am absorbed in the success of that movement.” – Theodore Roosevelt Progressivism reached its peak in the United States during the late 19th century, in which it was a reform movement that many took part in to make the country excel in all areas of society including: politically, socially, and economically. Progressives wanted to eliminate waste and corruption, supported improved child labor laws, minimum wage legislation, graduated income tax, and equality for all citizens. With this, progressivism...
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...The Progressive Movement's goal was to improve life by making moderate political and social changes through governmental action. They wanted to limit the power of corporations, improve democracy to benefit the people, and strengthen justice. "Many formerly local organizations that had formed around specific interests and issues became nationwide" (Norton, Mary Beth. Chapter 18: The Progressive Era, 1895-1920. In A People & A Nation, p. 537). These organizations included professional associations and issue-oriented groups. These groups acted outside established parties, which made politics more fragmented and issue focused. Business progressives and middle-class progressives both had the same goal, efficiency. A new middle class, consisting...
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...twentieth century, these perspectives evolved into a rather optimistic view. The Progressive Era thus commenced. This movement brought both political and social innovations that invoked the desire to enact order and justice on the currently strained society. These staunch “progressivists” believed in society’s capability to advance, grow, and enhance through various reforms at the national level. These reformers, along with the federal government, proved effective in their quest for betterment of society: their efforts resulting in both successes and limitations. One of the most prominent issues dealt with the meat packing industry and the closely associated issue concerning the safety of medicines. The meat factories were the epitome of filth: dirty and soggy floors, rarely washed tables, and ill-ventilated rooms. Utterly ignorant of cleanliness and the danger of their work place to their health, workers shoveled fallen meat scraps into machines for chopping: combining despicable leftovers into the meat (Doc B). Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle revealed these atrocities and others including how employees often became victims of tuberculosis and various other illnesses (O.I.). His vivid description of the unsanitary and life-threatening conditions reached President Theodore Roosevelt who inspired Congress to take action (O.I.). Shortly afterwards, the Meat Inspection Act was passed, providing a government agency to inspect and certify health of all meats sold in the United States. Accordingly...
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...The Progressive Era Ryan Keohane The Progressive Era In the present day progressive can be a tricky word to define. It means many things to many people. Simply put by definition it signifies people promoting and applying social reform, or in other words “liberal” ideas. Americans in the 19th and early 20th century acquired the opportunity to witness progressivism first hand in what is known as the progressive era. This movement dealt primarily with political, economic, moral, and social restructuring. The progressive idea gave American people hope for a better life by attacking the unfair abuses and corruption that was occurring. There were highs and lows during this time that I will further discuss throughout this paper. By the year 1890, 9 percent of America’s population controlled 71 percent of the nation’s wealth. This figure shows how much capitalism had really spread. In the year of 1896 the establishment of a progressive reform began way. Americans started to question economic, political, and cultural changes that were arising due to the start of the industrial revolution. These Americans were social reformers known as progressives. They felt that the changes our country was going through required an establishment of new instruction which correlated with the new industrial age. By 1900, cities were becoming more and more crowded. The bad part about this was simply because much of the people were poor workers that suffered terrible working conditions...
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...immigrants seeking economic opportunity was the contributing factor to industrial success because the constant supply of jobs meant that big businesses did not have to protect their workers or offer them good wages. As big business owners continually took advantage of their laborers, unions formed and the people’s response began. The Progressive Era, a time of social reform and self-advocacy, ensued in...
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...During Civil War Era America, the people of the United States were split over which of these fundamental ideas would restore the country to prosperity. The differences between the Union and the Confederacy caused this split over whether the equality of opportunity or protection of property would be more effective during the Reconstruction Era. After the Civil War, the thirteenth amendment officially abolished slavery and emancipated all slaves in the United States. Following the thirteenth amendment, the fourteenth guaranteed citizenship to all natural or naturalized Americans, and the fifteenth amendment gave people of color the right to vote. The passage of these amendments angered the South, who primarily believed in protection of property,...
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...Shift To The Progressive Era Following the Civil War, the mid-19th century brought a second industrial revolution. Many technological advances took place during this time, which gave way towards the beginning of the Gilded Age. Although the Gilded Age brought great economic improvement, many suffered. The economic development that this era brought to America was very appealing to immigrants, and America experienced a large influx of European immigrants towards the latter part of the 1800’s. Despite the technological and economic improvements of the Gilded Age, only a small percentage of the population in America reaped the benefits of this. Living and working conditions were abysmal, and tensions rose within the large, yet poverty ridden middle...
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...The Prohibition Movement in the early 1900’s was not the first time America was struggling with the concept of alcohol consumption. It has been an ongoing issue for years. Dating back to the Gilded Age and the second Industrial Revolution, alcohol was used as an escape for working men. With long hours and harsh labor conditions in the factories, often times men would come home and drink their pain and stress away. Their minimal income was spent on more alcohol. The consumption of alcohol has been and continues to be an escape from reality that is often times abused. During the era of progressive reform, prohibition was added to the list of improvements these small groups of middle class, Protestant, Americans were trying to impose upon the nation. The achievement of the overarching goals during the movement was demonstrated by the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the...
