Historiography Paper: The Progressive Era

963 Words2 Pages

The Progressive Era is defined as the period of social activism and political reform in the United States that took place from the 1890s to the 1920s. Historians George Mowry, Gabriel Kolko, and Joseph Huthmacher all have different opinions and reasons as to whom the most influential Progressives were and what they reformed. Mowry does an excellent job explaining how the “solid middle-class” was the most impactful Progressives and how they reformed in attempt to create a classless society. Kolko expressed some good points as to why the big businesses were the majority Progressives, but only focused on business-government relations and didn’t look into social-justice. Huthmacher thoroughly explained why the urban lower class was the main Progressives and made good points on the “Bread-and-butter” issues.
In Middle-Class Disillusionment, Mowry discusses how the middle-class was the Progressives. Mowry describes the Progressives as “economically secure, well-educated, middle-class group”. Most of the new century’s reformers believed in agricultural society as a better society than an industrial society. They represented the farmers and the non-city livers. Progressives were people of the Wild West. Fredrick Jackson Turner was the first to emphasize these reforms. Later politicians, such as William Jennings Bryan, Theodore Roosevelt, Robert La Follette, and Woodrow Wilson all became supporters in one-way or another.
A variety of reforms were done by the middle-class Progressives to innovate the society of America into what they believed in. Limiting the power of the “upper scum” and supporting the rights of the “lower scum” of society to create a classless society was what they believed in. The Progressives searched to have a poli...

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...he 1890s to the 1920s, many American reforms were made that altered the lifestyle of Americans. George Mowry, Gabriel Kolko, and Joseph Huthmacher all show brilliant work of three different opinions discussing the topic of who the Progressives were. Mowry shows excellent work explaining how the “solid middle-class” was the most impactful Progressives and how they reformed in attempt to create a classless society. Kolko explains many reasons to why the big businesses were the majority Progressives, but only focused on business-government relations and didn’t look into social-justice. Huthmacher thoroughly explained why the urban lower class was the main Progressives and made good points on the “Bread-and-butter” issues. The most persuasive historian is George Mowry because of the detail by which the culture of America was changed with the middle-classes reforms.

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