As the 20th century dawned, the United States was in the midst of a massive reform movement. From the Civil War to the turn of the century, America had been accentuated by a remarkable burst of energy and development. This rapid development, though, came at tremendous cost. Many groups of laborers began to challenge and criticize the system, but not many listened to them. As farmers began to protest, more people began to listen. As people listened, reform began at a national level and the group known as progressives evolved from the original rebels, populists. The progressives were a mainstream group that were willing to make a compromise to get closer to the goals they were aiming for and the changes they were trying to make. The progressives, who attempted to correct the abuses of the Gilded Age, aimed at making the existing system work better from within rather than trying to change everything completely and suddenly as their predecessors had. The progressives sought consensus and broad agreement on how to improve society, which made their reforms more effective than those who had attempted to change things before them. The national government was also beginning to take part in the changes that were occurring and almost always had radical results, for better or for worse.
             In the time prior to the Progressive Era, America was symbolized by the existence of monopolies and trusts of big businesses. The work force that kept the manufacturers in such a high place were working long hours in dangerous facilities. Much of the workforce was comprised of women and children. Immigrants also made up a large portion of the workforce. The large trusts were making millions of dollars on the backs of the working class. They were doing this with the blessing of the government. Members of the United States Senate were not concerned with the working class, but only were concerned with how well they could do as they worked along with ...