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...The Gilded Age sparked several changes in America, one being industrialization, which hit its peak during the Progressive Era. This boom in industrialization was demonstrated by tycoons such as Andrew Carnegie and Cornelius Vanderbilt. These individuals introduced large companies that essentially changed life as it once was. The Progressive Movement, which took place during the same time period, consisted of key reformers who strived to repair American society which became corrupt following the recent flare of industrialization. Political corruption was a consequential issue during the Gilded Age that was addressed by two key reformers, Lincoln Steffen and Robert La Follette. Political corruption was a critical issue that greatly hindered...
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...19th century many rural societies in America became industrial. While industrialization brought about an increased volume of variety in manufactured goods and improved standard of living. Most workers in this time period went through grim employment, and horrible living conditions for the poor and working classes. At the same time this time, an age known as the Gilded Age, was an era of rapid growth, especially in the North and West America. In addition to Gilded Age, came a movement named the Progressive Movement. The Progressive movement's main goal was to wipe out corruption in government. At this very key time in history, there were many...
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...Running head: A new deal to recovery From Boom to Depression HIS105: Contemporary U.S. History May 10, 2012 From Boom to Depression The period after the civil war was a time of physical, economic, social, political and geographical reconstruction for the United States of America. The nation had experienced mark destruction by the civil war. Slaves were now emancipated and must be considered. These events were marked turning points for the country. Of these turning points, the social security act and the 19th amendment were most influential in that they initiated an act of government that is still practiced today. 1. Identify at least (2) two major historical turning points in the period under discussion. The 19th Amendment The woman’s fight for their own equality and for others was not an easy one. It can be traced as far back to the first woman’s right convention in Seneca Falls, New York in July of 1848. It was here that the woman suffrage movement was launched and the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was born. Some of the key sponsors for the launch were courageous women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia. Contributors to the movement were also abolitionists, whose goals at the time were to include equal rights for all, including that of the Negro male. In 1870, their fight was partially won with the passage of the 15th amendment to the Constitution, thus giving the Negro male the right to vote. The passing of the...
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...The time preceding, and during, the Progressive Era led to many economic and social changes that greatly affected American society. The Progressives emerged when reacting to problems that were caused by the massive growth of immigrants into large cities. Progressives, at first, concentrated on improving the lives of people and immigrants living in the poorest areas, and then on getting rid of corruption in government. (Constitutional Rights Foundation) Journalists of this time took advantage of the opportunity to show the American people how corrupt many of the health systems were. In 1902, magazine publishers discovered that their sales increased dramatically when they highlighted popular stories of political corruption, corporate misconduct, or other offenses. (Gilder Lehrman Institute) The novelist Upton Sinclair also played a large role during this new era in the fight...
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...The Great Plains— To the Point Geography- West of the MS River *1800 Territory in the plains included North Dakota & South Dakota, Nebraska, and states such as Texas * Great Plains had very hot summers and very cold winters, very rainfall which droughts few sources of water very few trees - conditions not fit for farming *Before the late 1800s U.S. settlers did not settle the plains. Farming The Plains *Farming the plains was difficult * Gov’t encourage settlement by passing the Homestead Act -$160 acres -$10 registration fee - live on farm land for 5 yrs *Houses was made of sod because of lack of trees Farming Technologies - Cast Iron wingmill- allowed them to pump waterfrom wells. - Steel plow- to wooden plow would break in dry hard earth of the plains Cattle Industry Mechanical binder- tied and cut the grains or crops simultaneously - barbed wire- replaced wooden fences Rise of cattle industry -abundance of cattle in Great Plain -herd of cattle numbering about 2,500 were taken on long drive (cattle trails such as the chilsoln trail which was San Antonio, Texas to Abliene, Kansas) to Ship stations in Kansas and Missouri -African American Cowhand- Nat Love Decline Of cattle industry -overgrazing -overproduction costs the product to drop -weather (droughts, blizzards) -barbed wire led to development of cattle ranches ...
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...The progressive era was the period of social, economic ,and political reform that took place after the gilded age. The primary purpose of the progressive era was to correct the mistakes in America that had taken place during the gilded age and progress the United States forward in the right direction. At the end of the gilded age the common American life was pretty crummy. People were controlled by corrupt governments and monopolies it was extremely difficult to get a job so many people were living in the streets. This all began to change with the election of Theodore Roosevelt and his Square Deal. The square deal aimed to help with the labor ,business, consumion , and environment of the American people. Theodore passed many laws to improve...
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...gilded age. The great leap forward was mainly concentrated in the north. The main cause of the GLF was the industrialization Throughout the gilded age the north accounted for 80precent of the industrial advancements. Until the 1800’s the only 2 components of the American economy was agriculture and overseas commerce. Then during the war of 1812 that began to change. The north started to do more manufacturing. 3 industries at the core of GLF steel industry railroad industry coal industry steel industry- over 400 steel companies. But only produced 200,000 tons of steel In 1900 – fewer than 80 steel companies But they produce 10million tons of steel Railroad industry – customers of steel coal and timber industry Government realized that railroad was so important So they gave it a lot of land. Coal Industry – Saudi Arabia of coal More here than anyone in the world. The Working People of The Gilded Age. Category A workers – white collar people. Had higher status Doctors Lawyers Ministers Journalists Needed higher education. **category A&B =Middle Class Category B workers – Skilled workers Worked with hands Did not dress nicely to work Got paid very well due to their skills Sometimes more than category A’s Carpenters Plumbers Category C workers- Not very skilled Got very dirty Dangerous jobs Taken for granted Coal miners All miners Category c workers were in the new immigrants class ...
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