Progressive Era

In the early 20th century, Progressivism changed the role of government drastically. (pg. 777) The Progressive Era was a time of widespread, extraordinary “political innovation” and “social activism” that spanned from 1890 to 1920. (pg. 777) Progressives at the time sought to change the U.S. for the better due to the consequences of the urban-industrial revolution that caused a “crisis of democracy.” (pg. 777) Progressive reformers had varied motives and goals, such as populism, economic depression, influential socialist ideas, and “honest government.” (pg. 779-780) However, many agreed that “widespread inner-city poverty; countless children working in unregulated mines and factories; tainted food; and miserable, unsafe working conditions”
were some of the most serious issues that needed to be addressed immediately. (pg. 777) For the most part, progressive reformers contended that the most influential businesses that continued to claim monopolies and dictated America’s economy. (pg. 777) Furthermore, progressive reformers sought to change “the role of government and presidential leadership.” (pg. 777) Eventually, as the Progressive movement widened and increased momentum, a Progressive promise formed, guaranteeing municipal reform, the elimination of “social and political evils,” business regulation, “direct democracy,” social justice, and more. (pg. 789-790)
Progressives had many goals and believed that there was a lot of work to be done in the U.S., but undertook the task of fixing the many issues in the United States.
(pg. 786) For instance, Progressives tackled the economic equality in the United States by creating a “progressive federal income tax” that caused tax rates to rise and lower with income levels. (pg. 792-793) Likewise, they attempted to regulate large businesses and remove corporate monopolies by passing the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, although it did not work. (pg. 789) Additionally, they introduced a limit on child labor, ensured better working conditions, and reduced the length of the workday for women and children. (pg. 791) Moreover, Progressivism peaked during Woodrow Wilson’s terms as president, awaking people to the “evils and possibilities of modern urban-industrial life.” (pg. 813) For example, he tackled high tariff rates that were being misused to “keep consumer prices artificially high.” The Federal Reserve Act was passed on December 23, 1913, creating a national banking system that placed a Federal Reserve Bank in twelve separate regional districts to “adjust the nation’s currency supply” to stimulate economic development. (pg. 809)
As stated earlier, the Progressive Movement reformed government greatly. (pg. 777) Progressive reformers aimed to make the government more democratic, implementing ideas such as “direct democracy” and the Seventeenth Amendment. (pg. 787) “Direct democracy” increased public participation
in the political procedure by allowing voters to propose laws. (pg. 787) The notion that governments should ensure fairness and had the obligation to curb the extremes of “Big Businesses” spread through progressivism and was implemented through the efforts of President Roosevelt. (pg. 794)
Progressivism also influenced involvement in WWI through propaganda posters and pamphlets that reflected Progressive ideas, encouraging U.S. citizens to enter the war. (WWI Propaganda) Each propaganda poster appealed to a certain ideal and audience. (WWI Propaganda) For instance, the poster, “Be a Trained Nurse,” targeted women and communicated that women should take nursing jobs to pursue “almost unlimited possibilities” nursing provided. (WWI Propaganda) Additionally, to raise support for “liberty bonds,” which helped fund the war, the poster “Must Women and Children Die in Vain?” was created and targeted the general public. (WWI Propaganda) Like the way Progressivism influenced propaganda, Progressivism also influenced President Wilson’s Fourteen Points, a peace plan to “ensure that the Great War would be the last world war.” (pg. 832, Fourteen Points) Ideas of progressive reformers such as the "removal of national barriers," "transformation of colonial empires," "freedom of the seas," and the preservation of global peace were reflected in the Fourteen Points. (pg. 832, Fourteen Points)
For the most part, the Progressive movement and its large number of supporters managed to transform the U.S. into the image they imagined. (pg. 813) Although they did not reach every single goal they had in mind, they made great changes to the U.S and significantly reformed the role that the government had in the U.S. (pg. 813) The government became more active in protecting the “public welfare’ of U.S. citizens by regulating the economy and inhibiting big businesses. (pg. 813) I believe that the Progressive promise was generally achieved, even if the perfect, ideal society was not created. (pg. 813) Overall, progressivism was one of the greatest historic movements that significantly reduced domestic issues, its ideas continuing to be reflected even in times where international issues became the main concern. (pg. 813, Fourteen Points, WWI Propaganda)