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Progressive era of the united states
Progressive era of the united states
Progressive era of the united states
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The late 19th century, often referred to as the Gilded Age, revolutionized America by transforming a predominantly agricultural society into an urban, industrial society characterized by powerful tycoons, large corporations, and shady business practices. Urbanization led to the rise of a new middle class, one which valued leisure and luxury, and opposed the widespread corruption in society. As a result, the Progressive Era, a period in which middle-class Americans fought for social and political change in society, began. Progressives campaigned for reforms such as better working conditions, women’s rights, direct election of senators, and prohibition of alcohol. Through these changes, progressives had a profound impact on society, which is …show more content…
particularly evident in the movement for prohibition. At the end of the 19th century, alcohol was the fifth largest industry in America and accounted for a quarter of federal revenue (Okrent 6). Alcohol was embedded into the lives of Americans; the average American was drinking 10 gallons of booze a year in the 1880s (Okrent 10). But, because of the actions of progressive individuals and organizations, chiefly the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League, a constitutional amendment was created in 1919 that banned the trade of alcohol, the commodity that was such a large part of the American culture and economy. Prohibition illustrates the progressive effort to make the general public conform to middle class beliefs through the restructuring of the family and the adjusting of hierarchical boundaries in the political structure. Prohibition demonstrated the Progressive desire to make social reforms through its efforts to strengthen the American family by preventing domestic violence and venereal disease.
Progressives generally believed that alcohol led to a lack of self-control and selfishness in the people it affected and destroyed their reason and moral nature. Progressives believed that these qualities had led to the increase in domestic violence and divorce rates at the time. In the words of progressive Anna Roger, “The rock upon which most...marriage barges go to pieces is the latter-day cult of individualism; the worship of the brazen calf of the Self” (McGerr 86). So, because progressives believed in a connection between alcohol and selfishness and that such selfishness was the cause of the widespread violence and divorce, they saw the fight for prohibition as an expedient in reforming the American home. In other words, by supporting the fight against alcohol because of its harmful effects on men and the home, progressives were in fact enacting their own beliefs of the proper home onto America. In 1874, in response to the excessive violence and divorce, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union was formed to reduce alcohol consumption. The WCTU headlined its efforts in a program called Home Protection in which the women fought for their rights to health, welfare, and safety, which could only be attained by removing alcohol from the hands of men (Callow 112). These female progressives sought …show more content…
prohibition in order to maintain the well-being of women and to protect their vision of the ideal home, imprinting their own ideas onto the rest of America. In the 1890s, Dr. Prince Morrow, a venereologist and supporter of prohibition, concluded from research that prostitution led to sexually transmitted diseases that were “directly antagonistic to all that the family stands for as a social institution,” and that “men are the responsible authors of these crimes-women the victim” (McGerr 85). Because of their belief in the affiliation between the saloon and prostitution, many progressives like Dr. Morrow believed that eliminating the saloons would provide a means to reduce the spread of these venereal diseases, protecting women from the harmful effects, such as rashes or improper menstrual cycles that could diminish her connection with her husband (Callow 112). Therefore, in their attempt to reduce spread of prostitution and disease by diminishing the prominence of the saloon, the progressives were actually attempting to impose their own beliefs of a stronger family upon the rest of the country. Further, prohibition attempted to elevate and improve the status of the working-class via the Americanization of immigrants.
