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The Progressive Era Essay

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The beginning of the twentieth century was a time of great social change and economic growth in the United States. The progressive era was a time in which Americans were innovating in social welfare. In the progressive period the government needed to take action in the role of economy, regulating big business, immigration, and urban growth. Once the great depression happened in which America’s economy faltered people started to panic. For Americans the main issues asked were how to make society work more efficiently. The great society era was a time of optimism after the post-world war II occurred. The creations of new federal programs were developed for those who were in need due to poverty, being disabled or old age. In the …show more content…

They also developed group work, community organization and advocacy to help the poor. Addams was not really concern with race relations which made it hard for African Americans to survive during this era. Most reformers believed African Americans should continue being second class citizens, restricted from any participation in political life. African Americans were determine to become equals they started by creating a national organization. They formed the National Association for the Advancement of colored people (NAACP). They used education and lawsuits to advance its cause, they won the brown v. board of education a desegregation case forty years later. During the progressive era much of the politics were focused on corruption. According to Abramowitz, corruption often meant control of city or state politics by an ethnically based political machine for reformers. This machine delivered votes, jobs, and payoffs in cities in which it used to gain power in state politics. The issue of corruption slowed down the development of the social welfare reform. Civil war pensions were enacted by the labor legislation that compensated veterans once the war ended. There were negative views about the pension like it was a scheme because getting the pension depended on veteran’s connection with politicians or lawyer. The issue of corruption

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