The End of Child Labor, the Improvement of Working Conditions, and Victory to the Women Suffrage During the Progressive Era

Progressive Era Cities grew in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As specialized industries like steel and meat-packing improved, jobs were also increased in the cities. These factories’ work lured former farmers, immigrants, and American workers moving into the cities. These people lived in tenements and ghettos. They were unable to earn an authentic living environment due to unreasonable wage cut. Progressivism is an umbrella label for a wide range of economic, political, social, and moral reforms. The early twentieth century acted as the Progressive Era, when Americans find solutions to resolve problems that were engendered by industrialization. Predicated on the documents, Progressive Era were effective because of child labor, working conditions, and women’s suffrage. Factories were utilizing children to do the hard work.

They employed children as young as five to work as many as twenty hours a day. According to Document C, children worked in factories to build up muscles and having good intellect in working rather than getting an education. They became a different person rather than conventional children. There were additionally health issues due to child labor: rapid skeletal growth, greater risk of hearing loss, higher chemical absorption rates, and developing ability to assess risks. Progressive Era reformers believed that child labor was detrimental to children and they should be protected from harmful environments, so they would become healthy and productive adults. In 1912, Congress created the Children’s Bureau to benefit children. The Keating-Owen Act was passed in 1916 to free children from child labor only in industries that engaged in interstate commerce. However, it was declared unconstitutional since Congress could not regulate local labor conditions. Woodrow Wilson won the election of 1912 and signed into law “Tax on Employment of Child Labor” in 1916. This law placed a ten percent tax on businesses that employed children under age fourteen or made them work more than eight hours a day. Even though this law was declared unconstitutional later, a number of working children between ages ten and fifteen declined by almost fifty percent. On the other hand, there was still some opposition against child labor. As it was stated in Document G, a father brought a suit to “enjoin the enforcement of the act of Congress intended to prevent interstate commerce in the products of child labor.” He wanted his sons (one under age of fourteen and the other at the age of fifteen) to continue working in a cotton mill at Charlotte to fortify the family. Nevertheless, Children’s Bureau and National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) worked to end child labor. During the Progressive Era, large business owners demanded long hours for very little pay.

These workers typically worked seven days a week, twelve hours each day, some enduring 24 straight hours of intense labor. After looking closely at Document B, Neill-Reynolds, a muckraker who investigated and gave nationwide publicity to accidents and unsafe condition, reported about the conditions in meat-packing industry. The report was basically about poor conditions in the meat-packing industry and violation of international agreements promising a safe workplace. The factory conditions were deprived: light source was natural light, few windows, dangerous machines, few break times and poor sanitation. These conditions could affect the workers’ health by giving them diseases, physical problems, deformities, and malnutrition. Since workers were viewed as interchangeable parts, owners would not care if there were any death. Many Progressives responded to industrial America’s deplorable working conditions by endeavoring to make life better for workers. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was established to help workers with their problems. The AFL made it possible for the workers to go on strike by paying them enough money to live on or give them year-round health benefits to work their job. The AFL helped the workers to go on strike to improve their working conditions and get better hours. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, women organizations worked to gain the right to vote and worked for broad-based economic and political equality and for social reforms. The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) was organized to fight for a constitutional amendment, while the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was organized to work on a state level to win voting rights. The NAWSA undertook campaigns to enfranchise women in individual states and lobbied President Wilson and Congress to pass a women’s suffrage amendment. Although they won many rights (such as married women could buy and sell property, etc.), they failed to win suffrage. The third group, Congressional Union (CU), under leadership of Alice Paul, was a more militant organization.

She called for an aggressive, militant campaign for the constitutional amendment, by bypass existing stage suffrage organizations and set up new ones in each state. The leader of NAWSA opposed this idea because it would alienate moderate supporters. After CU got expelled, they went on to state militant protests. Based on Document H, the militant protests happened in front of Washington D.C. and the women comparing the President Wilson to Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany to demand that President reverse his opposition to 19th amendment. Besides the comparison, CU also set aflame a life-size dummy of Wilson, burned copies of Wilson’s speeches, and went on hunger strikes when got sent to prison. Newspapers printed stories about women’s treatment in jail to gain public sympathy to support women suffrage. By 1918, President Wilson has no choice but to announce his support for suffrage. Thus, victory for women suffrage happened in 1920. After looking closely at all four documents, the Progressive Era ended child labor, improved working conditions, and brought victory to women suffrage. Many organizations, laws, and amendments were created to end these issues. They also highlighted the last major reform of the Progressive Era.

