The Progressive Era was a twenty year period, between 1900 and 1920, of much change in the U. S. Many Americans would begin to stand up for what they believed was right. This would lead to a number of reforms to help improve American life. Laws passed under Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, would dramatically change this country all the way into the present time. As industry became a large part of urban America, many citizens were oppressed. Unfair and unsanitary conditions would lead to multiple reforms concerning the actions of large corporations.
Along with businesses’ unfair treatment of workers, was the ongoing mistreatment of African Americans. Eventually, by the end of the Era many laws were passed to end the corruption that was beginning to form. As factories began to take over cities, more and more men, women, and children rushed to get jobs. However, as seen in Document C, not all factories were the best environment, especially for children. As stated in the document, these jobs were counter-productive to the healthy growth of children under the age of sixteen.
As stated in Document B, the conditions in many factories were quite unsanitary and often led to disease not just for the workers, but also for the consumers of the product. Document B also mentions the poor treatment of the meat which led to much danger to consumer’s health. Factories were also a dangerous environment. For example, it was very easy for a machine worker to lose fingers and sometimes even limbs. These conditions, along with long unfair hours would prove to be too much for workers and often led to strikes.
The Essay on Difference Between Slavery and Factory Workers
One of the main things that could be compared between factory workers and slaves is the different working conditions that the two had and how they all suffered. Even though the factory workers were inside a building they suffered a great deal. The early factory system did not share its benefits evenly with every one. The owners grew plump with all the profit that they made, while the workers ...
As more and more of these horrors became exposed by the “muckraker” journalists at the time, the federal government would start to intervene and put a stop to the poor treatment of employees. Along with the mistreatment of workers there was also the mistreatment of immigrants and African Americans. As Europeans fled to the northeastern cities, many were discriminated against when it came to working, voting, and even when shopping. As seen in Document E, laws had to be passed to ensure that everyone was treated fairly no matter what their background. More commonly in the South, African Americans were also discriminated against.
As Jim Crow Laws were passed southerners would make voters pass exams to be qualified to vote. Many African Americans, being too poor to afford proper school, were considered ineligible to have the right to vote. As seen in Document J, starting in 1900, the number of voters began to recede. Document I describes the irony in America. Many Americans, including Blacks, had just gone into World War I to fight for freedom in the U. S. and in other countries. However, upon returning home these African American soldiers were not given their proper freedom.
Along with the mistreatment of Blacks was the degradation of women. In Document H, the women were still not seen as equal to men. It is ironic that the U. S. had just returned from WWI, where they fought for equality for other countries, yet they still did not have equality back home. However, women would start to take a stand and fight for their suffrage and equality. As the corruption of these problems was exposed, the government started to create laws to prevent it. As seen in in Documents F and G, some of these laws were not properly enforced and therefore, were not effective.
Or in the case of Document G, the Federal Government, by the power of the Constitution, did not have the right to enforce some laws. It was up to the individual states to enforce them. However, many of the laws passed greatly improved society. In Document D, President Roosevelt states that senator elections would no longer be made by the Electoral College but by the popular vote of the people. In ways like this, the Progressive Era started to establish reforms to provide equality for every person, no matter their nationality, race, or gender.
The Essay on Mandatory Sentencing Laws Death Government
No degree of persecution complex on the part of the Northern Territory Chief Minister, Mr. Denis Burke, can change the fact that the death of a 15-year old Aboriginal, Johnno Warramarrba, is a result of the territory s draconian sentencing laws. People will rub their hands with glee and say Burke s got blood on his hands because of mandatory sentencing, Mr. Burke said. It was the lowest of the low ...
Documents A and E show the measures the government went to, to end the corruption with big business. Document A suggests that Roosevelt put an end to all trusts that would hinder or impair the economy or the people. Document E shows how the government took away a little bit of the industry’s power by regulating their sales. New amendments including the granting of women’s rights and start of the preservation of national parks were just some of the laws passed to ensure equality and cleanliness for every citizen.
Other documents that would have been helpful would have been documents of new laws passed such as the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, and Nineteenth Amendments. These would help prove the case that the government started to take steps toward equality for all citizens. Also, laws passed concerning the age one is allowed to work in a factory and the hours they may work for would show how the government tried to limit the oppression of workers. A document of a reform made to ensure cleanliness and safety for workers and the products in factories, would also demonstrate the government’s goal to end corruption in factories.
The presence of a document pertaining to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, or Upton Sinclair’s, The Jungle, would provide strong evidence of the horrors in the workplace before “muckrakers” exposed these horrors. Documents as stated, would help to prove a stronger point in this essay. The Progressive Era was a period of many reforms, most for the better. As the corruption in industry and society were exposed people began to take a stand for equality. These documents helped prove that this nation was able to shift from a corrupt and oppressed society, to one of equality, cleanliness, and freedom for all races, nationalities, and genders.
