American Political History: The Progressive Era

1633 Words7 Pages

Much of the writing that has been published regarding the Progressive era has helped propel it forward as a time of “prosper, middle-class control,” in the minds of young Americans across the nation. Generally considered a highpoint of American political history, the Progressive era has been a benefactor of positive reporting in textbooks through much of history. Although, its alleged connection to socialism caused a significant change in reporting during the years of the Second Red Scare. In examination of five U.S. History textbooks spanning from 1930 through 2011, it is easy to see common themes that historians have kept through the years, as well as how current events played into the writing of history. As we have experienced, recent …show more content…

In the 1930 textbook, The Growth of the American Republic by Samuel E. Morison and Henry Steele Commager, the Progressive era had come to a close barely 10 years prior. As expected, the writing of Progressive era history in this text was greatly diminished. The Progressive era was narrowed down to only one and a half pages, rather than the