During the 1900s to the 1920s, progressive reformers and the federal government were able to transition through a nearly complete reform at the national level. They were successful in areas concerning trusts, child labor, and women’s suffrage; however, they lacked the skill set to address issues concerning the civil rights movement. Their successful accomplishments helped millions of middle class Americans prosper economically. In addition, they also emphasized a need to take part in politics so that elected officials will react to the public’s concerns. Overall, the progressive presidents were successfully able to bring reform to the national level for the. Throughout the Progressive Era, the United States government began to take action …show more content…
Due to the fact that industry grew so rapidly and work in factories was the main source of income for majority of families, more and more children were working. Many social reformers and educators spoke out about the detrimental mental and physical effects child labor had on most of America’s youth (Doc C). In 1816, during Wilson’s presidency, the Child Labor Act was passed, outlawing companies from utilizing the skill set of children under the age of fourteen. Activists such as Jane Addams and questions regarding the innocence children in the workfield, helped the Child Labor Act pass with relative ease. Also, earlier within the century, in 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed, further ensuring the quality and safeness of American processed foods. This act driven largely on behalf of writer, such as Neill-Reynolds, who argued about the unsanitary working conditions factory workers dealt with on a daily basis. He wrote, “meat [was] shoveled from filthy wooden floors, piled on tables rarely washed, pushed from room to room in rotten box carts...[and exposed to] dirt, splinters, floor filth, and the expectoration of tuberculosis.” (Doc B). It can be concluded that during the Progressive Era, ideas that had been proposed for decades, were finally put into …show more content…
As W.E.B. DuBois wrote in The Crisis, America was still “a shameful land” for the black community (Doc I). Although African-American fought with pride till death for the U.S. during World War One, they returned home to face brutality and devilish insults; in general they lacked the much deserved respect as war heros. Progressive presidents made a limited public effort, out of either racists beliefs or fear of losing their popularity, to shed light on the subjects of segregation and discrimination. Teddy Roosevelt in particular was shamed for having Booker T. Washington invited for an official dinner at the White House, from then on he did all his reform for African Americans in private. Little was changed for African Americans in the period 1900 to 1920. The limits of reform can be witnessed in the dramatic drop of voter turn outs. In 1900, 73% of eligible voter voted, while in 1920 only 49% voted (Doc. J). It is clear that nearing 1920, more and more voters were less enthused by reformers and their lack of focus towards weakening the effects of segregation, therefore, it comes as no surprise that they found a lesser need to
PROMPT #1: Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal reform programs aimed at ensuring “every man … [had] the right to make a comfortable living” (Give Me Liberty!, p.811). Further, Roosevelt, unlike Hoover, agreed that it was the government's responsibility to address the adversities brought upon citizens by the Great Depression. The Great Depression in the United States began on October 29, 1929. After taking office in 1933, over the next eight years, Roosevelt would be dedicating his presidency towards attempting to stabilize the economy and provide jobs and relief to those in need. The implementations of these programs brought prosperity to many Americans.
Their methods to achieve their goals were raising public awareness for women suffrage, and creating a social organization to help the poor out. All in this proves in the 1800’s and early 1900’s reformers in the unites states had their own goals and trying different methods to advance the
The 1900s was a time period filled with political corruption, social inequality and injustice, discrimination, poor working and living conditions. The progressive movement resulted in response to these issues. Members and advocates of this movement were usually white (some blacks too), middle-class, Christian, college educated women (and men). They sought to achieve social justice through equality and enhance life in America for everyone. To further the nation’s democratic ideals, they hoped to incorporate reforms based on the expectations of the majority public.
People and children would work ridiculous hours for little wages. Children would be put to work in the mines or even at a factory. As quoted from the Clayton Anti-Trust Act, "The labor of a human being is not a commodity or article of commerce,"(Document E). In response to these issues, labor laws were created. Woodrow Wilson introduced an eight hour workday, minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor laws to prevent children younger than 14 from working in a factory or
The profound effects of Progressivism had done little for African Americans, with very few that managed to gain a foothold by services and products to the black community. Especially in the South, where racism was much more prominent, and where many more white Americans possessed the ideology that blacks were inferior to whites. W.E.B. Du Bois was the very first African American to receive a PhD, and he published several books and essays, describing in great detail the numerous hurdles they were presented with. In his own journal, The Crisis, he displays an example after World War I, explaining the lack of recognition African Americans received for fighting “gladly and to the last drop of blood; for America and her highest ideals” (Document I). African Americans were kept extremely busy with “lynching, disenfranchisement, caste, brutality, and devilish insult” (Document I), fighting to protect and secure the rights they had already worked so hard to achieve.
