An Essay On The Progressive Movement

The Progressive Era was a period in America’s history of wide spread change. Economic development and expansion produced new jobs and created new opportunities. The introduction of Fordism extended the ideas of mass consumption and increased the size of the available goods and services offered to Americans. This era, however, could not be over shadowed by the groups and individuals who fought for more economic, political, and social change in the Progressive Movement.

The Progressive movement truly began after the loss of 146 workers, mainly women, in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in 1911. Before the fire, no fire codes were in existence and the idea of scientific management left owners of the factory able to lock workers in during

With the continued growth of the American Federation of Labor, which only represented higher class, white, skilled males, a new inclusive group called the IWW emerged. The IWW, or Industrial Workers of the World, represented all workers, but especially immigrants. The IWW advocated for solidarity, democratic control of the factories, and labor reforms. With such an overpowering number of members, meetings would often happen spontaneously and in public places such as theaters and street corners. Cities soon banned public meetings to depress the rise of the IWW causing widespread issues and strikes across the country. Consequently, women’s rights also provoked strikes, rallies, and political change during this time. One big issue in play was the concept of Pro-Life versus Pro-Choice movement. Margaret Sanger, who came to be known as one of the most influential people in the birth control movement, started writing for an article she called, “What Every Girl Should Know”. Sanger also opened her own clinic where she distributed contraceptive devices to local women. Both of these powerful decisions by Sanger, unfortunately, and like the immigrant population, lead to push back from the government including a banning of her article and jail