ProgressiveReformCriticalThinkingWorksheet

1. MyProgressiveEratopicisSocialReform.

2. Startinginthe1880s,Americansstartedtochangethecountyinwaysthatbestfit
people'sneeds.ThischangeinculturelaterbecameknownastheProgressiveera.during
thiseramanythingswerebothcreatedanderased.Becauserailroadshadbecomeso
popularduringthelate1800s,mostmajorcitiesinamericahadaconnectionbetweenit
andtherestofamerica.ThishelpedboosttheeconomyandshowedAmericansthatbeing
innovativecouldmakethemrichandfamous.Sincetheeconomygrewandnew
innovationswerebeingcreatedeveryday,thedividebetweenclassesgrewevenbigger
thanbefore.Therichgrewricher,asdidthemiddleclass.Thelowerclass,ontheother
hand,grewenoughtoescapesomeofthemajorpovertyithadbeeninbefore,butnot
enoughtofullyescapeit.thespreadofrailroadsduringthelate1800smadetheneedof
moretrackslittletonone.Becauseofthis,mostmenfoundnewjobsinplaceswherevery
littlehardworkwasneeded,unlikebefore.Thiscreatedtheneedformentogetexercise
outsideofwork,andtheneedtofindwaystorelearnnecessaryskills,likecooperation,
teamwork,andleadership.ThishelpedcreateboththeYMCAandsportslikeBaseball,
Football,andBasketball.Womenalsohelpedcontributetotheimprovementofsociety.
groupslikeNationalAssociationofColoredWomenandWomenChristianTemperance
Uniondemandedthatwomen'srightsbebetterenforcedandactedupon.Becauseofthis,
womengainedtherighttovoteandlatercausedprohibitiontobeenacted.Allofthese
thingscausedAmericatoseemlikeaparadisetopeopleinothercountries.Althoughit
mayseemlikeagoodthing,itdidcauseoverpopulationinbigcities,andlateronmajor
pollution.ThesethingscausedAmericatobecometheplaceitisnow,withallofour
sports,womensrights,andvarietyofcultures,becauseofthereformsenactedduringthe
progressiveera.
3. AmericaunderwentamultitudeofchangesduringtheProgressiveEra.Amajorchange
ofthiserawaswomensrights.Beforethistime,womenwereentirelyinferiortomen.
WomenformedwomensclubssuchastheGeneralFederationofWomensClubsto
worktowardstheirgoalsofsuffrageandfeminism,whichiscompleteequalitywithmen.
TheWomansChristianTemperanceUnionfoughtalcoholandwasthefirstgrouptotake
astandagainstdomesticabuse,leadingtofurtherreformsandequality.Anotherchange
isurbanculture.Electriclightsbroughttheemergenceofnightlife,andwithitcame
ragtimeandblues,anemergenceofyouthculture,andtheconceptofdating.
Undergroundgaysubculturesdeveloped,aswellasnewformsofentertainmentlike
amusementparks.Asmoreandmoremenbeganworkinginurbanoices,theyneeded
anoutlettoprovetheirmasculinity.Sportslikebaseballandfootballbeganwith
workingclassmenandspreadtotheelite.Newartformsweredevelopedthat

representedthenewvaluesofmasculinity.SocialDarwinismjustifiedthegrowingdivide
betweenclasses,aswellasanemergingmiddleclass.Familysizedecreases,especiallyin
middleclassfamilies,andmorechildrenbeganreceivinghighereducation.

4. SimilarpatternsarosefromthesocialreformsintheProgressiveEra.Onepatternthatis
easilydetectedthroughthetimeperiodistheformationofclubstocatalyzereform.Some
examplesincludetheformationoftheGeneralFederationofWomensClubstowork
towardswomenssuffragewiththefeministmovement,andtheformationofsportsclubs
andtheYMCAtohelprelievemenfromofficelife.Onanenvironmentallevel,John
MuirsSierraClubandtheAudubonSocietyhelpedadvocateforthegreattreasuresin
theAmericanoutdoors.Alloftheseclubshelpedtounitecitizensunderacommoncause
onanationallevelinordertogarnernationalattentionfortheissueinwhichtheywere
advocating.

