Progressive Reform In The Twentieth Century

In the early years of the twentieth century with World War I over the American people began to concentrate on reforming America in many ways. Citizens were concerned over issues such as the role of women in society, racial equality, the rights of laborers, and the impact immigration, as these problems arose people looked to make changes and Progressivism began. The progressive era changed our nation for the better, almost ever reform made a great difference in what our nation is now.
If I had been alive to be a progressive reformer in the twentieth century I would have wanted to belong to the women’s reform group and live in the city where I could be truly involved in the cause. In the early twentieth century women, could not vote, rarely held public office, were only allowed to work in “female” professions and lived in a world where the man was the superior sex. Looking at that list it is easy to see why the women of this time revolted and began the progressive reform
At this point in time women and men could work alongside each other in society but men were the only ones with a true voice in the society since women were not allowed to vote. Elizabeth Cady Stanton exclaimed “The arbiter of her own destiny…. if we are considered as a citizen, as a member of a great nation, she must have the same rights as all other members.” (496). This statement challenged the mindset that women were only to be wives and mothers and did not need the right to vote but women continued to demand their rights. In 1910 Washington was the first state to allow women to vote, but it was not until 1920 that the nineteenth amendment was ratified allowing all women to vote. The ratification of the nineteenth amendment was a great victory for women, but ultimately did not protect them from discrimination based on their gender leaving the fight