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Progressive Synthesis Essay

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Progressivism expanded across American cities and provided a variety of responses to issues of Americans after the introduction and rapid growth of the urban industrial order. Initially the progressive began as a social movement and grew into a political one. The goals of the movement varied addressing issues such as increasing democracy in the government, the improvement of working and social conditions and identifying and correcting issues of corrupted power. The movement enlisted city-dwellers, journalist, scholars and social theorist, recognizing these leaders and participants as reformers. The reformers did not seek to overturn the idea and progression of urbanization and industrialization but had the desire to make the new order more …show more content…

These leaders would later publish their findings and be later known as muckrakers. Theodore Roosevelt used the term “muckraker” to criticize the authors publicizing the worst aspects of American life. The authors and those who followed their work would did not acknowledge the name for negativity but as a badge of honor for the purpose of their work. Muckrakers created a growing awareness about working conditions, social problems and corruption in society. These new type of journalist used their expertise to expose these issues and emphasize the need for action and regulation. Novels and magazines such as The Octopus (1901), The Financier, and McClure’s exposed issues and supplied and fueled the energy of the reformers. Authors like John Spargo researched and attempted to work and live in the conditions in which they wrote about. Spargo wrote his book on child labor and as a part of his research he attempted to perform the tasks young boys has to complete for ten hours a day. The muckrakers achieved their goals by opening the eyes of their readers to the conditions that resulted from urbanization and

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