Poverty During The Progressive Era

As Industrialization fueled the monopolies of America, industrial capitalism came into its own. With the companies expanding and swallowing small industries, many began to criticise its associated problems. During the Progressive Era, people tried to solve the problems, partially being caused by the rapidly changing political system, through independence groups and calling awareness of the wrongs of society. In the 1900s Progressive Movement, social problems reducing around industrial capitalist costs to go up and profits down. This resulted in decreased wages and increased working hours, which began to result in the poverty which was present during this age. Progressive era reformers Jane Addams and Jacob Riis helped resolve the problem of poverty in different ways. For the upper class, the Progressive Era was a booming success of the economy and trusts. However if the surface was scratched, many problems resided for the remaining majority …show more content…
Behind closed doors the poor struggled with the gap between the rich and the poor, and the problems of immigration, urbanization and industrialization. Immigration started as early as the 1840s, immigrants were pulled from the prosecutions of their religious and political beliefs and crumbling economy to a country in which they were given the freedom to worship, and were “offered a life valuing liberty and the workshop of the world” (Destination America). The welcoming of immigrants with “open arms” was all an allusion, however. As the influx of foreigners continued, farmers were expelled from their suburban lifestyle due to the big rise in population and business during the 1880s, and “the demand for labor on farms reduced” (The Gilded Age Urbanization). With this shift in the population, many families were forced to work in the factory business in order to put food on the table. More jobs were available after the urbanization