Main Goals Of The Progressive Era

The Progressive Era was a period of economic, political, and social reform in the United States. The era began in the 1890's, after the severe depression of the Panic of 1893 was coming to a close, and ended when the United States entered World War I in 1917. The main objectives of the movement were eliminating problems caused by urbanization, immigration, industrialization, and corruption in government. At the end of the Progressive Era in 1917, the movement had successfully taken strides in expanding democracy and regulating the economy. The Progressive Era impacted the development of politics by requiring the government to step in and make changes, ultimately resulting in a stronger and more powerful direct democracy.

From the time Theodore Roosevelt took office, through the service of William H Taft, and ending in the term of Woodrow Wilson, the Progressive movement was attempting to end many of the

By busting trusts, competition increases and the power of the business elite decreases. With a rising middle class that was scared of the business elite and political machines, the government needed to intervene. Therefore, in the late 1890’s the government passed the Sherman Antitrust Act which banned industrial monopolies that limited competition. The law sought to help the middle and lower classes earn money by increasing competition. However, the act had little effect because the wording was so vague. So, because the law was not working well, progressive worked for a stronger law to prevent business abuses. Their answer came in 1914 when Woodrow Wilson and Congress set up the Federal Trade Commission whose goal was to stop illegal business practices. In addition, Wilson also set up the Federal Reserve System which is the central banking system of the United States. President Woodrow Wilson provided the US with most of its Progressive Era