The Progressive Era

Overview

• The period of US history from the 1890s to the 1920s is usually referred to as the Progressive Era, an era
of intense social and political reform aimed at making progress toward a better society.

• Progressive Era reformers sought to harness the power of the federal government to eliminate unethical
and unfair business practices, reduce corruption, and counteract the negative social effects of
industrialization.

• During the Progressive Era, protections for workers and consumers were strengthened, and women
finally achieved the right to vote.

The Problems of Industrialization

Though industrialization in the United States raised standards of living for many, it had a dark side. Corporate
bosses, sometimes referred to as “robber barons,” pursued unethical and unfair business practices aimed at
eliminating competition and increasing profits. Factory workers, many of them recent immigrants, were
frequently subjected to brutal and perilous working and living conditions. Political corruption enriched
politicians at the expense of the lower and working classes, who struggled to make ends meet. The gap
between the “haves” and the “have-nots” was widening. The Progressive movement arose as a response to
these negative effects of industrialization. Progressive reformers sought to regulate private industry, strengthen

protections for workers and consumers, expose corruption in

both government and big business, and generally improve
society.
Political cartoon criticizing the "robber barons" of industry
for profiting off of workers who were poorly paid and
subjected to harsh conditions. Puck magazine, February
1883. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Political cartoon depicting fat businessmen sitting on bags of money while working people struggle under the
burdens of their trades, such as clothing, iron, and lumber.
The Ideology and Politics of Progressivism

The worldview of Progressive reformers was based on certain key assumptions. The first was that human
nature could be improved through the enlightened application of regulations, incentives, and punishments. The
second key assumption was that the power of the federal government could be harnessed to improve the
individual and transform society. These two assumptions were not shared by political conservatives, who
tended to believe that human nature was unchanging, and that the federal government should remain limited in
size and scope.

Some of the most famous Progressive reformers were Jane Addams,

who founded Hull House in Chicago to help immigrants adapt to life
in the United States; Ida Tarbell, a “muckraker” who exposed the
corrupt business practices of Standard Oil and became an early
pioneer of investigative journalism; and Presidents Woodrow
Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, who both expanded the power of
the federal government to impose regulations on private industry and
implement protections for workers, consumers, and the natural
environment.

Photograph of Ida Tarbell.

Ida Tarbell, pioneer of investigative journalism who
published an exposé of Standard Oil's business practices. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Progressive reformers successfully influenced the passage of much substantive legislation, including several
amendments to the US Constitution. The Sixteenth Amendment established a federal income tax, the
Seventeenth Amendment allowed for the direct election of Senators, the Eighteenth Amendment prohibited
sales of alcohol, and the Nineteenth Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote.

Legislation aimed at strengthening protections for workers and consumers included the Pure Food and Drug
Act of 1906, which created the Food and Drug Administration to guarantee the safety and purity of all food
products and pharmaceuticals, and the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, which sought to curb business practices
aimed at stifling competition.
The Dark Side of Progressivism

Though Progressive reformers achieved many noteworthy goals during this period, they also promoted
discriminatory policies and espoused intolerant ideas. The Wilson administration, for instance, despite its
embrace of modernity and progress, pursued a racial agenda that culminated in the segregation of the federal
government. The years of Wilson’s presidency (1913-1921) witnessed a revival of the Ku Klux Klan and a
viciously racist backlash against the economic and political gains of African Americans in the post-
Reconstruction period

Labor unions, which were very active in Progressive politics, supported restrictions on immigration and
spewed xenophobic rhetoric that blamed immigrants for low wages and harsh working conditions in factories
across the nation. Federal immigration policies in the Progressive Era, including the Immigration Act of
1917 and the National Quota Law of 1921, severely limited immigration based on nationality, and excluded
virtually all Asian immigrants.
What do you think?

How would you describe the Progressive worldview? Do you agree with the ideological assumptions of
progressivism? I would describe the Progressive as something that can turn sucessful. I agree with Jane Addams because
she wanted imigrants to adapt to the United States and how they live. I agree that human nature can be
improved by like building more houses or enviroments for imigrants.

What were the most impressive achievements of Progressive reformers?

Some of the most impressive achievements of the progressive reformers were they influencing them to make several
amendments to the Constution. They added the 16th amendment, 17th amendment, 18th amendment, and 19th
amendment. They also created a Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. This guartee the safety of and purity of all the foods
products and medicines or drugs.

Overall, were the effects of progressivism more harmful or beneficial to American society?

I think overall the effects of the progressivism was more benefical because the Amendments they addded impacts the
society. The Eighteenth amendment prohibited sales of alcohol and the Nineteenth amendent guarentened women the right
to vote.