Progressive Era

The Progressive Era (1901–1929) was a period in the United States during the early 20th century of widespread social activism and political reform across the country.[1][2] Progressives sought to address the problems caused by rapid industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and political corruption as well as the enormous concentration of industrial ownership in monopolies. Progressive reformers were alarmed by the spread of slums, poverty, and the exploitation of labor. Multiple overlapping progressive movements fought perceived social, political, and economic ills by advancing good democracy, scientific methods, and professionalism; regulating business; protecting the natural environment; and improving working and living conditions of the urban poor.[3] Corrupt and undemocratic [[political machine[[s and their bosses were a major target of progressive reformers.To revitalize democracy, progressives established direct primary elections, direct election of senators (rather than by state legislatures), initiatives and referenda,[4] and women's suffrage which was promoted to advance democracy and bring the presumed moral influence of women into politics.[5] For many progressives, prohibition of alcoholic beverages[6] was key to eliminating corruption in politics as well as improving social conditions. Another target were monopolies, which progressives worked to regulate through trustbusting and antitrust laws with the goal of promoting fair competition. Progressives also advocated new government agencies focused on regulation of industry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Era

James W Sullivan, Henry George, Upton Sinclair, Lincoln Steffens, Jane Addams