Populist and Progressive Reform in American History

Populist and Progressive Reform in American History Throughout American history, reform was common among people of a particular, race, gender, or class used to accomplish change. The emergence of the populist and progressive movements were a response to the changing climate in American society due to rapid industrialization, an ethnically diverse personality of a young nation, and birth of American imperialism. Disgruntled American farmers that wished to advance their economic position initiated the Populist movement. Progressives pushed to improve urban labor conditions, dismantle trusts and monopolies, conserve of environment, and to install an active government. Populism and Progressivism had many similarities and differences, which†¦show more content†¦Discontented farmers, despite their passion, lacked the numbers to make a national impact. They accomplished many of their goals, though most were not recognized as populist achievements. Ultimately, class played a primary role in the apparent failure of the populists in c omparison to the success of the progressives. Despite the brevity of its existence, the Populist movement exercised a profound influence on subsequent U.S. political life. Almost all the Populist demands, which at one time were widely viewed as radical and contradictory to America’s free enterprise system, were eventually enacted into law. The Progressive Movement was an outgrowth of previous reform eras, including the ideas first presented by the Populists. While many Progressives were originally anti-Populists, they eventually came to believe that the large corporations and other monopolies that they were trying to reform were similar to the farmer’s revolts against the railroads and commercial practices and regulations of the government. As a continuation of populist ideology, the progressive movement accomplished a great feat with the passing of the Interstate Commerce Act and the Sherman Antitrust Act. The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 created the Interstate Com merce Commission, the first true federal regulatory agency, to control the issues of railroad abuse and discrimination. Railroad companies were required to have and publish reasonableShow MoreRelatedThe Populists and Progressives1137 Words   |  5 Pagesboth the Populist Party and Progressive movement wanted to preserve some things, while also addressing the need for reform. Although many of the ideas and goals of these â€Å"Third parties† were initially not legislated and considered far-fetched, many of these ideas later became fundamental laws throughout American history. The Populists and Progressives were both grass roots movements, and addressed the needs of the poor and powerless, for the Populists it was farmers and for the Progressives it wasRead MoreEssay about The Progressive Era: Conflicting Viewpoints1651 Words   |  7 PagesThe Progressive Era: Conflicting Viewpoints Works Cited Missing Two people witnessing the same event can have very different views on it depending on their information and perspective. The presentation of history also changes depending on the resources and prior prejudices and personal views of the historian. Four historian’s interpretations on the Progressive Era and Progressivism were reviewed to determine whether their arguments and use of evidence were sound. Also, the particular knownRead MoreThe Numerous Changes to America from Reconstruction to the New Deal1582 Words   |  7 Pagesdominated by white men who ran the country while there were no rights for women, blacks, and immigrants. In 1876, Americans lived on farms in rural America. By the 1930s, America was a welfare state with government just starting to control different aspects such as economy and corporations. In the 1930s women, blacks, and immigrants all had the right to vote, and the majority of Americans were living in cities. Blacks had the right to vote; howeve r, they were usually disenfranchised by whites. TheRead MoreEssay about Richard Hofstadters The Age of Reform2099 Words   |  9 PagesThe Age of Reform In 1955, Richard Hofstadter wrote his Pulitzer Prize winning book The Age of Reform, about the Gilded Age. Hofstadter’s arguments about the Populist and Progressive movements and their origins started debate and renewed scholarship on the Populist and Progressive movements. Many historians did not agree with Hofstadter’s arguments and published their own papers stating their conclusions based on their own research. This scenario occurs all the time in the history field. OneRead MoreThe Progressive Era Of The Era1949 Words   |  8 PagesWorld Wars, mass reform, limiting basic human rights, economic collapse, social migration, and more had shaped the United States throughout all of history. The most important of these changes, however, occurred during America’s progressive era. The Progressive era is defined as the time period of 1890 to 1920. Even though, progressive presidents were not in office during that entire time period, the ideals that they enacted a nd developed throughout the United States. The Progressive Era saw the expansionRead MoreChanges in American Life Influenced by Progressive Movements552 Words   |  2 Pagesbase idea of freedom. Progressive movements were very essential to Americans life because they changed the way American looked at the real world. Without the help of progressive movement we werent going to get some of the rights that we have now. Populists: The Populist movement also influenced progressivism. While rejecting the call for free silver, the progressives embraced the political reforms of SECRET BALLOT, INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM, and RECALL. Most of these reforms were on the state levelRead More History Essay2625 Words   |  11 PagesHistory The study of history is a challenging and often ambiguous pursuit of reconstruction. Historians are forced to remove themselves from the confines of modernity while desperately trying to grasp the fleeting remnants of an ever fading past. It is impossible, however, for a historian to fully accomplish either one of these necessities of research. The present remains an integral part of his perspective causing a distinctive slant in the analysis; evidence of the past can remain hiddenRead MoreThe Progressive Era857 Words   |  3 Pages Throughout American history there have been many periods of transformation. These transformations aren’t always apparent to them and many other times they have no idea it is happening until decades later. Regardless of what happened in different eras of history one thing always holds true, it made America who they are as a country. From the late 19th century into the early 20th century America went through one of these transformations with the birth of the progressive era. It left it’s imprintRead MoreThe Influence of the Populist Platform on America1250 Words   |  5 Pages Nevertheless, this social injustice was the reason that leads to the farmers’ Revolt, seeking to remedy their condition. In the late 1870s, an alliance has been founded in forty-three states that afterwards developed into a political party the populists. The party’s goal was to replace the democrats (capitalists) as the nation’s second party and being able to return the stolen privileges and rights of the poor producing class. By 1892 the party issued a document called the platform. It addressedRead MoreSocialism in The Jungle Essay1109 Words   |  5 PagesSinclair found much fault and great room for improvement. Sinclair perceived the problem in American society to be the reign of capitalism. In The Jungle, he presented the reader with the Rudkus family; who encountered a great deal of strife and anguish, through which the evils of American capitalism were portrayed. Upton Sinclair strongly believed in the power of the Socialist party as means of reform, so that the working class would finally have a fair chance of survival against the harsh realms