The Legal And Social Problems During The Progressive Era

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During the late 1800s and early 1900s, America faced a range of social, political, and economic problems that threatened the nation's well-being. Corruption, inadequate living conditions, and worker exploitation were among the issues the Progressive Era attempted to solve. The Progressives aimed to reform American society through legal and social means. They sought to make politics more democratic, reform economic practices, and enhance social welfare to ensure a fairer society. Three major problems during this time were corrupt politics, poor living conditions, and worker exploitation. Through legal and social means, the Progressives attempted to combat these issues. One problem that plagued America during the late 1800s and early 1900s was political corruption. Document 2 highlights the extent of political corruption in America. The document outlines a nation that was "brought to the verge of moral, political, and material ruin," with corruption "dominat[ing] the ballot-box, the Legislatures, the Congress." The Progressives attempted to tackle this issue through reform movements such as the 17th Amendment. This Amendment aimed to make the Senate more democratic by giving people the right to vote for their Senators, rather than having them elected by state legislatures. This aimed to reduce political corruption by removing the corrupting influence of wealthy donors on state legislatures. …show more content…

Document 3b describes the dreadful living conditions in which the poor lived. Tenement apartments had no fresh air or light and were breeding grounds for diseases like measles, which had fatal consequences for poor children. The Progressive reformers tackled this issue by advocating for health and safety regulations to ensure that the poor were not exposed to hazardous living conditions. In this way, they sought to address social inequality by improving the lives of the