Progressive Era

AMST 3225W

Yu “Star” Zhang

AMST 3252W Final Paper Progressive Era: The Rising Power of Women

We define the Progressive Era the time in American history at the turning point of the 20th century, the time when industrial Revolution has brought along rapid industrialization and economic development, but also severe conflicts in social groups. Between 1890s through 1920, waves of immigrations from outside of United States were arriving, numerous large cities were expanding, and as a result, issues of polarization of uneven social statuses, rates of infant mortality, and political concerns raised awareness of the public. Trains and factories with smoke in the first-ever-made video of electrocuting Leon Czologosz, implied the industrial civilization that resulted into some serious consequences. Jacob Riis, a great photographer took the picture, How the Other Half Lives (1891), describing the slums where lived the poor and criminals in New York City. The scene illustrated thoroughly the social problems engendered by the improvement of the modern social and industrial life. “Trouble at Homeland (1892)”, as is discussed in the lecture, implied that, in urban areas, labor and management started to fight for unresolved conflicts against each other. Indeed, the globalized influence of this revolution, when enormous amount of railroad being constructed, level of production skyrocketing, and social classes being identified, really split the society into two major parties, making the richest few men, controlling power through political machines, even richer and the poorest struggle even

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AMST 3225W

Yu “Star” Zhang

more. The rich and powerful took control of property and push the media to strengthen their power even more. According to Vilja Hulden, a well distinguished scholar from University of Arizona, the two main business organizations, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the National Civic Federation (NCF) have really demonstrated the...