Explain How Key Progressive Era Leaders Change America

Essay # 2
This paper is about how key Progressive Era leaders helped change America. This paper will show the roles that Robert La Follette and William Edward Burkhardt Du Bois had during this time. Both of these leaders were at the forefront of the Progressive movement, though they each lead drastically different paths, just like many other key leaders. This movement started on an individual levels, with those individuals being negatively affected by big industry, political machines and other social injustices that were being pushed against average citizens and minorities. This paper will show the background of these key leaders and the impact that La Follette had during his political career. The political party he helped create, as well as the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that Du Bois was a co-founder of and their other accomplishments. Du Bois was born 23 February 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He became the first African American to earn a doctorate, which he used to teach history, …show more content…
La Follette entered his first political office for the Republican Party in 1880 becoming the county district attorney, shortly after attaining his law degree and passing the bar. La Follette served two terms as the district attorney and then went on to serve three terms as a member of the house until his landslide defeat in 1890. His defeat was due to unpopular bills that his party was behind including requiring all major subjects taught in the United States to be taught in English. After his defeat La Follette returned to Madison and started his own law practice; during this time away from politics La Follette started losing faith in the Republican Party, believing it was corrupted by big private interest. The catalyst that started La Follette’s true push towards progressive change was when he was allegedly bribed by his own Republican