The Progressive Era

(1896-1916)

Background:

• The progressive era was initiated as a response to political and corporate business abuses.

• An active belief that the government should solve the people's problems prevailed.

• the people who supported the reforms, "progressives", came from all walks of life and supported and rallied against a variety of causes which include but are not limited to:

Corrupt Political Machines

a political machine is a political group in which a leader or small group command the support of supporters and businesses, who receive money as reward for their efforts. The machine's power is based on the ability of the  group to get out the vote for their candidates on election day.

• Progressives had 4 Main Goals
1. Protect Social Welfare
2. Promote Moral Improvement
3. Create Economic Reform
4. Foster Efficiency

❗KEY TERMS ALERT❗

Muckraker: Group of Journalists who discover the nation's problems and write about them

Secret Ballot:Votes that are cast in secret

Direct Primary:Allows voters to directly select candidates rather than having them being selected by party leaders

Recall:Process by which voters could remove the elected official from office before the end of his term

Referendum:Process that allows citizens to reject or accept laws passed by legislature

Trustbusting: Breaking up large monopolies into smaller competing businesses

• Sherman antitrust act
•  Clayton antitrust act 

In short the progressive era was a time of change and reform, the movement responded to the economic political and social challenges caused by the changing society of the late American 1800s.