The Progressive Movement In The 1920's

Along with changes within society, education experienced great changes as well. When World War I started, there was only about one million kids attending a high school. However, this number soared to over four million by 1926. With industry booming and the economy prospering, there was a need for higher skilled laborers. This is exactly what high schools became in the 1920’s, as they offered a big range of various courses for students who were interested in industrial jobs.

Many historians thought that the progressives came from the middle class. George Mowry asserted that the progressives were “self made men” mostly coming from wealthy families. A group of wealthy families helped make up the millionaires reform movement. Although, he thought reforms from the middle class made up the majority.

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.

Ronan G & Maeve H AP US History Lange 2/25/23 The Progressive Era in American history lasted roughly from 1890 to 1920 and was a period of social and political activism aimed at addressing many of the problems created by rapid industrialization and urbanization. During this time, progressives sought to bring about significant reforms in American democracy, particularly in areas such as government accountability, economic regulation, and social justice. To evaluate the extent to which the efforts of progressives were successful, we can examine some of the key reforms that were successful during this period. The Progressive Era in American history lasted roughly from 1890 to 1920 and was a period of social and political activism aimed at addressing

Firstly education was a factor in social change, as between 1920 and 1930 the number of high school students doubled. There was also a growing number of college students this led to a highly trained workforce. This new work force helped to bolster the middle class. Education did not help all aspects of society, those who could not afford it

Activists and reformers played a pivotal role in shaping the United States during the period from the 1860s and 1920s. They advocated for various social, political and economic reforms, bringing about significant changes in American Society unlike any seen before. These movements were led by many different people and organizations who demanded change through legal and social means. During the 1860s, the United States was coping with the aftermath of the Civil War and the challenges of Reconstruction.

In the article “How I Discovered the Truth about Poverty” Barbara Ehrenreich gives her view in poverty and explains why she think Michael Harington’s book “The Other American” gives a wrong view on poverty. She explained that Harrington believes that the poor thought and felt differently and what divides the poor was their different “culture of poverty.” Ehrenreich goes on to explain on how the book that became a best seller caused so many bad stereotypes on the poor that by the Reagan era poverty was seen as “bad attitudes” and “faulty lifestyles” and not by the lack of jobs or low paying jobs. And they also viewed the poor as “Dissolute, promiscuous, prone to addiction and crime, unable to “defer gratification,” or possibly even set an alarm clock.”

After the Civil War, our country was battered and beaten, but it rebuilt itself over time and spread its policies, as well as manufacturing practices, throughout our country. Early in the 20th century, members of our nation started to look at some of these practices and policies and began to question their merit and whether they assisted our population or not. Many people were involved in the progressive movement in America from the presidents to a slew of popular authors and photographers. The one thing that they had in common was that they saw problems with how various industries in our nation performed that they knew needed to be fixed. They did not always agree on everything, such as immigration, but they always had the nation’s best interest at heart.

By 1890, 18% of the labor force consisted of worker between the ages of ten and fifteen. (6/) But the progressive reformers between 1890-1920 sought to change this. This period of time is refereed to as the Progressive Era. The reforms were a turning point in history for improving living standards and acknowledging basic human decency for majority of children in

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.

Women in the Progressive Era The Progressive Era was a time of change across America, a time when the country chose to reform into an industrialized urban country. Prosperity was widespread across America, so people turned to social issues to try to expand. Minorities in particular became a focus of this time period, and everyone tried to find a way to integrate them into society.

Social class had nothing to do with the types of jobs they got, it depended on the way they would act. But the amount of class they had made them more or less wanted to be seen in public, like underclass women were generally dirty and homeless so they weren’t as wanted on the streets as an upper class woman because an upper class woman would be elegant, and have manners maybe a under class woman wouldn’t have been taught. Even lower class women were questionable because they too, wore dirty clothes, but they also worked hard on their jobs and managed a home with a husband and kids while underclass women were out being prostitutes and upper class women were “too good” to

In “14 ways Republicans have declared war on the middle class; Poll after poll shows Americans strongly oppose almost every facet of the new GOP budget proposal” by Steven Rosenfeld, the author explains his perception of how the Republican Party has declared war on Middle Class America. The source is creditable and relates to the argument of the effectiveness of Middle Class America. Shaughnessy, H. (2012, May 04). The Future of the American Middle Class: As Defined by China.