Read more

Suffrage Movement during the Progressive Era

During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s women’s lives were consumed with fighting for what they should have always had; equality. This fight for fairness is the main driving force behind the Progressive Era. Women were coming together all over the country in a unified fight for women’s rights. This massive change had been silently building up in the background for many years prior to 1900 but it is here that we see the biggest changes. Women moving from the homes and houses to the factories and commercial sites. There are other significant changes taking place as well.

Women became much more involved in politics even though they could still not vote in public elections. This change in the thoughts and lives of women is one of the main focus of the 20th century and the reason for our 19th amendment. During the Progressive Era the roles of women were changing dramatically due to a number of reasons, but most importantly to the efforts of clubwomen. In 1890 women founded The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC). This was a major step for women’s rights advocates as it established a major political presence in the country.

The formation of the GFWC represented the changing roles of women in the political world. Many women felt they were being oppressed and wanted change. “Violence against women is part of a continuum of sexist power relationships which define our roles in the home, workplace & society. Inequality, poverty & alienation spawn further violence & make women more fearful… which in turn causes them to limit their right to participate fully in city life. ” -1988 -“The Safe City” METRAC, Metro Action on Public Violence Against Women & Children, Toronto.

The women of the GFWC rallied to support women all over the country and they fought for equality on almost every political front. The creation of the GFWC started a women’s movement towards the clubwoman ideal. They were now beginning to move away from their roles as caregivers and housewives towards more industry oriented positions. Progressive women began to create clubs which supported many different causes such as temperance and better working conditions. The most affluent of these clubs was the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.

The WCTU led the way with women’s rights and allowed women to voice their fears about home abuse as well as legal rights. Drawing from all over the country the WCTU gained much of its support from the middle-class women of the 1900’s. By allowing these women to voice their thoughts and fears these clubs became very powerful tools in the political arena. The WCTU consisted of over 39 different departments dealing with everything from labor restructuring, lobbying, and public affairs, to health, education, and peace. By the 1890’s the WCTU had over 150,000 members and over one million by the 20th century.

The WCTU was important to white southern women in particular. These southern women were the most need in change due to a common southern idyllic that the woman should be a model of the family and should not be subjected to the harsh world outside the home. This act of keeping the women inside the home all day caused much resentment from the woman and led many women to join the WCTU. These women gradually became active working women and many left their abusive husbands in search of better living standards. Women’s lives in the home also changed a great deal.

In the 1890’s Catharine Beecher began to publicize her ideas on housework. She believed that it was possible to “professionalize” housework. As the first female to graduate from MIT she held a great deal of authority. Her ideas were received with mild success. She tried to blend technology, housework, and science together to create a better picture of the importance of women. The main result of this change was that it made women realize that they were more than a status symbol.

A Major cause of the changing roles in the home was that women found themselves not able to join some new professions. Officially excluded from the politics of men during much of Canada’s history… , Canadian women have had their own politics. ” “Who were these women who were willing to sacrifice the relative comforts of home, & the frequently permanent parting from family & friends… most of them must have found their lives enormously changed… but they adapted to new ways of doing things. ” -1988. – Prentice, Bourne, Cuthbert Brandt, Light, Mitchinson, Black They were unable to hold even some of the most unwanted jobs such as janitors and delivery persons.

Women were also restricted from voting. Their input was unimportant in both national and even local elections and this made them angry. Women could not hold public offices and were, for the most part, restricted from seizing any adequate amount of power. At the time many men believed women should not hold any power and that they were unsuited for work outside the home. This belief was so strong in certain areas that women had even believed it for a time. Soon women began to become educated. Many colleges were beginning to allow women, both black and white, to attend.

Reasons include financial stability, public outlook and support, but most importantly the efforts of women like Susan B. Anthony, Jane Addams, Marion Talbot, Mary Church Terrell, and a number of other courageous women. Through the suffrage movement many women were allowed to receive a higher education. Education was originally only for men but women soon fought that tradition and many colleges began to allow women into classes. Women soon began to challenge their places in society as well as their roles and both mothers and as part of the workforce. Because they stood up to the resistance slowly jobs were beginning to open up.