Many progressives saw alcohol as the primary cause of crime and misery in America (Callow 113). As a result, progressives like H.D.W. English believed that in abolishing the saloon, “the polyglot class of immigrants could be lifted from its dirt and beer” because it could eliminate the source of such problems and bring them to a more acceptable position in society (Okrent 43). Hence, prohibition would ameliorate the difficulties felt by working-class Americans, which would, in turn, allow them to pursue a more respectable, middle-class life. So, in rescuing the poor from their dreadful lives, progressives used prohibition to fuse their own beliefs into those of the working class. Also, progressives believed that intemperance in the lives of immigrants prohibited them from assimilating into society because it led to poor decisions, those that might divert one from productivity and social prestige. (Callow 113). For example, progressive William Allen White said at the time that if the “working-man spends his evenings at the library as opposed to a saloon...we could change the life of the underdog, give him a decent kennel” (Okrent 49). Thus, prohibition, by instituting restraint in immigrants’ lives, would allow for the Americanization of the immigrants and the ability to increase their social stature. If the saloon were abolished, workingmen would
change their focus from alcohol and recreation to productive hobbies such as education; they would be able to advance beyond their mediocre status because they would be granted access to more sought-after, skilled work: that which the bourgeois took part in. In essence, prohibition was in part aimed to give the working class the ability to conform to middle class beliefs through education and new job opportunities that were inaccessible because of the saloon. So, progressives like White were trying to make the workingmen more bourgeois in their prohibitive efforts. Progressives imposed their belief in new roles for women on America through the actions of female temperance crusaders. At the onset of the progressive era, the female sphere was limited to the domain of house labor. However, as part of the early campaign for prohibition, in December 1873, Eliza Thompson led a group of 75 women in Hillsboro, Ohio to beg the owners of saloons, hotels, and drugstores to stop selling liquor. The actions of these women spawned similar efforts across the Midwest and the Northeast, reaching over 110 cities. The next year, the WCTU was formed by Frances Willard. At its height, the organization had 250,000 female members fighting for legal temperance (Okrent 16). Rather than staying at home as society had previously suggested, a great number of progressive women across the country were out fighting for temperance. Therefore, in their struggle to achieve temperance for society, progressives were also aspiring for new roles for women outside of domesticity and for their ability to stand up for themselves regarding legal matters. Similarly, Carry Nation, another female temperance leader, wrote that by prohibiting alcohol she could “counteract the idea that woman is a toy, pretty, doll, with no willpower of her own, only a parrot, a parasite of man” (McGerr 86). So, in the opinion of Nation, the progressive efforts to achieve prohibition were aimed to make women more independent and respected, and, as a result, more in line with middle-class beliefs. Moreover, prohibition implemented the progressive value of a purified political system by re-adjusting political parties and reducing corruption. Frances Willard believed that the political system was in a volatile period of its post-Civil War development and to foster progress, commerce in alcohol needed to cease. She said, “the re-adjustment of political parties is still inchoate and can be solved by prohibiting the liquor traffic” because liquor had been affecting the decisions politicians made. (Okrent 18). Willard, a leading proponent of the prohibition movement, illustrated the movement’s intent in fixing the political party system through the ban of the sales of alcohol. Therefore, the progressives were focused on imposing their own beliefs for the party system onto the rest of society. Rather than allowing the political system to develop based on the public’s wishes, the progressives took it upon themselves to interfere with it through prohibition to exhibit the qualities they preferred. Progressives also used prohibition to curtail corruption. Progressives saw the liquor industry as one of the most corrupting branches within the American plutocracy. Wealthy boss-men largely ran political machines out of saloons; poor immigrants and workers were exploited because of their impoverishment and were bribed to vote in favor of these corrupt officials, creating a nefarious ruling class (Callow 112). To hamper the prevalence of such an immoral practice, progressives, in particular the members of the Anti-Saloon League, sought to ban the existence of the saloon. Therefore, prohibitive efforts towards the abolition of the American saloon were in fact efforts of the progressives to install their own values for a refined political system into society. Prohibition demonstrated the progressives’ attempt at instituting their own ideals of a strong government intervention in society. Mary Hunt, a member of the WCTU, led the campaign for Scientific Temperance Instruction, an education system that would teach people, especially children, the repercussions of alcohol and intemperance. By 1886, Congress passed a law requiring the instruction in the public schools and military academies of all the federal territories, and by 1901, every state’s textbooks had been modified according to Hunt’s request. Over 22 million people were taught Scientific Temperance (Okrent 31). Hence, the progressives were making the decisions for what the American public would learn. The progressive ideas for life without alcohol were being directly communicated to students across the country who had no choice but to learn the progressive material. Students were practically forced to support prohibition and, therefore, to conform to middle-class values. In 1893, the Anti-Saloon League was formed by Howard Hyde Russell and focused directly on rewriting the constitution, unlike its predecessors. When one of its lead members, Wayne Wheeler, was elected to the Ohio state legislature in 1898, he facilitated the passage of a local-option bill into law; each state gained the right to vote for or against prohibition rather than to vote for national change (Okrent 34). By giving each state the ability to prohibit alcohol traffic, progressives put more power in the hands of the individual state governments. Without nationwide agreement, states would not have been able to take action on the subject of alcohol had it not been for local-option. With this new power, state governments could become more involved in the lives of its citizens. Thus, the actions of the Anti-Saloon League enforced their own progressive ideas for a more involved government onto the rest of the country. Inflicting beliefs on others, while tempting, is not the answer. Although the progressives’ enforcement of their beliefs was outwardly beneficial, reducing violence, corruption, and other forms of exploitation, their actions were unwarranted and contradictory to core American ideals. The first amendment of the Constitution elucidates the rights of every individual to freely pursue happiness devoid of the influence of others. Our founding fathers did not try to create a society based on uniformity, but rather a sanctuary of free thought and opinion in which different cultures could thrive symbiotically. In the American Revolution, the colonists blatantly resisted Britain’s endeavors to impose her national ideals throughout the empire. The colonists soon declared independence, determined to live under its own principles. The birth of America encouraged, rather than denied, citizens to practice religion freely, speak openly, live independently. This newfound individuality allowed and still allows for a multicultural, thriving American race. To force a society to conform to one set of beliefs would jeopardize this freedom and the morals we stand for.
