The early twentieth century brought many people who were looking for a change in the way America was handling their government and politics. Many people, such as women and industrial workers, noticed that their rights given to them by the government did not give them the freedom that they had hoped for. Significant figures and groups of people tried to induce change in the system and some of them found success, changing the way the government and politics would be handled forever. This era of change came to be known as the Progressive Era. Muckrakers exposed the ill conditions of industrial and urban life, unions bonded workers together to create industrial freedom, women created settlement houses and spread female activism, and Progressive …show more content…
Jane Addams earns the title of the most important female reformer during the Progressive Era due to her many contributions to female activism. Addams created the Hull House directly in Chicago to improve the lives of poor immigrants and women. This was important because other reformers simply provided aid from afar, while workers in the Hull House and other settlement houses relocated in the areas with those in need. She realized that, although her social work was successful, government action was necessary to solve the problems related to health, housing, and income (Foner, 720). To solve these problems, the Hull House set in motion many different reforms in Chicago that eventually spread to places elsewhere (Foner, 720). These settlement houses created by Jane Addams were so essential to women during the Progressive Era because they produced so many other prominent Progressive figures who went on to achieve great accomplishments towards the rights for women and helped spread female activism throughout the …show more content…
They were the first mass movement made up of all sorts of women from all backgrounds that led campaigns throughout the country with the purpose of gaining women’s suffrage (Foner, 721). These campaigns led to many successes, such as full woman suffrage in Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah, and women being able to hold public offices in the West (Foner, 721). This is an important contribution towards women in the Progressive Era because many were beginning to realize their rights and freedoms they should be given by the government. This can be seen when NAWSA membership “grew from 13,000 in 1893 to more than 2 million by 1917” (Foner, 721). These contributions by Jane Addams and NAWSA forever shaped the way American government and politics would change to begin to allow women to participate in political events and give them rights so they could be treated as equals of
The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum serves as a dynamic memorial to social reformer Jane Addams, the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and her colleagues whose work changed the lives of their immigrant neighbors as well as national and international public policy. The Museum preserves and develops the original Hull-House site for the interpretation and continuation of the historic settlement house vision, linking research, education, and social
One of the first thing Jane Addams at Hull House did was to establish daycare for children. Children were being left at home tied to a table leg while their mothers were working in the sweat shops. While at the daycare children were given a safe place and at least one meal a day.1 She also help create the juvenile court system because children were being sent to prison with harden criminals.
Susan B. Anthony was born into a Quaker family, with the hope that everyone would one day be treated equal. She denied a chance to speak at a temperance convention because she was a woman(Susan B. Anthony). From this point on, she knew that she needed to make a change. Susan B. Anthony, because of her intense work involving women 's’ rights, highly influenced all of the societies and beliefs that were yet to come. She employed a huge role in our history because of the fact that she advocated for women’s rights, for the integration of women in the workforce, and for the abolition of slavery.
Researchers from the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum described Addams's internal plans to develop a family within the Hull House. “The residents of Hull-House, at the request of the surrounding community, began to offer practical classes that might help the new immigrants become more integrated into American society, such as English language, cooking, sewing and technical skills, and American government” (“About Jane Addams and Hull House”). Her educated background helped to form a sense of community before exposing the residents to the rapidly increasing modern world. These aspects relieved the uncertainties in the Progressive Era and Addams defended her ideas to eventually uncover the flaws of the labor industry. Even with this affirmation, critics still believe that Addams did not have the immigrants' best interests in mind.
Not only was Jane Addams a leader in the American Progressivism Movement, but she contributed in many other aspects of American history. Her most notable contribution is Hull House, one of the first settlements in America, she created in the West Side of Chicago in 1889. Jane Addams’ motivation for creating the Hull House was not only what I think she felt as her moral and religious obligation to provide some type of relief to those suffering around her, but everyone else’s lack of action and her need to find some type of meaning in her life. After her father’s death and her traveling through Europe for six years Jane began experiencing self-doubt and depression which caused her to notice a lack of meaning in the “comfortable life of a privileged woman” (Lane).