There were many visible signs of women’s changing roles. In the home they no longer looked after children as much as they used to. They were out getting jobs and didn’t have the time to commit themselves to the children’s upbringing. They were also very much more involved in politics than ever before. Women wanted a voice and they were willing to fight for it. They did this by forming clubs and joining in many different movements. Many women felt they should become more involved in the community through clubs and politics and many wanted to expand their realm of control.

These women had once been situated mostly in the home but were beginning to challenge this idea. Some women liked the idea of clubs and unions because it allowed them to challenge the norm without sacrificing themselves completely. They believed it was necessary for the removal of the age old gender distinctions. The biggest affect that clubs had on women was their ability to bring all the middle-class women together. This was such an amazing feat that it was hard for male politicians to challenge them. Women began to take control of the finances more than they had in the past.

They were bringing in income and felt that they should therefore be allowed to have a say in the finances. They were also more educated and as such believed they were capable of taking care of the finances. Another area that women’s lives were changing in was that of relationships. At one time women’s lives were controlled almost completely by men. The women had little say in anything and could not object to what the husband believed was right. Women were so restricted that they could not speak out even in cases of abuse.

Being unable to object to their husbands caused a great deal of resentment and hurt the family’s relationship. “There are two general divisions to this subject of Equal Franchise. Is Woman Suffrage just and right? Is it expedient and desirable? I think an affirmative answer may be taken as granted all round. If it is admitted that Government is a human concern and that woman is just as human as man, all the rest follows. The fact that woman is different from man mentally and morally as well as physically is not an argument against her enfranchisement, but, in a representative system, a conclusive argument for it….

No man, without woman’s co-operation can make a real home. Look at the conditions: Countries that are nominally free being made the prey of monopoly, privileges and injustice, with such evil fruits as the liquor traffic, white slavery, child labor and abject poverty side by side with unimaginable wealth. Man has been a failure as a housekeeper, and it is high time that he took an equal partner — the natural partner he should have had from the first….

The infusion of woman’s keener moral perceptions and stronger spiritual ardor into statesmanship is what is needed to meet the perils of the day, and to bring the triumph of the Cause of Peace by securing the triumph of the Cause of Justice. ” Woman Suffrage, By J. W. Bengough (1922) http://www. adams. edu/academics/art_letters/hgp/civ/111/5suffragequotes. html This was all beginning to change as women gained a voice and financial independence they also obtained the ability to divorce their husbands and discard earlier beliefs that women were showpieces. Women are persons in matters of pains and penalties, but are not persons in matters of rights and privileges. ” (1876 British Common Law ruling). This was overturned by the 18 Oct. 1929 Person’s Case. When women won, Nellie McClung said “Ladies, hang Lord Sankey’s picture on the wall of the Community Rest Room with Newton Wesley Rowell’s beside it, & let these names & the names of the other Lords of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council be kept in perpetual and grateful remembrance… “

The Progressive Era is known for many achievements, but most importantly for how it helped to shape the world we live in today. Women’s lives have changed dramatically since the late 1800’s. Women were once treated unequally both in the home and in the workplace. They were unrepresented in politics as well. Women had to face many hardships during their fight for equality and much of this fighting began during the Progressive Era (1890-1920). Both in the home and in politics the lives and lifestyles of women have greatly improved.

Women who once had no voice now were becoming clubwomen and voting on behalf of their parties. Women who were once confined to the role of housewife could now begin to seek financial stability in jobs such as nursing and textiles. Women’s lives were far from equal to that of men but the steps taken during the 1900’s ensured that they would forever fight until that uniformity was established. There were many times when women struggled to gain equality, but none as important or as far reaching as the women’s rights movement of the Progressive Era.

Read more

Progressive Era Critical Essay

The role and responsibilities of the federal government changed drastically during the Progressive Era and the New Deal. Rapid changes after the Civil War brought on a need for economic, social and political reforms. Before the Progressive Era and the New Deal, the federal government took a very hands-off approach and had little involvement in, and little care for the welfare of the American people. With the Progressive Era and the New Deal, the federal government became more involved and responsive to the public and implemented many revisions and reforms.

The Progressive Era was a time of political and economic transformation. The role and responsibilities of the federal government evolved. Reform was necessary because of the changes that occurred during the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution brought on many changes, an important one being growth in the number and scope of work in factories. Factories and mechanization caused a need for less skilled workers, which in turn resulted in lower labor costs, lower wages, longer hours and appalling working conditions.

