Was the progressive era progressive

The progressives were leaders of the time before progressive era and their families and friends, mostly lived in cities and believed the change could be imposed by using the government as a tool. They made wrong decisions because problems like racism, corporate greed, poverty, class warfare did not affect them. In the progressive era, these wrongs done by previous leaders and rich people including rich corporates were exposed. The era concentrated at educating and urging Americans to utilize the meaning of democracy and use it as a tool of creating change, it combated the fear of immigrants and exposed the evils of greedy corporates and politicians. The fact that during the progressive era women achieved most of their rights including voting, consumers and workers’ protection was strengthened limiting corporates from exploiting them, and corruption was reduced means that there was some progress (Leonard, 130).

These corporates exploited parents together with their children; they employed children as young as seven years both boys and girls. During the progressive era, The National Child Labor Committee was strong enough to create movements challenging children oppression. Their most effective tools were pictures of children working in dangerous equipment and harsh environments like in mining sites. By 1910 this committee together with other progressive movements was able to drive the establishment of a minimum age mostly 16 – 12 years and maximum length of time which children could be allowed to work. Children had schools to go to after the progressive era, and education was meant mandatory even if parents denied (Perera, 1867). During the progressive era, several women who were termed as strong or iron women became convinced that it was their responsibility to reform the American society.

On their special mission, they had to ensure that the customs and laws that discriminate based on gender were changed so that they conquer the oldest form of subordination and exploitation. They understood that they could not win without help hence they joined other reformists and were at the forefronts of efforts aimed at abolishing slavery and prostitution, curbing drinking and fighting for equal voting rights. This era had a strong quest for equality that struggled to ensure women could make various crucial decisions that affected their lives like abortion and birth control, divorce, profession decisions and sex. Women got the chance to be treated as equals with men legally because they ensured that old laws were changed to have new laws that prohibited discrimination.

The citizens had the power to select who runs the government after the progressive era making easy for them to force laws and regulations that favored the citizens and not the private sector. This made the life of American better making then able to make ends meet in the industrialization period. Their standards of living rose and not for the rich only, the gap between the rich and the poor began to shorten (Miller, 1305). The progressive era of the United States helped the Americans get most of the privileges and rights they enjoy today. It marked the end of the old rule and introduced a new rule that required leaders to value their citizens and offer them the best environment. http://www.