Industry During The Progressive Era

283 Words2 Pages
Due to the immense success of industry during the Progressive era, America’s booming economy and rising population fueled the growth of consumerism and its promise in American society. During this period, Americans, especially Immigrants, began to consider freedom as an “economic ambition” that allowed them to “achieve a standard of living” impossible in an impoverished society (Foner 557). One can argue that these economic beliefs about freedom contributed to the promise of mass consumption and the belief that freedom meant having access to the variety of goods produced by America’s thriving industry. Due to increases in production efficiency thanks to industrial and technological developments, individuals began to enjoy a vast array of consumer