In the history of the United States of America, the Progressive Era spans between the 1890s and the 1920s. It is an era that was characterized by intense political and social reforms that were intended towards making a better all-inclusive equal society. The reformers in the Progressive Era were much after harnessing the federal government power in order to do away with unfair and unethical inhuman practices, eradication of corruption, and counteracting the de-humanizing and human-dignity-demeaning social impacts of industrialization. It is during the Progressive Era that consumers’ and workers’ protections got strong, and women realized their long-sought voting rights. This paper aims at discussing the rise and decline of the Progressive Era in America with emphasis on change, periodization and the major forces in Progressive Era historiography (Edwards 2009, 463-465).

The birth of modern America foundation is traced and attributed to the Progressive Era. Therefore, Progressivism ideally refers to the various diversified social and economic responses that happened owing to the rapid industrialization and urbanization in America in the late dates of the nineteenth century. The United States of America saw unprecedented immigration in the late 1800s with hundreds of thousands of black Americans migrated to the northern cities and Americans migrated to the west and into urban areas in millions. Consequently, there were very rapid advances and developments in industrialization and technology (Johnston 2002, 68-70).

Though the urban cities and its environs enjoyed running waters supply and electricity, the farmers in the rural areas found it very hard in maintaining their farms as they sought to overcome very costly machinery, stiff competition, and low prices. For this reason, progressivism began just as a social movement towards coping up with the many social needs of that time and later grew into a reforms movement. The pioneers of progressivism were against Social Darwinism, and strongly believed that the problems of the society (poverty, violence, poor education, stratification war, greed, poor health, and racial discrimination), could be done away with by a better governance, better education systems, safer environment, and more efficient places of work. Mainly college-educated dwellers in the urban areas, the progressives held a strong believe that the only effect tool for change and a better equal America for all was the government (Muncy 1994, 99-103).

During the Progressive Era, there were a variety of important players who relentlessly to make America conscious and aware of the social ills that plagued many of the vulnerable and marginalized communities. Among these players were investigative journalists aka ‘muckrakers’  for instance Jacob Riis, who exposed corruption and showcased the poor health conditions among the poor, thus helping in inspiring reformist legislation at national and state levels. Other players included religious figure who strived to unify the secular and the sacred towards expansively demanding for social change reforms. They were against the individualism notion and advocated for a larger Christian community with pragmatism becoming the mode of teaching.  Pragmatists, for instance John Dewy, identified schools as fundamental tools for change not just gunning for government support but also seeking for direct influence towards transformations and changes to the government (Johnston 2002, 83-90).

Also, women had very centrifugal roles in the Progressive Era. In groups, they powerfully fought for gender equality, public kindergartens creation, prison reforms, daycare for working women children’, and support facilities for needy children. The women’s groups also pushed for the legislation of women voting rights, thus the Nineteenth Amendment, and the workplace mandatory health and safety measures creation. Other players included individuals in specialized and professional roles, like engineers, doctors, progressive business people, teachers and layers, raised the demand for systematic licensing and professionalization in their specific jobs. They sought to minimize corruption, fraud, and push for a more efficient and effective government. The workers’ association and labor unions started boycotts and strikes to stem-demand for their rights and demands calling for new social order (Johnston 2002, 76-83).

Nationally, progressivism achieved major support in 1901, the time when Theodore Roosevelt was elected the president of America. He strongly held the belief that although strong corporations were beneficial for the country, they had to be consistently scrutinized and monitored for greed and corruption. In addition, the president gunning for progressivism, more progressives found their way to the Congress. Consequently, federal programs were established, for instance the Children’s Bureau. Likewise, the 1920 Sheppard-Towner Act aka Promotion of the Welfare of Hygiene of Maternity and Infancy Act became the first primary federal health-care program. It was such a groundbreaking Act too for its campaigns, and the way its educated and sensitized Americans on the merits of good healthcare and better social conditions for children and women (Muncy 1994, 213-222).

However, the Progressive Era did not continue further after the World War I as it effectively declined when the war horrors openly exposed the potential of humanity for mass cruelty and large-scale destruction. Also many of the Americans no more had confidence in progressivism and started associating President Woodrow Wilson’s progressive slogan (‘the war to make the world safe for democracy’), with the war. The World War I which needed a lot of focus, the welfare capitalism success and worker fragmentation contributed to the decline of the Progressive Era too (McGerr 2005, 366-381).