5. TheprogressiveeraandtheAntebellumperiodwerebothmajoreventsinAmerican
history.Theywerealikeinmanways,butwerealsoequallydifferent.Asimilarity
betweenthetwoerasishowtheybothgreatlyembracedthecreationofnewinnovations
andthecontributiontosociety.Becauseoftheinnovationscreatedinthesetwoeras,
manythingsthatweusedtodayarepossible.Adifferencebetweenthetwoisthefightfor
morerightsforagroupofpeople.Intheprogressiveera,thefightwasfortherightof
womenandtheirabilitytovote,holdjobs,andbemorethanastayathomemother.
DuringtheAntebellumera,thefightwasforslavestobecomepeopleandbeabletobein
controloftheirownlives.Althoughthefightisforadifferentgroupofpeople,therights
askedforareverymuchalike.Anotherdifferencebetweenthetwoeraswaswhatwas
beingbuiltandwhatitwasbeingbuiltwith.Duringtheprogressiveera,thenewwayof
producingpuresteelbecamepopularandcheap,causingmorepeopletowanttobuild
withit.Becauseofitsstrongnature,itwaswidelyusedtobuildskyscrapers,anewtype
ofbuildingthatwentupwardsinsteadofsideways.ButduringtheAntebellumperiod,
metalwasthepopularmaterial,andwasusedtobuildrailroadtracksandtrains,which
werethenewandpopularwaytogettoplacesalongwayawayfasterthanbefore.

6. UptonSinclairsbook
TheJungle,
changedtheworkingsoffoodindustryandtheimpact
ofgovernmentintheagriculturalrealm.Therewouldbemeatthathadtumbledouton
thefloor,inthedirtandsawdust,wheretheworkershadtrampedandspituncounted
billionsofconsumptiongerms.Therewouldbemeatstoredingreatpilesinroomsand
thewaterfromleakyroofswoulddripoverit,andthousandsofratswouldraceabouton
it.Itwastoodarkinthesestorageplacestoseewell,butamancouldrunhishandover
thesepilesofmeatandsweepoffhandfulsofthedrieddungofrats.Theseratswere
nuisances,andthepackerswouldputpoisonedbreadoutforthemtheywoulddie,and

thenrats,bread,andmeatwouldgointothehopperstogether.Thisisnofairystoryand
nojokethemeatwouldbeshoveledintocarts,andthemanwhodidtheshovelingwould
nottroubletoliftoutaratevenwhenhesawonetherewerethingsthatwentintothe
sausageincomparisonwithwhichapoisonedratwasatidbit,isanexcerptfromUpton
Sinclairsnovel.UptonSinclairwentundercoverasworkerinoneofChicagos
meatpackingfactories,witnessingfirsthandtheatrocitiesexperiencedandseen.This
excerpthelpedtochurnthestomachsofallAmericans,leadingtothedrasticchange
withintheindustry.PresidentTheodoreRoosevelthelpedenactthePureFoodandDrug
act,requiringallfoodindustriestohavetheirfoodinspectedbythefederalFoodand
DrugAdministrationbeforesales.ThenovelwrittenbySinclairpavedthewaytomodern
healthcodes,andothermeansensurethequalityofthefoodweconsumeishealthyand
nontoxic.

7. ManyofthesocialreformsenactedduringtheprogressiveerastillaffectAmericans
today.Forexample,feministgroupsarestillactivetodaytryingtoimproveuponthe
developmentsofgroupsliketheNationalAmericanWomanSuffrageAssociation,and
womenhavemuchmoreequalityinmoderntimes.Urbanculturehascontinuedto
expand,withvarietyofentertainmentballooning.Thenewtypesofmusicofthe
ProgressiveEraconstantlyevolvedandstillinfluencesourmusicandculturetoday.
Youthcultureanddatingarecentraltooursociety,andsportsareobviouslystillwildly
popular.Middleclassfamiliescreatedtheirownidentityduringthistimeofreform,and
thisneverfaded.Educationcontinuallyincreasedandconsumerculturesettheclasses
apart,definingthemaswedotoday.

8. SocialreformsintheProgressiveEramoldedandshapedthefutureofourcountry.As
thesecondindustrialrevolutioncameabout,itsetforthachainofeventsleadingtosocial
reforminallmanners.Socialreformswasapartoftheprogressiveera,becauseitledto
theadvancementofmodernsociety,shapingandmoldingthewaywethought.For
example,womensrightsbegantoincreaseinthiserainpartduetotheriseoffeminism,
andalsoduetotheincreaseofwomensroleinthesociety,suchastheirpartin
implementingdepartmentstores.Thisledtoanattemptofpoliticalreforminaccordance
towomensrights.Anotherexampleofsocialreformthatallowedforsocialactivismwas
theriseofmasculinityandsports.Thismovementopenedanewvenueofentertainment,
simultaneouslypromotingfitness,teamwork,andleisuretime.

