History Assignment Paper: Progressive Movement, Landmarks

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Progressive movement and its landmarks
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Progressive movement and its landmarks
During the gilded age, United States experienced significant economic growth. Great American industrialists like Andrew Carnegie and Rockefeller established industries that would form the basis of the modern industrial economy. The gilded period was characterized by massive economic growth.Moderate industrial complexes, like steel, energy railroad, coal mining, and factories grew rapidly. Rail system made movement easy by the penetration of the railroad systems. As the economy grew, urbanization became a problem and social injustices, political corruption, materialism and poor working conditions became the order of the day. Americans believed that the big corporations were controlling the government and set out to rid the state of the big companies’ grip. To protect the rights of minority groups, immigrants, poor citizens, vulnerable workers like women and children, Americans started the Progressive movement.
The movement’s main agenda was to negotiate for better working conditions, rid the government of corporations control and remove corrupt officials from office. Although the campaign was multi-faceted and had various interest groups in action, this paper argues that it achieved social, political and constitutional landmarks. Socially, the movement succeeded through the enactment of general welfare clause, child labor laws, politically the movement changed how the government handled its affairs, brought the referendum. Constitutionally, it led to enactment of major legislation that brought open primaries and direct election of the senators.
Discussion
The progressive period came up as a result of the vices that plagued the gilded age. Owing to massive technological advancement and bustling economy, disparity between the haves and the have-nots in the gilded age widened. The poor lived in deplorable conditions while their affluent counterparts lived in opulence. The political class dined with business barons while the industrial workers were subjected to poor working conditions working long hours for little pay. In the factories, the conditions were inhumane, unhealthy and risky. Employees worked long hours with little pay (Norton et al., pg.201). Child labor was rampant, and women worked more extended hours equally as their male counterparts.
Additionally, there was lack of political willpower in dealing with workers plight. Entrepreneurs who owned big corporations controlled the government and thwarted legislation. The prevalence of social ills gave rise to progressivism. The group was made up of an urban and middle-class group who wanted the government to take a significant role in addressing the welfare of the public and big business influences.
Social landmarks of the progressive era.
During the progressive period, a group of journalists known as muckrakers highlighted social ills and made the public aware of the societal failings. They did investigative pieces and posted them in magazines. These pieces helped in gunning support for the change movement. Muckrakers consisted of journalists who published articles in magazines and later on books. They did some exposes like "the histor...