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The Progressive Er The Start Of The Gilded Age

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The Progressive Era was a time of change that started in Americas’ urban settings between 1870 and the early 1890s. There were many laws passed about labor, women's rights, railroads, the food industry, politics, education, and housing. This era differed from the rest due to its attitude toward social class. For example, in the Gilded Age the upper class believed that their wealth was God given, but those who lived in poverty did so because they were immoral. With the start of the progressive era, the number of Americans living in poverty increased. Although some of the upper and more powerful citizens realized that with their stable financial situation, they had an obligation to help those in need. Although the Gilded Age was a tremendous …show more content…

The 1900 census recorded about 18.2 percent of the nation’s ten to fifteen-year-olds working. While most adult workers were underpaid, the children were grossly underpaid. Greedy business owners took advantage of children and their families that were unable to shield their children from the harsh life of labor. Before the passing of the federal legislation, many states enforced their own rules and laws about labor regulation. Most states set a minimum age for child laborers and a maximum number of hours they could work. However, these rules were followed by few, and the majority of families lied about the age of their children to ensure stable household income. Four years later, the National Child Labor Committee, or the NCLC, campaigned for federal child labor law reform. The first child labor law was passed during 1916 and was only effective until 1918. The growth of the industry has consequences for workers and their families. As the size of the working class began to grow, the industrial salaries began to decrease. The development of new transportation systems significantly lowered the cost of movement and decreased the importance of geography and

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