Fromtextbook:

 middleclassandworkingclassbecamemoredefinedbecauseofnewjobsandconsumer
goods
publicspacesnolongermalecenteredwomenandchildrenencouragedtoenjoynew
amusements:P.T.Barnumscircus,departmentstores,railroads
menworkedinoffices,ledtodevelopmentofsports,YMCA,countryclubs
elitemenbeganplayingbaseball,consumeridentityasfans
separateNegroLeague
footballemphasizedskillandprecision(scientificmanagement)
everyone,especiallywomen,becamemoreactive:outdoorsmeantleisure/renewal,many
visited/campedinnationalparks
elitecreatedgatedcommunitiestosegregatethemselves
organizationslikeSierraClubandNationalAudubonSocietytopreserveAmericas
wildernessandanimals
ElizabethCadyStantonssolitudeofselfrejectedideathatwomendidntneedequal
rightsbecausemenprotectedthem
familysizedeclined,especiallyinmiddleclass:parentscouldfocusresources,educate
andpreparechildrenforneweconomy
marriedatolderages,spacedpregnanciesmorewidelyusedcontraceptives
despiteComstockAct
mosthighschoolsbecamecoeducationandfeaturedathletics
economyshapedcurriculumatcolleges:Harvardpioneeredliberalarts,BookerT.
WashingtonsTuskegeeInstituteandAtlantaCompromise:acceptedsegregationonlyin
socialaspects
GeneralFederationofWomensClubs(1890)tostudyproblemsofindustrialization
maternalism:intermediatebetweendomesticityandmodernargumentsforwomens
equality
NationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofcoloredpeople(NAACP),groupforracial
justice
WCTUfoughtdomesticviolenceandalcohol
NationalAssociationofColoredWomen(1896)andWomensConventionofthe
NationalBaptistChurchhelpedAfricanAmericans
NationalAmericanWomanSuffrageAssociationworkedtowardsfeminismby1910s:
womensfullpolitical,economic,andsocialequality
SocialDarwinismjustifieddividebetweenclasses,pioneeredbyWilliamGraham
Sumner
Theartformsofmodernismandrealism,inwhichartistspaintpicturesofeverydaylife,
starttobeusedduringthe1890s

Inthecities:

 highcostoftransportationsegregatedwealthydistricts,suburbanareasbegangrowingin
popularity
electricstreetlightscreatednightlife
mutualaidsocietiesservedethnicneighborhoods:collectedduesthenprovidedsupport
blacksfacedraceriotsincities
massbasedentertainmentspread:vaudevilletheatersprovidedcontinuousentertainment,
moviesandamusementparkspopularby1900
ragtimebroughturbandancecrazeby1910s,blackmusiclikebluesentered
popularculture,ledtoemergenceofyouthculture
amusementparksanddancehallscreatedideaofdatingcitiesdevelopedrobust
gaysubcultures
libraries,orchestras,symphonyorchestras,artandnaturalhistorymuseums
flourishedinmajormetropolitanareas
progressivismhadrootsincities,designedtocombatillsofindustrialism
CityBeautifulmovementaroseby1900s
campaignagainstprostitution:fightingwhiteslavery
socialsettlementslikeHullHousegavepoorresourcesandapoliticalvoice,launched
furtherprotects

http://www.powayusd.com/online/usonline/worddoc/jungle.htm
(TheJungle)

Fine,Terri."ProgressiveMovement."
EncyclopediaofAmericanPoliticalPartiesandElections,
Updated
.NewYork:FactsOnFile,2006.
AmericanHistoryOnline
.Web.30Jan.2015.
<http://online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/168454?q=progressiveera>.

mostimmigrantsdidntknowEnglish
Citygovernmentshaddifficultyfunctioningefficientlyandinasociallyresponsible
manner
Growingurbancenterswereunabletorespondeffectivelytoburgeoningpublicneedsfor
transportation,fireandpoliceprotection,lighting,sanitation,andeducation.Population
densityandgrowthcontributedtowidespreaddisease,congestion,andpovertyinrapidly
developingslums
Progressivesalsoplayedaroleinsecuringtheratificationofthreeconstitutional
amendments:Prohibition(whichwaslaterrepealed),women'ssuffrage,andthedirect
electionofsenators
Journalistsassistedthe
Progressive
agendathroughtheireffortstohighlightthesocialills
thatresultedfromtheconcentrationofeconomicandpoliticalpowerinthehandsofan
insensitiveelite