Summary
By the late 19th century, the United States had truly become a modern nation. Some Americans, however, began to notice serious social problems arising from the demands of this new modern society. Shaped by the Temperance Movements, environmental conservation, suffrage, antitrust regulations, and muckraking journalists, the Progressive Era marked the first time American citizens insisted their government do more for the public. Although the Progressive Era eventually ended, the United States continues to benefit from its legacy. Most of the reforms passed during that time are still in effect today, and many have been updated and improved. Future generations have been inspired by the demand for reform in social, political, and economic aspects of society, and other movements, such as the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, arose out of a similar heightened consciousness to bring change to better the lives of all Americans. Progressivism gives students all the background they need on this theme in American history, tracking the beginnings of the ideal through its present-day incarnation.