During Progressive Era, there were many reforms that occurred, such as Child Labor Reform or Pure Food and Drug Act. Women Suffrage Movement was the last remarkable reform, and it was fighting about the right of women to vote, which was basically about women’s right movement. Many great leaders – Elizabeth Cad Stanton and Susan B. Anthony - formed the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Although those influential leaders faced hardship during this movement, they never gave up and kept trying their best. This movement was occurred in New York that has a huge impact on the whole United States.
In the period between 1900 and 1920, the federal government and reformers were very successful in bringing social, economic, and political reform to the federal government. While not every aspect of it was successful, the rights of women, fighting against child labor and limiting the control of trusts and monopolies were three distinct successes of that time. Even before the progressive era, women challenged their place and articulated new visions of social, political and economic equality. The progressive era was a turning point for women as organizations evolved fighting for equal rights. Woman began to become very involved in a variety of reform movements.
During Progressive Era, there were many reforms that occurred, such as Child Labor Reform or Pure Food and Drug Act. Women Suffrage Movement was the last remarkable reform. This movement was fighting about the right of women to vote, which was basically about women’s right movement. Many great leaders – Elizabeth Cad Stanton and Susan B. Anthony - formed the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Although those influential leaders faced hardship during this movement, they never gave up and kept trying their best.
Jane Addam’s book, Twenty Years at Hull House, describes the work her and her colleagues did in their Settlement house on the West Side of Chicago. Jane Addams was a pioneer of social work who focused much of her efforts in working with immigrant populations and those in need, along with working to make change at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. This paper will address the ways she went about creating change, the American values that guided her social work, along with ways that the principles and values of her work are still ones used today in social work. Jane Addams and Ellen Star opened Hull house on September 18, 1889. Her inspiration for Hull house was spawned by her visit to the London settlement house, Toynbee Hall.
During the Progressive Era, women began reforms to address social, political, and economic issues within society. Some addressed the issues with education, healthcare, and political corruption. Others worked to raise wages and improve work conditions. Among these (women) is Carrie Chapman Catt, a leader of the women’s suffrage movement. Beginning her career as a national women’s rights activist in 1890, she was asked to address Congress about the proposed suffrage amendment shortly after two years.
The Gilded age was a period in the late 1800s (1865-1900) that showed tremendous increase of wealth caused by the industrial age. The lifestyle of the rich during this period hid the many problems of the time that eventually brought about the progressive era movement. This was a movement for reform between 1900-1920s. Progressives typically held that the irresponsible actions of the rich were corrupting both public and private life. Forces such as immigration, the Populist Party and industrialization that led to the progressive era also impacted the American government both in its activeness and its democracy.
The progressive era which lasted from 1890-1920 in American society was the institution of radical reforms brought about by the millions of Americans involved in volunteer organizations across the country. During this time Americans worked to create solutions to the problems caused by the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the country. The progressive era was not a single movement, but rather a collection of movements all of which were intended to improve the lives of Americans. This was a truly remarkable time for women and the end of the era would see almost universal women’s suffrage with the passing of the nineteenth amendment in 1920.
Many Hull House residents went on to pursue other important social reforms. Through Jane Addams ' efforts, women had blazed a pioneering role in improving the lives of others. But Addams always insisted that Hull House served her own needs as much as others. "I should at least know something of life firsthand,"
Jane Addams The Progressive Era, 1890-1920, accomplished great change in the Unites States of America. Many reformers and activits demanded for change in education, food and drug policies, and most importantly the govermenet. The goal for the movement was the purify the nation. One of the main activits during this time was Jane Addams. Jane Addams is often refered to as a social and political pioneer.
Women in the Progressive Era The Progressive Era was a time of change across America, a time when the country chose to reform into an industrialized urban country. Prosperity was widespread across America, so people turned to social issues to try to expand. Minorities in particular became a focus of this time period, and everyone tried to find a way to integrate them into society.