
Progressive Era reformers sought to harness the power of the federal government to eliminate unethical and unfair business practices, reduce corruption, and counteract the negative social effects of industrialization. During the Progressive Era, protections for workers and consumers were strengthened, and women finally achieved the right to vote.
Full Answer
What did the Progressive Era mean for big business?
The Progressive Era and Big Business. means allowing industry to be free from state intervention, especially restrictions in the form of tariffs and government monopolies. The phrase is French and literally means "let do", but it broadly implies "let it be", or "leave it alone.".
What were some progressive era progressives accomplishments?
During the Progressive Era, protections for workers and consumers were strengthened, and women finally achieved the right to vote. Though industrialization in the United States raised standards of living for many, it had a dark side.
What were progressives looking to change about the Industrial Revolution?
Progressives were looking to change the problems of industrial society. Reformers wanted to tackle the tensions of urbanization, professors wanted new ideas to guide remedial action, and journalists exposed government corruption.
How did Theodore Roosevelt impact the Progressive Era?
Theodore Roosevelt praised "the gospel of efficiency" in moderate radicals and admired the success of corporations in applying management techniques to guide economic growth. Progressive used scientific models to collect data and analyze it, ultimately eliminating waste and inefficiency in the government, society, and industry.

How did progressives improve business?
Some people during the Progressive Era called for major social reforms and for an expanded role of the government to regulate business practices. Previously, the government promoted a free market and held a laissez-faire attitude that meant the government would not become involved in regulating business practices.
How was health improved during the Progressive Era?
Through public initiatives in health education and health care, reformers successfully fought the communicable diseases, malnutrition, and poor sanitation prevalent at the time. The increasing collection of data and advances in the field of statistics were a boon to public health professionals at this time.
How were workers treated during the Progressive Era?
The working conditions in factories were often harsh. Hours were long, typically ten to twelve hours a day. Working conditions were frequently unsafe and led to deadly accidents. Tasks tended to be divided for efficiency's sake which led to repetitive and monotonous work for employees.
Why did progressives wanted to improve working conditions?
The Progressives wanted employers to treat their workers as the bosses wanted to be treated. They also hoped that, if working conditions improved, people in the U.S. would not engage in immoral activities, like drinking and gambling, to forget the difficulties that they faced.
How did reforms change working conditions?
Through settlement houses and other urban social work, reformers aided workers and their families and entreated employers to eliminate dangerous working conditions and other abuses. Muckraking journalists and others gave nation‑wide publicity to accidents and unsafe conditions.
What was the health and medicine movement?
The Popular Health Movement of the 1830s–1850s was an aspect of Jacksonian-era politics and society in the United States. The movement promoted a rational skepticism toward claims of medical expertise that were based on personal authority, and encouraged ordinary people to understand the pragmatics of health care.
How did working conditions improve?
Exemplary Answer: In the late 1800s, workers organized unions to solve their problems. Their problems were low wages and unsafe working conditions. First, workers formed local unions in single factories. These unions used strikes to try to force employers to increase wages or make working conditions safer.
Who improved working conditions in the Progressive Era?
Samuel Gompers started this for skilled workers, it worked towards better working conditions, higher wages, no child labor and 8 hour days. This happened during an economic depression during the Progressive Era.
How were workers treated during the Industrial Revolution?
Poor workers were often housed in cramped, grossly inadequate quarters. Working conditions were difficult and exposed employees to many risks and dangers, including cramped work areas with poor ventilation, trauma from machinery, toxic exposures to heavy metals, dust, and solvents.
How did reformers try to make businesses more efficient and profitable?
To help make businesses more efficient and profitable, some reformers promoted the idea of scientific management. The idea was to apply scientific ideas to make each task simpler. One outcome was the assembly line.
How did the Progressive Era affect working conditions?
Progressives addressed workplace efficiency and safety standards, child labor, workmen's compensation, minimum wages, and working hours for women. Improvements at home included an increased emphasis on education, helping immigrant families, Prohibition, curbing prostitution, public health, and municipal services.
How did progressive reformers attempt to better the lives of workers?
How did Progressive reformers attempt to better the lives of workers such as those in factories? they urged the creation of new organizations aimed at addressing social problems associated with an industrial society.
