Corruption During The Progressive Movement

During the early 19th Century, corruption was prevalent throughout the United States. Working conditions were unsafe and many were dying of illness and disease, though wages were still extremely low, causing poverty. Trusts took over the economy and the gap between the rich and the poor greatly expanded. A new political party, the Progressive Party, emerged and had many different ideas to solve these issues. They wanted to get rid of corruption in the government and minimize the gap between the economic classes. Progressives also cared about minorities and thrived for women’s suffrage. They had many victories that shaped reform movements that are still seen today. Three presidents during this era were Progressives; Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson.

Previously, there were little to no laws that protected children in the workplace. Children worked long hours in dangerous conditions for almost no pay. One example of a Progressive organization that pushed for reform was the National Child Labor Committee which hired photographers to raise awareness about working conditions for children. The committee inspired popular Americans, including President Theodore Roosevelt, who picked up the cause and made more people aware of child welfare. Not all child welfare problems were solved by the Progressives, but the National Child Labor Committee as well as other organizations were unarguably a step toward liberalism. This is because it benefited the welfare of citizens. Also, committees and laws such as these were never seen before, and they were different than how most people previously thought. Before, many thought that children should spend their days working rather than attending school, but these views started to change as a result of the Progressive Movement. The ability to pass such laws shows a strong federal government because it went against the popular belief of allowing children to work in dangerous conditions. The government instead pushed for and was able to pass Child Labor Laws. So, the Progressive Movement sparked the mindset that child labor was unjust and should be fixed so that only children of older ages could

Though women had always fought for their own rights, the Progressive Movement really brought the suffrage ideal to light. Middle-class women were actually one of the most influential groups in the Progressive Movement. Figures like Jane Addams made organizations that promoted women's equality. Jane Addams was a Progressive who, though a woman, founded one of the biggest settlement houses in the United States. Addam’s Hull House pushed for some of the most liberal Progressive ideals, including immigrant and women’s rights. Never before had so many women created such an impactful organization. This was a very liberal idea because such an achievement and involvement in politics by women was a turning point. They were never allowed or able to participate in politics before. Women did not gain the right to vote until a couple of decades later, but they made several advances throughout that period. Some states allowed women to vote, women won court cases like Muller v. Oregon, and they gained other rights like mother’s pensions. This was only the beginning of women’s activism, but it is inarguably a change that sparked reform that continues