The middle class of American society demanded change following the turn on the century for an increased emphasis on childhood education, women’s rights in society, and regulation of food and drugs. There was also an increase demand for the American people to be further involved in governmental affairs as well as the diminishment of monopolies and protection from financial exploitation. From 1900 to 1920, the Progressive reformers partially struggled to address the social concerns of the American People due to the birth-control movement not being a success, but were able to successfully meet political concerns through the implementation of such reforms as the Wisconsin idea. Progressive reformers faced mixed results addressing the social
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Education reformer, John Dewey, drove the higher education reform through his assertion that the United States educational system needed to prepare students for the modern era by making personal development the focus of the curriculum (Norton, 549). The education reform successfully increased the number of enrolled students in a public school system to 78% by 1920 (Norton, 549). Overall, the growth of the American school systems successfully allowed for an increase in college and universities. Due to the increase in college and university availability, there was a decrease in child labor throughout the US. Middle class women who called themselves “The Women’s Movement”, faced mixed results in the desire to move beyond the household and into higher education, paid professions and equal rights (Norton, 555). The women’s movement faced mixed results due to Margaret Sanger’s un-successful birth control movement. Though, Margaret Sanger was able to rally physicians and social workers into her American Birth Control League, many states continued to prohibit the sale of contraceptives, not giving women the right of what to do with their own body. The National Women’s Suffrage Association, led by Carrie Chapman …show more content…
The new American middle class sought the diminishment of corruption in city governments by giving the people a greater influence in political affairs. Robert M. La Follette, a progressive governor, successfully reformed taxes, railroad rates and elections (Norton, 548). Robert M. La Follette implemented the Wisconsin Idea, which gave the American citizens more direct control over the government of the United Sates of America. Movements against the corrupt politics allowed for the American system to become more democratic (Norton, 548). The political reformers achieved a major accomplishment in 1913, with the passing of the 17th amendment, which provided direct elections of US senators. The American people also wanted diminish abusive corporate power by breaking up monopolies to protect the welfare of all classes (Norton, 543). President Theodore Roosevelt instructed the Justice Department to utilize antitrust laws to prosecute railroad, meatpacking oil trusts which were believed to be exploiting the American public. In 1904 the Supreme Court ordered the breakup of the Northern Security Company monopoly of the railroad by J.P. Morgan (Norton, 543). Roosevelt’s policy served to protect the American citizens from
Education reformer, John Dewey, drove the higher education reform through his assertion that the United States educational system needed to prepare students for the modern era by making personal development the focus of the curriculum (Norton, 549). The education reform successfully increased the number of enrolled students in a public school system to 78% by 1920 (Norton, 549). Overall, the growth of the American school systems successfully allowed for an increase in college and universities. Due to the increase in college and university availability, there was a decrease in child labor throughout the US. Middle class women who called themselves “The Women’s Movement”, faced mixed results in the desire to move beyond the household and into higher education, paid professions and equal rights (Norton, 555). The women’s movement faced mixed results due to Margaret Sanger’s un-successful birth control movement. Though, Margaret Sanger was able to rally physicians and social workers into her American Birth Control League, many states continued to prohibit the sale of contraceptives, not giving women the right of what to do with their own body. The National Women’s Suffrage Association, led by Carrie Chapman …show more content…
The new American middle class sought the diminishment of corruption in city governments by giving the people a greater influence in political affairs. Robert M. La Follette, a progressive governor, successfully reformed taxes, railroad rates and elections (Norton, 548). Robert M. La Follette implemented the Wisconsin Idea, which gave the American citizens more direct control over the government of the United Sates of America. Movements against the corrupt politics allowed for the American system to become more democratic (Norton, 548). The political reformers achieved a major accomplishment in 1913, with the passing of the 17th amendment, which provided direct elections of US senators. The American people also wanted diminish abusive corporate power by breaking up monopolies to protect the welfare of all classes (Norton, 543). President Theodore Roosevelt instructed the Justice Department to utilize antitrust laws to prosecute railroad, meatpacking oil trusts which were believed to be exploiting the American public. In 1904 the Supreme Court ordered the breakup of the Northern Security Company monopoly of the railroad by J.P. Morgan (Norton, 543). Roosevelt’s policy served to protect the American citizens from