Progressive Reformers Dbq

In the first two decades of the twentieth century the national political scene reflected a growing American belief in the ideas of the Progressive movement. This movement was concerned with fundamental social and economic reforms and gained in popularity under two presidents. Yet Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson espoused two different approaches to progressive reform. And each one was able to prevail upon congress to pass legislation in keeping with his own version of the progressive dream. These two people, although they had different principles in mind, had one goal: to make changes to the nation for the better of the people and the country. Setting out to reach this goal, Roosevelt came to be a president of the common man while

Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson were all people who supported the progressive era. However, out of the three men, Roosevelt was the most progressive when it came to our economy, labor, and the environment.

Three important men in the progressive era were Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt was a trustbuster who destroyed

I feel that they were both successful in their own ways. The progressive era was a time that reform took place. It was under the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft & Woodrow Wilson. Not only were these political powers part of this era, other progressives included businessmen, educators, farmers and even women and black activist. Their goal was to understand and solve the economic, social and political problems that were being faced as the nation was growing and developing.

Amid the administration of the three presidents, Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, they were chosen amid a time in the US, known as the dynamic time. The Progressive Era was a time of open social activism and political change over the United States that spread over from the 1890s to the 1920s. The essential targets of the Progressive development were taking out issues caused by industrialization, urbanization, movement, and defilement in government. The development fundamentally focused on political machines and their managers. By bringing down degenerate delegates in office, a further method for coordinate vote based system would be built up.

During the Progressive Era, the reformers were stricter and did not provide direct help, while the reformers in the New Deal were a little more direct in helping Americans. The progressive era policies were more concerned with correcting the society. All three presidents during this time period, including Theodore Roosevelt, Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson, implemented some progressive reforms. It was the government’s policy to correct social and economic problems as well as to provide assistance for the people. Conversely, during the New Deal, most policies and programs were passed by the federal government.

When the term “progressive era” is brought up, many people may think of the social reformers such as Ida Tarbell, Jacob Riis, Jane Addams, and Upton Sinclair. They might not think of the Presidents that were in the White House during that time who included Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. During the Progressive Era, Americans were looking for social, political, and economic reform after industrialization and urbanization. While all of the president's worked to correct problems during the Progressive Era, Theodore Roosevelt was the most progressive president because he fought for the reform of businesses, worker’s rights, and conservation of natural resources.

Progressives were groups of reformers dedicated to improve the social and the political problems in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They live generally in the towns, were well instructed professionals, and thought the government could be an instrument for the transformation. They started a social movement that turned into a political movement. Unfortunately, the remainder of the population was subject to law incomes, long working hours, risky industrial tools, and unprincipled employers. Progressives believed the problems (poverty, violence, greed, racism, class warfare) that the society faced could best be directed by offering good education, a safe environment, and an efficient workplace. In the words of historian Howard Zinn, the Progressives worked to “stabilize the capitalist system by repairing its worst defects. 2and restore some measure of class peace in a time of increasingly bitter clashes between capital and labor” (Zinn 354). The progressive tried to reform the United States; however, they were incapable to make significant changes and improve the labors of the working class.

Section 4 Progressivism under Taft President Taft goes back on many progressive ideas of Roosevelt and in unpopular overall Payne-Aldrich tariff: a moderate tariff on imports Election of 1912 president Three parties emerge as progressives: -Taft runs as the republican -Roosevelt runs a new party called the Bull-Moose party (progressives) - Woodrow wilson runs as the Democrat promising the New Freedom Woodrow Wilson wins election of

The Progressive Era and the New Deal Era had a significant amount of similarities with policies and programs to reform the American society, improve lives and fight poverty in America. Although the Progressive and New Deal Era had many similarities, there were still differences between them that included the views of what needed to be done.

The early civilization brought significant changes in the nineteenth century with the emergence of big corporations to railroads, changed the landscape of America. This change also brought political instability, social and economic trends that Americans had not experienced before. By the late nineteenth century, many people were displeased and reformers from middle class citizens started the progressive movement. The progressives sought to reform, regulate taxes, and provide "equality of opportunity". The progressives made significant progress that caught the eye of many people and brought awareness to America.

As we already know from the aforementioned information, both the Progressive Era and New Deal had a focus on similar issues, specifically the rights of laborers, the improvement and expansion of public facilities, and the limitations of corporate power. Reforms during the Progressive era reflected these values, as seen in the work accomplished by Samuel Jones, President Taft, and President Wilson. Jones, a Progressive mayor in Toledo, Ohio “…founded night schools and free kindergartens, built new parks, and supported the right of workers to unionize” (Give Me Liberty 699) in an effort to improve public resources. President Taft - one of the presidents during the Progressive era - implemented antitrust laws which attacked corporations’ influence by limiting the power of the wealthy, either through taxation or prosecution of antitrust violators. In addition to this, President Wilson reinforced antitrust laws while passing legislation which empowered laborers through exempting labor unions from antitrust laws, banning child labor in certain labor markets, and enforcing an eight-hour work day on the nation’s railroads.

As the industrial age was booming and factories were abundant among the United States, progressives thought about what was unfair in America and came to the realization that something had to be done about factory conditions. The idea of unfair labor treatments was brought to the courts many times but the most significant was Hammer v. Dagenhart (Document G). The supreme court struck down the Keating- Owen child labor law which reduced child labor in factories for kids who were under 14. Now instead of being born into a job that your parents have or just taking the quickest job you can to get money, kids were more likely to go to school and diversify their intelligence (document C). Progressives were also bringing the awful factory conditions of the time to light.

The Progressive movement was based mainly on the improvement of human nature and businesses were treating many workers badly. Many muckrakers worked to end the terrible conditions that many workers

Progressivism generally took two forms: Political and Social reform.What most social reformers found was that they could not rely on people doing the “right” and “moral” thing all the time. If law is going to be used for social reform, who is going to make the law? Politicians. However, politics and politicians were seen as a big part of the problem, not the solution, therefore, Progressives seen that the future for a new America ultimately depended on changing the government and politics.