Progressive Era Dbq

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The cause of the Progressive Era was the Gilded Age, which began during the 1870s. During this age, the United States suffered from extreme corruption in government. This was because of the rising power of political machines and monopolies. Many politicians favored big businesses and through their political power, they were able to give incentives to those who supported their corruption. Due to these infuriating situations, Americans decided that in order for there to be a change in society, the government had to get involved, thus the beginning of the Progressive Era. The Progressive movement fostered political change in the United States from 1890 to 1920 by addressing human rights, political, and social issues.
Americans in past years had …show more content…

Correspondingly to the rising corruption in government, President Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech addressing the issue of rising corruption and what the government has done to end said corruption (Doc. 2). President Roosevelt informs the audience that the government has put regulations on business corporations as a solution to alarming monopolies and political machines (Doc. 2). When analyzing President Theodore Roosevelt’s speech at Rhode Island, it is evident that the purpose is to convince the audience that the government is trying to protect the citizens from big businesses by placing regulations. Furthermore, when inspecting the voting system, Americans spotted flaws that made the system not as just as it was perceived. It is unmistakable that voting is corrupt because many citizens suffer through the pressure of being subconsciously forced to vote for their alderman (Doc.1). This is the case because oftentimes their job is dependent on the choice of the alderman; by not voting for their alderman, they risk losing their job (Doc. 1). The purpose of Jane Addams, Twenty Years at Hull-House excerpt is to present evidence of how the Progressive Era promotes political change by addressing issues with the current government policies. Furthermore, during the Progressive Era, many citizens demanded an end to the Spoils system. Government officials took action and enforced a new act, the Pendleton Act, which demanded that those entering office should be chosen not because of their connections but for their