What was the most significant public health reform of the Progressive Era?
In 1915, progressive reformers proposed a system of compulsory health insurance to protect workers against both wage loss and medical costs during sickness.
What reforms were made during the Progressive Era?
Significant changes enacted at the national levels included the imposition of an income tax with the Sixteenth Amendment, direct election of Senators with the Seventeenth Amendment, Prohibition of alcohol with the Eighteenth Amendment, election reforms to stop corruption and fraud, and women's suffrage through the ...
What were living conditions like during the Progressive Era?
With few city services to rely upon, the working class lived daily with overcrowding, inadequate water facilities, unpaved streets, and disease. Lagging far behind the middle class, working class wages provided little more than subsistence living and few, if any, opportunities for movement out of the city slums.
How did Progressives address food safety?
Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act in 1906, and President Theodore Roosevelt signed them into law. Taking effect in 1907, they required: sanitary conditions in factories, inspection of animals and meat, and correct labeling to prevent "adulturation" or misbranding.
What were the effects of the Progressive Era?
Progressive Era reformers sought to harness the power of the federal government to eliminate unethical and unfair business practices, reduce corruption, and counteract the negative social effects of industrialization. During the Progressive Era, protections for workers and consumers were strengthened, and women finally achieved the right to vote.
What were the immigration policies of the Progressive Era?
Federal immigration policies in the Progressive Era, including the Immigration Act of 1917 and the National Quota Law of 1921, severely limited immigration based on nationality, and excluded virtually all Asian immigrants.
What was the Progressive movement?
The Progressive movement arose as a response to these negative effects of industrialization. Progressive reformers sought to regulate private industry, strengthen protections for workers and consumers, expose corruption in both government and big business, and generally improve society.
What were the problems of industrialization?
Though industrialization in the United States raised standards of living for many, it had a dark side. Corporate bosses, sometimes referred to as “ robber barons ,” pursued unethical and unfair business practices aimed at eliminating competition and increasing profits.
What did reformers do in the early twentieth century?
In the early twentieth century, reformers worked to improve American society and counteract the effect of industrialization.
What were the labor unions' main concerns?
Labor unions, which were very active in Progressive politics, supported restrictions on immigration and spewed xenophobic rhetoric that blamed immigrants for low wages and harsh working conditions in factories across the nation.
Why was sterilization used as an unethical process?
Since poverty, mental illness, and different racial and ethnic backgrounds were considered biologically undesirable traits, the process of sterilization was used as an unethical means to "cleanse" humanity of biological weaknesses.
What were progressives looking for in a reformer?
Progressives were looking to change the problems of industrial society. Reformers wanted to tackle the tensions of urbanization, professors wanted new ideas to guide remedial action, and journalists exposed government corruption.
What was the Progressive Era?
Progressive Era 1900-1917: progress in social reforms and civil rights (women's suffrage). It had no unifying organization, leadership, or objectives; sometimes movements contradicted each other. What kind of things were the Progressives looking to change? Progressives were looking to better the country as a whole.
Why did the Reformers not violate women's roles?
Did not violate women's roles because it focused on the "woman's sphere" - family, education, domestic skills, and cultural uplift.
How did Democrats eliminate black voters and poor white voters?
In the South, Democrats eliminated black voters and poor white voters by the use of poll taxes, and literacy tests. Republicans in the North adopted educational or literacy tests in 10 states, enacted strict registration laws, and abolished the rights of immigrants to vote.
What did progressive leaders believe about efficiency?
Progressive leaders believed that efficiency could resolve the order of industrial society. Theodore Roosevelt praised "the gospel of efficiency" in moderate radicals and admired the success of corporations in applying management techniques to guide economic growth.
Why was school important to North Carolina?
School was seen as a tool for assimilation among immigrants and a tool for the training of future workers. Middle-class women supported public education reforms; the women's clubs in North Carolina made programs to improve school buildings, teachers' salaries and the curriculum.
How did the Reforms affect the political parties?
Reforms weakened the power of political parties because it made lessened their influence, and voting turnout decreased. The National Association of Manufacturers and the United States Chamber of Commerce lobbied for business interests, and the National Farmers Union lobbied for commercial agriculture.
