Randall Switzer HIST 1302.702
Midterm Exam Essay
Question 1: What was the Progressive movement? Explain some Progressive policies and ideals while also discussing some of the leaders of the Progressive movement and their role in American society. The Progressive movement took place in the latter portion of the nineteenth century and carried on into the first few decades in the twentieth century. The United States was in a transitional period “from an agrarian to an urban society” (The Progressive). With the impending changes came issues in dire need of alteration. It was said to have been a movement began by the middle class that soon encompassed …show more content…
This task was then accomplished in the passing of the Underwood-Simmons Tariff. The thought process behind this act was that in lowering the tariff it would in turn entice foreign countries into participating in more trade with The United States. In lowering the tariff it created a deficit. The answer to the deficit was the instatement of an income tax for citizens. The Progressives stood firmly behind the “Prohibition of alcohol by passing the Eighteenth Amendment” (Politics). “On December 18, 1917, Congress approved the Eighteenth Amendment, which banned the sale, manufacture, and transport of intoxicating liquors” (Keene, Cornell, and O’Donnell 637). In the interest of the physical welfare of the females of the nation, their children, morals, and the ability for families to pay bills after much campaigning advocates were able to finally get the Eighteenth Amendment passed. However, instead of saving an immoral nation destine to peril at its own hands they created a monster. Prohibition was successful in aiding the rise of organized crime. This new business opportunity for mobsters such as Al Capone made them rich, and in turn created wars and bloodshed that may not have happened otherwise. This also opened doors to the people of the nation to disregard laws and the name of sophistication and excitement attend speakeasies …show more content…
Roosevelt’s claim to fame at forty-two years of age would be that, he “would become the first president to be commonly associated with Progressivism” (Politics). Roosevelt reigned with a rather methodical approach to the position. His intent was not to make drastic governmental changes. He was triumphant in defusing some companies who had a clear monopolies. He defined this act as “trust-busting” and was successful in his efforts on a few companies such as “the Northern Securities Company railroad combination”, who held dominion over three of the railroads reaching westward (Politics). Roosevelt also aided in the arbitration of a labor strike involving miners that could have potentially caused the nation grief due to lack of coal in the winter that year. Following the 1906 publishing of a book by Upton Sinclair entitled The Jungle, a book detailing the poor working conditions and unsanitary methods of meat handling in the stockyards of Chicago, Roosevelt “supported passage of the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act” (Politics). Much the environmentalist and outdoorsman Roosevelt saw to it that many provisions for the future in the areas of nature were
Midterm Exam Essay
Question 1: What was the Progressive movement? Explain some Progressive policies and ideals while also discussing some of the leaders of the Progressive movement and their role in American society. The Progressive movement took place in the latter portion of the nineteenth century and carried on into the first few decades in the twentieth century. The United States was in a transitional period “from an agrarian to an urban society” (The Progressive). With the impending changes came issues in dire need of alteration. It was said to have been a movement began by the middle class that soon encompassed …show more content…
This task was then accomplished in the passing of the Underwood-Simmons Tariff. The thought process behind this act was that in lowering the tariff it would in turn entice foreign countries into participating in more trade with The United States. In lowering the tariff it created a deficit. The answer to the deficit was the instatement of an income tax for citizens. The Progressives stood firmly behind the “Prohibition of alcohol by passing the Eighteenth Amendment” (Politics). “On December 18, 1917, Congress approved the Eighteenth Amendment, which banned the sale, manufacture, and transport of intoxicating liquors” (Keene, Cornell, and O’Donnell 637). In the interest of the physical welfare of the females of the nation, their children, morals, and the ability for families to pay bills after much campaigning advocates were able to finally get the Eighteenth Amendment passed. However, instead of saving an immoral nation destine to peril at its own hands they created a monster. Prohibition was successful in aiding the rise of organized crime. This new business opportunity for mobsters such as Al Capone made them rich, and in turn created wars and bloodshed that may not have happened otherwise. This also opened doors to the people of the nation to disregard laws and the name of sophistication and excitement attend speakeasies …show more content…
Roosevelt’s claim to fame at forty-two years of age would be that, he “would become the first president to be commonly associated with Progressivism” (Politics). Roosevelt reigned with a rather methodical approach to the position. His intent was not to make drastic governmental changes. He was triumphant in defusing some companies who had a clear monopolies. He defined this act as “trust-busting” and was successful in his efforts on a few companies such as “the Northern Securities Company railroad combination”, who held dominion over three of the railroads reaching westward (Politics). Roosevelt also aided in the arbitration of a labor strike involving miners that could have potentially caused the nation grief due to lack of coal in the winter that year. Following the 1906 publishing of a book by Upton Sinclair entitled The Jungle, a book detailing the poor working conditions and unsanitary methods of meat handling in the stockyards of Chicago, Roosevelt “supported passage of the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act” (Politics). Much the environmentalist and outdoorsman Roosevelt saw to it that many provisions for the future in the areas of nature were