The Progressive Era could not have made such an impact in the U.S without the political, social and economic
Many parents needed their wages to make ends meet. In Document C from The Spirit of Youth and the City Streets by Jane Adams 1909, Jane states how children enter factory life when the law allows them to, and children end up not having childhoods. She writes that people are so caught up with the marvelous achievements of their industry and end up forgetting the children who have to work to help out as well. In Document G, a court case Hammer v. Dagenhart 1918, the father of two sons one under fourteen years old and another one between fourteen and sixteen explains his concern about the exploitation of his children in a cotton mill. He says its concerning that children are allowed to work more than eight hours a day and six days a week.
According to the 1900 Census, 1.75 million children aged 10-15 held jobs, and they comprised more than 6 percent of the labor force (“Labor”). With the ratification of the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act in 1916, 14- and 15-year-olds were heavily restricted in terms of hours and present dangers and all products manufactured by children less than 14 were banned from being sold (“Labor”). These guidelines are customary today in the United States (“Labor”). The final significant issue organized labor tackled was a minimum wage, which they got with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; it set forth a federal wage floor of $0.25 per hour and established the time-and-a-half provision for overtime pay (“1.1”).
Jim Crow laws were still prevalent and continued to restrict their freedom (Doc D). During the 1920s, the American economy took a giant step forward. Economic prosperity put the “roar” into the twenties. A new
Corporate greedy and corrupt politicians were specific problems and injustices that were present in American life during the late 1800s and early 1900s however these were addressed during the progressive era with laws and regulations. Throughout the gilded era corrupt politicians and corporate greedy allowed the upper class and businessmen to take advantage of the working class. This means that a majority of the population were hurt during the gilded age whereas a small percentage benefitted. As seen in document 1, living conditions were crowded, dirty, and unsafe.
In the period between 1900 and 1920, the federal government and reformers were very successful in bringing social, economic, and political reform to the federal government. While not every aspect of it was successful, the rights of women, fighting against child labor and limiting the control of trusts and monopolies were three distinct successes of that time. Even before the progressive era, women challenged their place and articulated new visions of social, political and economic equality. The progressive era was a turning point for women as organizations evolved fighting for equal rights. Woman began to become very involved in a variety of reform movements.
The “Progressive Movement was an early-20th century reform movement seeking to return control of the government to the people, to restore economic opportunity, and to correct injustices in American life.” (Danzer R54). The Progressive Era marked the end of the “Gilded Ages” and a start of a new era. The Progressive Era started in 1901 in the United States (Fagnilli 26). There were many major reforms in the Progressive Era that altered and advanced American society.
From 1896 to 1924, America went through a period known as progressivism in which people of all walks of life banded together to oppose conservatism and reform society. Progressives generally believed that government is necessary for change, however; it had to more significantly embody the ideals of democracy. Some of the specific changes that progressives wanted were regulating railroads, a direct election of senators, graduated income tax, limited immigration and eight-hour workdays. By supporting these changes, the progressives hoped to promote and expand democracy and thus give the people more power.
The progressive era which lasted from 1890-1920 in American society was the institution of radical reforms brought about by the millions of Americans involved in volunteer organizations across the country. During this time Americans worked to create solutions to the problems caused by the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the country. The progressive era was not a single movement, but rather a collection of movements all of which were intended to improve the lives of Americans. This was a truly remarkable time for women and the end of the era would see almost universal women’s suffrage with the passing of the nineteenth amendment in 1920.
Michael McGerr notes how these changes affected the American people. From the fast changing ideas of individualism, class differences, labor issues, and immigration to women’s rights and the always-controversial issue of racial discrimination, the Progressive Era shook the entire nation and its citizens to its core. The main theme presented in A Fierce Discontent is the metamorphosis of the concept of individualism. The upper ten were in control of virtually everything during the