During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, many saw alcohol as a cause of instability among communities. To counteract the effects of alcohol on American society, The Temperance Movement, Prohibition Party and many others sought to enact anti-liquor laws that would prohibit the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol. On January 19, 1920, the Eighteenth Amendment had taken effect and a nationwide ban on alcohol was enacted. This was thought of as a solution to the many problems that America had at the time, but it only made matters worse. The American society had been greatly affected by the Eighteenth Amendment in many negative aspects such as increasing crime and violence, worsening the economy, and much more.
In the late nineteenth century known as the Gilded Age (or the Reconstruction period) and the early twentieth century known as the Progressive era, the nation went through great economic growth and social change. Beginning from the 1870s, there was rapid growth in innovations and big businesses. This could be because there was population growth and when there is population growth, there is a high demand of products and other necessities in order to strive in society. Many immigrants from Europe, mostly from the eastern and southern Europe, and Asia moved to American cities. Additionally, farmers from rural America desired to increase economically in society and since corporations ruled and political problems occurred, they decided to move into the cities. Afterwards, the 1900s started with the dominance of progressivism which many Americans tried to improve and solve the problems that were caused or had arisen because of the industrialization of the Gilded Age. It was basically the time when progressives fought for legislations like regulation of big businesses, end of the political corruption, and protection of the rights of the people: the poor, immigrants, workers, and consumers. Thus, between the periods 1870 to 1920, big businesses had arisen and taken control of the political and economic systems through corruption and innovations. In response, American citizens reacted negatively and formed labor unions and political systems to diminish the power that large corporations had in America.
The term Progressivism implies a philosophy that promotes change/reform in the current political, economic, and social aspects of society while conservatism stresses gradual change in society but promotes tradition rather than change. The Progressive movement from 1901 to 1917 worked to improve aspects of society that grew out of problems which occurred during the Industrial Age. The goals of the "Progressives" were to stop monopolies, corruption, inefficiency and social injustices. Both progressive acts and amendments were being passed to deal with social ills, corruption in politics and corporate America. The period from 1901-1917 was more a victory for liberalism, mainly "modern liberalism", than a triumph of conservatism due to the fact that multiple reform movements were occurring in this era changing political, economic, and social aspects in society to protect the rights of the common man.
During the Progressive Era, pressure from labor, suffrage, and conservation movements profoundly changed the course of American history. Many of the reformers' ideas clashed with the male-dominated, capitalist economic structure present at the turn of the century. Some of the intended reforms opposed the current system, but the level of social unrest necessitated change. Businessmen and activists alike initiated the reforms during the Progressive Era. Government, due to the intention of calming the common man and quieting the seemingly more and more vocal middle class, supported them. In the final analysis, from the year 1900 to 1920, Progressive Era reformers were successful in bringing about reform to the United States.
At the turn of the century America entered a new age that many historians call the Progressive Era. During this time period, the American Political system changed its view on how America should be brought about. It provided a purification of the American government through direct democracy. This era included many social and political reforms, which were brought about due to monopolies, and trust corporations.
The Gilded age and the Progressive Era are time periods that played an important role in the development of the American society. The Gilded Age is a period of American history between 1870 and 1900. This term was coined by Mark Twain in the late 1800s. By this, he meant that this period was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath ("Learn About the Gilded Age"). The Gilded Age is well known for its political scandals and extravagant displays of wealth. At the same time, this was an era of major achievements in the industry and economy, which significantly changed life of American people. The Gilded Age was followed by the Progressive Era which lasted from the 1890s to the 1920s. Progressive Era is well known for its economical, political, social reforms and technological inventions. In my opinion, The Gilded Age had a more significant impact upon the United States than the Progressive Era because it gave rise to new industries, created transportation and communication networks which provided the infrastructure for further development of technology in the Progressive Era.
