Progressive Era Dbq

Prior to the year 1890 the United States went through the era of industrialization. The era focused on manufacturing, and factory work which led to mass production. Industrialization caused the U.S cities and market economy to expand rapidly. Industrialization also shaped the development of a large working class, to provide work for the large industries. Workers experienced poor working conditions such as long hours, poor sanitation, and little pay. Due to the poor working conditions many factory workers formed unions or labor strikes against industrialists and attempted to improve their conditions. Although unions were unsuccessful out of industrialization came the Progressive Era. The progressive era focused on social and political

Document 2 expresses that large corporations should be regulated by the government. Large corporations during the era of industrialization and the beginning of the progressive era were running on a laissez faire economy. A laissez faire economy meant the government was unable to intervene with how a business runs. Working conditions such as hours and pay were different for all industries because the government couldn’t set certain regulations. During the progressive era the government was given the opportunity to intervene through Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt came up with multiple laws to better working conditions and food safety. Political change occurred in the switch of laissez faire economics to the beginning of government to intervention, which helped better work environments. Government intervention connects to progressivism because it is improving human work society and making factories a safer place to work. The reason for this document was to speak out against the current laissez faire policy and advocate for the need of government intervention to improve workplaces. One outside resource that connects with document 2 in the Meat Inspection act of 1906. The act made it illegal to alter or misbrand meat and it required meat to be processed under strict sanitary conditions. Many Americans and meat factory workers began complaining about the unhealthy meat they were eating and the working conditions the meat was processed in. The muckrakers were a major group that exposed meat companies and ultimately led to the intervention of the government. The act contributes to the political change of the progressive era because it ties in with that government intervention. Document 7 is an image of a man on one side and a woman and children on the other. The man represents a brewer, a part of the brewery industry, and the women and children are pictured to be upset.