Progressive Era DBQ

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January 1, 1900 the U.S. had reason for optimism. Industry boomed and cities bustled. The 1900’s were the most years of the Progressive Era. The Progressive Era was period of widespread social activism and political reform across the Country from 1890’s-1920’s. The main goal of this movement was to eliminate the corruption in the government. But the question is how would one million dollars be spent for the reforms of Child Labor, Food and Safety concerns, and Womens right to vote. The first most important would be the reforms to protect the wellbeing of children which would receive $600,000. $300,000 to the second most important which would be the regulations of industry concerning food and safety reforms. Lastly, $100,000 to the reforms of …show more content…
$300,000 will go to those reforms. Food is a source of survival without the right care of food will bring disease to households. In Upton Sinclairs, The Jungle, he states “there would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor in the dirt and sawdust, where the workers had tramped and spit…there would be meat stored in great piles in rooms…” (Doc. 4) With this many problems arose from the unsanitary conditions food was being distributed through. Another concern was the safety of workers such as the Triangle Shirtwaist fire. On Saturday March 25, 1911 a fire erupted on the eighth floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist building claiming a handful of lives. In the trial testimony of the shirtwaist fire trial a women describes everyone being locked in the vicinity of the fire and no escape she says “Others, their clothes afire, jumped in groups from the top of the building or from open windows on the lower floors.” (doc. 9) When this tragedy occurred not one had a clue on what to do. With $300,000 for the reforms of food and safety it would bring great changes in the way food and safety are …show more content…
Women are thought of to stay home tend the house and take care of the children. They were not at the same “level” as men. Voting was a big right to have for men and for women it was a right they desperately grasped for. J. Francis Robinson quotes, “I believe that the ballot would be safer in the hands of an intelligent and sober woman than in the hands of a drunken man.” (Doc. 7) He claims women can be as smart or smarter then men. Some may ask why do women need the right to vote? Jane Addams answers “if a woman would fulfill her traditional responsibility to her own children…then she must bring herself to use the ballot…American women need this…to preserve the home.” (Doc. 3) In order for women to maintain what they are expected to do at home they must have the right to vote instead of being dependent on city