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A Fierce Discontent Summary

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A Fierce Discontent
McGerr, Michael E. A Fierce Discontent: The Rise and Fall of the Progressive
Movement in America, 1870­1920. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2005. Print.
In “A fierce Discontent”, the main thesis of the book is to give insight to the progressive movement during the 19th century. The conflict of the era was big business, and its need to keep inflicting actions to keep a strong division of the wealthy, and the lower class workers, while maximizing profits and personal gain. As well as spotlighting the inequality of gender, race, and social status.This is paired with the stories of activists and everyday men who called for change in this pivotal time.
The book is effective in using vivid imagery to explore scenarios of divide and disparity of the era. However, …show more content…

The progressives, wanted to create a society that acted as one. The idea of being an individual was something to be forgotten in order to create a more perfect civilization of order and pureness.
During this time of the progressive movement, the rest of society began to reject it ideology of their message and goals of non­pleasure and work. Especially around the
Carina Arreola
History 1302
W.Wooten
time of World War One, the Great depression, and the New Deal. With more widespread access to magazines, news, movies, and other “luxuries”, the containment of individuality and shared opinions of those not in the upper status became increasingly hard. In short, the political leaders of this time tried too hard to control population, cultural assimilation, and force of growth of industry.
He uses the historical facts about important public figures of the time such as
Theodore Roosevelt, W.E.B Du Bois, and the Rockefellers while explaining and aligning the movements themes and events in relation to the rebels and the Progressives during the particular period of the era he was outlining. He uses these characters of time

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