Progressive Era
The progressive era was the response of different groups to the problems that were caused by the rapid industrialization and urbanization that came after the Civil War. Some of these problems included the spread of poverty, the exploitation of labor, the breakdown of democratic government caused by the emergence of political organizations, or machines, and a rapid movement toward financial and industrial concentration. Many Americans feared that combinations of economic and political power were destroying their historic traditions of responsible democratic government and free economic opportunity. So they began to form what we know today as the progressives. The progressives were made up of new, middle class professionals who were looking to apply principals of professions to problems they saw in society. Muckraking journalists were also known as progressives. They attacked corruption and scandal with a sense of moral outrage. Another group were the political reformers. Then there were the socialists. This group was consisted of frustrated workers who promised to destroy capitalism. However, most other progressives rejected socialists because they were too extreme in their goals and methods.
They pushed for the government to take a larger part in regulating the economy and solving the nation's social problems. Some of these problems included the spread of poverty, the exploitation of labor, the breakdown of democratic government caused by the emergence of political organizations, or machines, and a rapid movement toward financial and industrial concentration. The odd thing about the progressive era was that there was never a single movement. However, most other progressives rejected socialists because they were too extreme in their goals and methods. The era itself was characterized by three themes. The second theme was that success was not necessarily a factor of individual character. They attacked corruption and scandal with a sense of moral outrage. This is where the muckrakers came into play. Muckraking journalists were also known as progressives. This is where the muckrakers came into play. And last, but not least, Ida Tarbell exposed the abuses by the Standard Oil Trust. A perfect example of citizen action was the settlement houses. They also promoted public health reform in cities. They saw this as a way to gain a better understanding of how modern society and economics actually worked. Legislation gave federal and state governments the tools they needed to protect consumers, citizens began to help each other, and people, such as the muckrakers, started speaking out for what they believed in.
Common topics in this essay:
Civil War,
Oil Trust,
Temperance Union,
Jane Adams,
Labor Laws,
Lincoln Steffens,
Upton Sinclair,
Ida Tarbell,
,
improve social,
democratic government,
progressive era,
individual character,
Christian Temperance,
social perfect example,
settlement houses,
example citizen,
perfect example,
citizen action,
perfect example citizen,
houses jane,
economy solving nation's,
social perfect,
solving nation's social,
nation's social perfect,
|
Acceptance Essays