Labor Unions were formed as a result of these conditions in order to protect the working class and put pressure on employers. During the Progressive Era, the federal government created labor laws, trade regulations and instituted other various measures in order to protect the public. The federal government also protected the rights of laborers to organize unions and became involved in the mediation of labor disputes in order to prevent riots from occurring. The regulation of utilities and railroads was used to protect the public welfare from the abuses of large corporations.

The federal government also began to regulate large businesses and monopolies. It accepted large-scale corporations as an essential part of the economy but also embraced the need to regulate them. Trusts were also of great concern to the federal government. The Federal Trade Commission was instituted in order to protect the public from additional abuses of large corporations. The federal government also promoted the public’s support of the war. Through voluntary and collaborative means, the federal government rallied businesses and the public in support of the war effort.

The federal government made political changes on a national level with the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Amendments. The Sixteenth Amendment imposed an income tax. The Seventeenth Amendment allowed for the direct election of U. S. Senators. The Eighteenth Amendment established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages and the Nineteenth Amendment prohibited any U. S. citizen from being denied the right to vote based on sex. During the Progressive Era, social reform and cultural changes also occurred. Consumerism was at an all time high.

It became a time of economic prosperity. With the introduction of electricity came household appliances. Movies, automobiles, radios, telephones, magazines, and advertising were in the forefront. While consumption prompted the economy in a forward direction, other economic issues arose throughout the country. Agriculture and mining were not prospering. The steel and textile industries were standing idly. The nation also relied too heavily on credit in order to maintain product demand and economic expansion. Lastly, consumer onfidence led to over-speculation in stocks. This inevitably led to the Stock Market Crash of 1929, which in turn marked the beginning of the Great Depression. Franklin Delano Roosevelt came into office in 1933 during the depth of the Great Depression. He launched the New Deal as a solution for bringing the United States out of the Great Depression. The New Deal changed the role of the government by expanding its involvement in social and economic affairs. The goal of the New Deal was to provide the “3 R’s”: relief, recovery and reform.

The federal government worked to provide relief for the masses of unemployed, recovery of the depressed economy and reform of the financial system. Reforms were highlighted in a variety of acts that were passed. During the first 100 days of Roosevelt’s administration, more legislation was passed than under any previous president. The Federal Emergency Relief Act established funding and programs for relief and provided grants to the states to help people with food and shelter. The Civilian Conservation Corps Act granted the government the ability to pay young men to build bridges, roads and dams and plant 17 million dollars in new forests.

The Agricultural Adjustment Act paid farmers not to plant crops so that the surpluses would not drive down prices. The National Industrial Recovery Act created the first minimum wage and marked the first time that the government intervened in business. The Works Projects Administration allowed the government to create over 250,000 projects and paid people to complete them. The Social Security Act created a pension for people over 65 years of age. All of these reform programs provided employment and direct payments to individuals and improved the economy.

The federal government worked diligently to bring the United States out of the Great Depression during the New Deal and in doing so, the relationship between the government and the people changed significantly. The government took on a greater role in the everyday lives of people. As you can see, the role and responsibilities of the federal government changed considerably during the Progressive Era and the New Deal. The new hands-on approach of the government allowed for political, social and economic reforms during the 20th century.

Read more

Progressive Era And Imperialism

From 1815 to 1860 Industrialization was a problem in the world in the United States. During Industrialization immigrants came from eastern and western Europe. The reason why it was a problem because the immigrants came unskilled and with no jobs. They were also poor, catholic, Jewish, and likely to settle in cities rather than on farms. The families were so poor that they were living in tiny apartments with a lot of people. Because of problems in the United States before the 1890s reforms improved food production, urban poor, and woman’s rights.

One of the most important achievements of the Progressive Era was cleaning the meat packing industry. The meat inspection act was when federal agents inspect any meat sold across state lines and required federal inspection. Government forced them to pull food off the shelf because of bad conditions. The pure food and drug act was when food and drugs had to be tested by FDA. It was also created by the FDA. Upton’s Sinclair the Jungle was in 1906, it was described filthy and unhealthy conditions in meatpacking plants.

There would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor. How it affected us today? The government can force the meatpackers to pull the product off the shelves. This regulation is one lasting result of progressive insistence that the government take responsibility for food safety. Overall Upton’s Sinclair the Jungle was meant to tell everyone about the food production. One of the most important achievements of the Progressive Era was to expose how poor lived.

