Progressive Era

The Progressive Era (1890s–1920s) was a period in the United States characterized by multiple social and political reform efforts. Reformers during this era, known as Progressives, sought to address issues they associated with rapid industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and political corruption, as well as the loss of competition in the market due to trusts and monopolies, and the great concentration of wealth and political power among a very few individuals. Reformers expressed concern about slums, poverty, and labor conditions. Multiple overlapping movements pursued social, political, and economic reforms by advocating changes in governance, scientific methods, and professionalism; regulating business; protecting the natural environment; and seeking to improve urban living and working conditions.

Corrupt and undemocratic political machines and their oligarch 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 referendums, and women's suffrage (which was promoted to advance democracy and bring the presumed moral influence of women into politics). For many progressives, prohibition of alcoholic beverages was key to eliminating corruption in politics as well as improving social conditions.

Progressives also targeted monopolies, which they worked to regulate through trustbusting and antitrust laws with the goal of promoting fair competition, and advocated new government agencies focused on regulation of industry. Other goals were using scientific, medical, and engineering solutions to reform government and education, and fostering improvements in fields including medicine, finance, insurance, industry, railroads, and churches. Progressives aimed to professionalize the social sciences, especially history, economics, and political science, and improve efficiency with scientific management (Taylorism).

Initially, the movement operated chiefly at the local level, but later it expanded to the state and national levels. Progressive leaders were often from the educated middle class, and various progressive reform efforts drew support from lawyers, teachers, physicians, ministers, businesspeople, and the working class.