The Progressive Era is a long one, starting roughly in
1865 after the Civil War and lasting until 1921 when Warren G. Harding took over the
Presidency and the 17th, 18th and 19th amendments had been added to the Constitution.
The areas you include in your question are broad ones, but cover the efforts of the
Progressive Era pretty well in my opinion. Building on the above posts, here are some
additional thoughts in those three areas:
Big
Business: The main effort was against the control of monopolies and
trusts, groups of companies that controlled entire industries and could therefore
exploit both worker and consumer. In the 1890s, the first real piece of progressive
legislation was passed in the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. It wasn't very effective as it
was mainly used to break up unions, but it was a step. Later, under Teddy Roosevelt and
especially William Howard Taft, the government became more progressive at breaking these
trusts apart (Standard Oil, 1912)
Political
Rights: The most obvious effort was indeed in the area of womens' voting,
and concluded with passage of the 19th amendment. This was a slow effort that built
over the entire progressive era, and only became successful with womens' efforts in
World War I and Prohibition. States started adopting women's suffrage one by one
starting in 1867 with Wyoming, and spreading from there. African-Americans and Native
Americans were largely ignored by the Progressive Movement,
however.
Social Justice: This
was a much bigger challenge for the progressives. Child labor laws, a minimum wage and
shorter work weeks were all achieved on their watch, and people like Jane Addams worked
tirelessly on behalf of new immigrants, trying to give them a fair shot at life and
assimilation with her settlement houses (Hull House, Chicago). Women also led the
charge for Prohibition of alcohol in groups like the WCTU and the Anti-Saloon League,
citing the widespread social damage to the American family caused by
drinking.
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