Successes And Failures Of The Progressive Era

In the 1800s, calls for change erupted from the public after numerous events broadcasted what mismanagement of natural resources can lead to. In 1871, the Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin sent a message to the public that change was necessary, which was further reinforced through the after effects of smoke filled skies of industrial areas and degraded lands once beautiful now overgrazed to their roots. The cries of the public rendered new initiatives calling for better management of natural resources, as well as valuing these resources at more appropriate levels. These changes lead to the birth of conservation and preservation, and through this the means for advocates like George Catlin, John Muir, George Marsh and Theodore Roosevelt are provided for gaining public support for new management.

This piece introduces changes that occurred during the Progressive Age. More specifically, political, cultural, and social changes in America. For example, the Sherman Anti-Trust Laws. Changing the way monopolies are for the present and the future. Then reshaping administration in our country, and lastly Theodore Roosevelt.

The United States overall during the progressive era, Gilded age, and WWI moved farther away from realizing its ideals due to various developments made regarding foreign policy and domestic issues. This is supported by various documents surrounding the actions of U.S. officials in foreign countries, and at home. The United States during this era was making small improvements towards their ideals, however the negative outcomes proved more perseverant than the positive. The United States took advantage of many war torn countries and dominated them using violent tactics and gross intimidation. Examples of this include but are not limited to; Guam, Hawaii, Cuba, and The Philippines Aguinaldo’s manifesto further perpetuates the claim that the United

Women’s Rights Movement The Women’s Rights Movement in the 19th century was an effort by women protesting to gain equality with men. Women at the time were denied many rights. The rights movement first started in 1848 when a group of women met to discuss protesting, the first gathering of its time. During the movement women gained many rights that they were fighting for but It wasn’t until 1920 that all states ratified the right for women to vote, therefore wrapping up the 19th century Women’s Rights Movement. This Women’s Rights Movement was important for various reasons, but the most important reason was that if it wasn’t for this movement, today women may not have all the rights that they do.

Heavily influenced by increasing industrial production and the continued expansion of the consumer marketplace, this era was a “period of explosive economic growth” and population explosion.4 The majority of American society voted with the political mindset than the best government would always be the best government, and this would not change until news of modern government corruption became commonplace. The very act of informing the public about the government and their actions was a very modern concept, as the Founding Fathers themselves were against the idea of allowing “ordinary citizens” the privilege of becoming involved with political affairs, lest there be corruption or nepotism of any sort. Conversely, Progressives believed that it was the constitutional right of the public as citizens of the United States of America to be informed of anything and everything regarding politics and policies that might affect them in any way. The following is a passage from Give Me Liberty! Brief that accurately and eloquently describes the overarching goal that Progressives of the era sought to

Presidents of Progressive Era During the Progressive Era, America society experienced immense changes in regards to business, politics, ethnic. Taking on the huge responsibilities, the presidents of that period, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, actively worked toward equality and social justice. Following by the assassination of President McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, at his middle age with an exuberant personality, succeeded to the office. He was a preservationist, a trustbuster, promoting “Square Deal” and food safety policies. However, his major contribution to the era was on railroad regulation which eliminated corruption in interstate commerce.

Much of the writing that has been published regarding the Progressive era has helped propel it forward as a time of “prosper, middle-class control,” in the minds of young Americans across the nation. Generally considered a highpoint of American political history, the Progressive era has been a benefactor of positive reporting in textbooks through much of history. Although, its alleged connection to socialism caused a significant change in reporting during the years of the Second Red Scare. In examination of five U.S. History textbooks spanning from 1930 through 2011, it is easy to see common themes that historians have kept through the years, as well as how current events played into the writing of history. As we have experienced, recent

Political Changes of the Progressive Era Prior to the Progressive Era, politics was influenced by Laissez-Faire economics. This meant the government let supply and demand dictate the economy. This would lead to unregulated industry with generally poor conditions. Politics also turned a blind eye to social issues of the industrial era. This would change with the emergence of the progressive era.

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”).

Not all the citizens equally enjoyed the prosperous years. The blooming nation of the 50s was veiled by security, enjoyment and happiness. Despite the national prosperity, precariousness and social misery prevailed. The suburban white middle class, which emblematized the prosperity of the era, was only a drop in the sea compared to reality. Beyond the suburban treetops laid the “other America.”

When a population of people see an inequality that is affecting many, there is often a collective view for a change that needs to happen. Depending on how broad the inequality reaches, this could call for an uprising of a smaller population to start making the changes and start a movement. One inequality, women’s rights, has become a major movement in the past century. Women did not have all the rights that men had, and to this day women do not have complete equal rights. One of the few movements that started in the early 1900s, when America was becoming a greater nation, was the birth control movement in which proponents for birth control fought for women to have a say in their private lives and reproductive systems.

Companies employed children to work in worse environments than adults. Companies did this because Children were less likely to fight back and got paid much less than adults. Many of the underage children working did not go to school, which created a cycle of poverty. Their working conditions were so harsh that in 1902-1915 progressive child labor reformers sought to fight back. With the help of the progressive child labor reformers, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Keating-Owen Act banning articles produced by child labor from being sold in interstate commerce.

The women’s suffrage movement was a long and strenuous process. Women desired the right to vote alongside men. This matter was first voiced in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention. However, this was only to counteract the African-American votes being placed at the time. Women supporting the cause became known as suffragettes, and there was much controversy.

During the progressive Era, the politics of America went through reforms caused by different abuses in the political systems of the Industrial age. With the rise of the Industrial age, came a rise of new system abuses such as political bosses, which led to political reforms. One of the main problems that led to political reforms were political bosses, the main type of political abuse system created by the Industrial Revolution. With the Industrial Revolution, immigrants and other people massively flocked to cities in search of new jobs created by the Industrial Revolution. Political bosses used abused these large numbers, by rewarding supporters with jobs and kickbacks, in trade for votes.

One of the most significant accomplishments of the women's movement was the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920, which gave women the right to vote. This was a critical moment in the history of the movement, as it provided a platform for women to have their voices heard in the political process. In the years that followed, feminists continued to fight for equal rights, including the right to work outside the home and receive equal pay, access to birth control and abortion, and an end to gender-based violence. In the 1960s and 1970s, the women's movement gained momentum, with women across the