The most commonly known, and consequently most watered down, version of the progressive movement argues that this era was simply an effort by the middle class to cure many of the social and political ills of American society that had developed during the rapid industrial
Cities grew in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As specialized industries like steel and meat packing improved, jobs also increased in the cities. These factories work lured former farmers, immigrants, and American workers moved into the cities. These people lived in tenements and ghettos and were unable to earn an authentic living due to unreasonable wage cut. Progressivism is an umbrella label for a wide range of economic, political, social, and moral reforms. The early twentieth century acted as the Progressive Era, when Americans find solutions to resolve problems that were engendered by industrialization. Predicated on the documents, Progressive Era were effective because of child labor, working conditions, and women's suffrage.
Where did some of modern America's issues originate from? The answer to that is the Progressive Era. The Legislation of that era laid all of the groundwork for today, and much of it is still in public debate today. Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, three of the presidents from that era, all played roles in the groundwork. These presidents passed acts, tariffs, and amendments that are still with us, and debated today.
Reformers known as Progressives attempted to undo the problems caused by industrialization. The Progressive movement sought to end the influence of large corporations, provide more rights and benefits to workers, and end the control possessed by party leaders. At the national level, Progressivism centered on defeating the power of large businesses. The Progressive Era was a period in American history in which improving working conditions, exposing corruption, improving the way of life, expanding democracy, and making reforms were the objectives at hand. With the emergence of the Progressive Era, two important figures gradually emerged as well.
The abolition of slavery became a more important topic of debate until after the Civil War. By the turn of the century, temperance societies were a common thing throughout the communities in the United States (“Prohibition”). Women advocated the unity of the family, and they believed alcohol prevented such a thing. Drunken husbands only brought about negativity to the home, and women could not support that behavior. Suffragists, in their pursuit of voting rights, also sought to eliminate alcohol from the home.
The turn of the century was marked by a movement known as the Progressive Era, during which many groups sought to reshape the nation's government and society in response to the pressure of urbanization and industrialization. Progressives were mainly members of the Post-Civil War generation that made an attempt to master a world much different then that of their parents.
The hopes of the prohibitionist were dreams of a healthier and more successful nation. Their dreams were spun from the idea of shutting out the alcohol industry and enforcing large industries and stressing family values. The eighteenth amendment consisted of the end of sales, production, transportation, as for importation and exportation of intoxicating liquors. Their imaginations were large and very hopeful. The prohibitionists felt that alcohol is a slow poison of their community. They felt that if the liquor industry was shut out that Americans would spend their hard earned money in the clothing, food, and shoe industries therefore boosting the American economy. Many felt, “Seeing what a sober nation can do is indeed a noble experiment and one that has never yet been tried, (Crowther, 11) Prohibition was a test of the strength of the nation and an attempt at cleaning up societies evils. These reformers denounce alcohol as a danger to society as well as to the human body. Some ethnic hopes of prohibition was to regulate the foreigners whose backgrounds consisted on the use of alcohol for religious purposes. And try to enforce an American valued society upon them. Many reformists felt that ending the use of alcohol would protect American homes and families. They felt that alcohol use was the root of their family’s destruction. Many women felt that their husbands would waste a lot of their income on the purchase of alcohol and not on family needs. Alcohol was often known as a “poison, or sin”. Another hope for the eighteenth amendment was to reduce the crime and death rate. Many people felt that drunkenness was the cause of many of the nations crimes. Prohibitionist felt very passionately on their cause and were often called “dry’s.” They felt their battle was justified and that, “it is manifest destiny that alcohol will not survive the scrutiny,”(Darrow and Yarros, 20).
In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circlue of our felicities.” (Jefferson, 1801) This idea echoed far beyond it’s time and into the minds and hearts of the Populist’s, and became the center and the driving force of the Progressive era. During the gilded age railroads were being built, Industrialization was rising, the population of United States was increasing dramatically; and corporate businesses were becoming extremely powerful. The gilded age was known for its corruption and business domination, it wasn’t until the Populist movement when people started to fight back and also not until the Progressive movement when people started changing the government system.
The prohibitionists had several motives for letting loose their concern of alcohol. The main issue discussed, using the example of the average middle-class citizen, was the aspect of growing children and the effect of alcohol on the family. Facts show that children with parents that have major drinking problems are more “defective” than children with parents that have little to no alcohol trouble (doc. B). Also, more generally, the prohibitionists tried vigorously to directly relate prohibition to progressivism. This was one of their key tactics to their eventually success with the 18th. The movement had strong backup that showed the world that they weren’t just a group of extremists fighting for a cause that probably wouldn’t work. Their emphasis on fact and reason kept them afloat; this is shown (in doc. C) with the statements of the American Medical Association, mentioning that they specifically discourage the use of alcohol, and it is said as “detrimental to the human economy.”