The Progressive Era

Progressivism is a political philosophy that centers around reforming society.

Progressive politics became popular in the early 1900s due to the rapid industrialization and the arising problems in new factories and mines.

Some concerns of progressives during the Progressive Era included long working hours, child labor, and the influence of monopolies on society.

Some of the political reforms during the Progressive Era included efforts to prevent child labor, breaking up monopolies, and the ratification of the 16th and 17th Amendments.

The purpose of the 16th Amendment was to make it legal to directly tax the income of citizens.

The 17th Amendment changed the way senators were elected, making the United States a more representative democracy.

Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States. Initially, he did not support giving women the vote, but eventually he and the country were convinced through massive protests.

The 18th Amendment started the prohibition of alcohol, making its sale illegal. This initially stopped many people from drinking, but those who continued to drink consumed even more. The 21st Amendment repealed the prohibition in the 1930s.

The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote, marking a major piece of political reform. It not only made women part of the voting population, but also entitled them to the same rights, privileges, and abilities as men.

The main principles of electoral reform during the Progressive Era were referendum, recall, and initiative. Referendum allowed voters to directly vote on a particular bill, recall allowed voters to remove a person from office, and initiative allowed voters to propose their own bill with enough signatures.