A History of the Progressive Era and the Changes It Brought in the United States

Last Updated: 14 Mar 2023
Pages: 3 Views: 83

Progressives were very upset due to the surplus of urban growth and industrial capitalism. They believed that citizens should be involved in the government so they could improve social conditions The political progressives focused their attention on reforming the cities. Mayor Thomas L, Johnson was able to start a program that decreased streetcar fares, installed public baths, expanded the public playground and park system, and inspected both milk and meat. Mayor Samuel “Golden Rule" Jones promoted municipal ownership of utilities, established and eight»hour workday, built new parks and schools, and a minimum wage for city employees, Progressives in the Statehouse were more focused on railroads, timber companies, and mining.

The ideas of the progressives were all taken into consideration at the local, state, and national levels. At the local levels efforts we made to reform cities, as they were unsanitary and needed better water systems, a way of cleaning the streets more playgrounds This is evident in New York City and Pittsburgh At the state level, efforts were made to strengthen direct democracy and limit the power of big companies and strengthening state regulation of railroads and public utilities At the federal level, measures were taken to prohibit the manufacturing, sale and consumption of alcohol. This led to the proposal of the Eighteenth Amendment which was ratified. After the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire incident, more laws were enacted promoting the safety of the workers and limiting working hours for both women and children.

Efforts were even made to stop child labor totally and this was successful, as all children under the age of fourteen could not work. The progressives gave the state a larger role in American politics as the progressives eliminated most cases of corruption in the state governments and promoted more direct democracy They also limited state government corruption, resulting in a drop in corruption levels. In the Progressive era, the working-class was able to gain many things that they had been struggling to get such as shorter working hours, better safety conditions at the workplace and an end to child labor. The workers could not leave their workplace until their hours were up, which was a safety hazard, The toughest barrier that the working- class faced was the corrupt government that did things only for its own benefit.

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Many women went on strike After the incident at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company progressives created the New York State Factory Investigation Commission which led to the passing of many state laws that improved safety conditions and limited working hours The Progressive Era's attention was on the incoming immigrants, which led to great changes, Progressives decided to include immigrants in the government Progressive thinkers recognized that Nativists were targeting the incoming immigrants. Progressives changed practices in the workplace. They eliminated political barriers, such as literacy tests and helped to increase the number of voices in politics. This would become a long-term goal of the Progressive movement.

During the progressive era, segregation and racism increased in America, Child labor laws and education protected younger generations of African Americans, which allowed for children to stay focused on their education and improve their social ranking 80% of African Americans lived in the South African Americans in the South had to deal with poverty, segregation, and racism, Even though farmers flourished African Americans were still poverty-stricken and had poor health. 6, During the Progressive Era, Americans strived to end corruption in government, reduce the power of big business, and improve society, The government became more of a democratic one as states obtained the authority to pass laws directly. After several years, American women finally were finally given the right to vote, Minorities also took action against discrimination during the Progressive Era. Despite their failures, they laid the foundation for future progress Today, there are bits and pieces of the Progressive Era in society. An example of this is the fact that women’s rights groups still exist today.

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A History of the Progressive Era and the Changes It Brought in the United States. (2023, Mar 14). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/a-history-of-the-progressive-era-and-the-changes-it-brought-in-the-united-states/

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