Jacob Rii’s how the other lives used a camera to expose how urban poor lived. There were child labor and long hours. Jane Addams’s Hull house was a community center that provided social services to the urban poor. Their was childcare classes, taught English, nursery schools, and dance programs. What caused us to care? To protect the children and improve education. New York passed laws to make workplace safer and other cities and states followed suit. There is a settlement house in Chicago and over the years it included 13 building.

In conclusion urban poor is one of the most important achievements of the Progressive Era because of the poor conditions. One of the most important achievements of the Progressive Era was woman had new rights. In June 1919, congress approved the 10th amendment. Carrie Catt and Florence Kelley led the NAWSA to support the war effort. Margaret Sanger opened the first Birth-control clinic. In 1921, founded the American Birth Control league to make this information available to more women.

The Temperance movement was pushed for laws that could help mothers keep families healthy and safe. Members felt that alcohol often led men to spend their earnings on liquor, neglect their families, and abuse their wives. The National Consumer League gave special labels to good produced under fair, safe, and healthy working conditions. It backed laws calling for the government to inspect meatpacking plants, to make workplace safer, and to make payments to the unemployed.

In conclusion woman’s right was very important during the Progressive Era. Overall the Progressive Era was a way to solve all our problems which we did. After we got that taken care of we could now look towards imperialism. Imperialism is the policy by which strong nations extend their political, military, and economic control over weaker territories. During the mid-1800s to the early 1900s many nations wanted to extend their land across much of the world. Europe, Japan, Asia, Africa, and Spain all wanted to expand their land.

Read more

Progressive Era Dbq

Charlie Shinske During the Progressive Era, pressure from labor, suffrage, and conservation movements profoundly changed the course of American history. Many of the reformers’ ideas clashed with the male-dominated, capitalist economic structure present at the turn of the century. Some of the intended reforms opposed the current system, but the level of social unrest necessitated […]

Read more

Dewey’s Progressive Era

John Dewey was rather important figure in the history of education. Despite the fact that his progressive ideas aren’t accepted widely, some of his concepts and ideas are quite popular among today’s teachers. Actually, Dewey’s idea was to promote democratic education at school based on philosophies of Plato and Rousseau. Dewey wanted to prove that teaching wasn’t simply remembering, paraphrasing and answering lessons; instead, he argued that experiences, knowledge and skills should be integrated into students’ studying process.

Actually, such concept refers to school of Pragmatism. (Hickman 1992) Some teachers like Dewey’s idea of learning by doing. It is stated that Dewey’s progressive education became popular after the Cold War period. Dewey is known to be the founder of standard-based education reform, outcome-based education and NCTM standard. Dewey positively influenced teaching process in many public and private schools.

For example, Dewey provided an idea that teachers should focus on intellectual development of students, their critical and creative thinking instead of learning material by heart. He showed that education is strongly connected with democratic process in society: “Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife”. (Martin 2003) Also teachers realized that personal growth and exploration ensure better results and are more interesting for students. They become more motivated to study. Judgment is one more focus rather than knowledge.

Simply saying, students have to become grown-ups who “are able to pass judgments pertinently and discriminatingly on the problems of human living”. (Martin 2003) Dewey’s contribution is that many schools nowadays tri to help students to learn how to survive and to succeed in life, how to cooperate with others, etc. Dewey often argued that “in a complex society, ability to understand and sympathize with the operations and lot of others is a condition of common purpose which only education can procure”. (Martin 2003)

References

Hickman, Larry. (1992). John Dewey’s Pragmatic Technology. Indiana: Indiana University Press.

Martin, Jay. (2003). The Education of John Dewey. USA: Columbia University Press.

Read more

Progressive Era

From 1815 to 1860 Industrialization was a problem in the world in the United States. During Industrialization immigrants came from eastern and western Europe. The reason why it was a problem because the immigrants came unskilled and with no jobs. They were also poor, catholic, Jewish, and likely to settle in cities rather than on […]

Read more
OUR GIFT TO YOU
15% OFF your first order
Use a coupon FIRST15 and enjoy expert help with any task at the most affordable price.
Claim my 15% OFF Order in Chat
Close

Sometimes it is hard to do all the work on your own

Let us help you get a good grade on your paper. Get professional help and free up your time for more important courses. Let us handle your;

  • Dissertations and Thesis
  • Essays
  • All Assignments

  • Research papers
  • Terms Papers
  • Online Classes
Live ChatWhatsApp