Progressive Era

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The progressive era was a time where industrialization was introduced to the American life and led to economic and social problems and thus, the response of women, people of color, and workers. Many depictions of this era through secondary sources can be used to see the conflicts faced by these individuals and the political movement that ensued right after. This point in time is arguably the greatest turning point in American history due to the favorable outcomes that came from it. The nineteenth century was coming to an end, and new obstacles were coming into play including urban growth, mass migration, currency deflation, and issues concerning the middle-class, women, and African-Americans.
The term "progressive" is defined as happening
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Progressives were those who strived for social justice and conditions that bettered the society economically. As portrayed in many films and stories, the people in this time wore formal dress wear and the women had their hair tied up as to show their modesty. Roads were much wider than they are now and pedestrians, who took up most of the space, shared with horses and new cars. Cars made their first appearance during this time so they did not occupy the roads that much. To call other people, operators were needed to connect the lines. Even films were beginning to make an appearance. It was a more classical time before the 1920s and much more simpler than it is now. However, despite the optimism of the new era, the post Civil War industrial era made many economic and social problems surface for many including farmers, industrial workers, women, and African-Americans. Racism and sexism have existed long before the progressive era, however, the oppression of workers emerged.
The first group that was affected during the
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African-Americans, despite the end of the civil war, still continued to suffer from racism and discrimination. Nearly three decades have passed since the end of the civil war, yet African-Americans were still being treated like scum. As depicted in the film, "Ragtime," black people were victims of hate crimes and had little help from authorities. People thought African-Americans were uneducated and poor, but this was not always the case. Whenever someone of color had a luxury item, people thought they had stole it. When an African-American went to a legal representative or police officer, they were asked to just forget the situation and move on. Justice was never found, and the white man always got his way, despite being the perpetrator. Racism still existed in this time and not much progress has been made since the time of slavery. They were done with this, so they looked to the government for help. This political movement was just the beginning of the fight for racial justice.
Although there were many social conflicts witnessed during the progressive era, there were also many advancements in technology. Cars, filmmaking, and telephones were a new thing and cities were emerging with blooming populations. Many people migrated to the states for opportunity and culture bloomed. Political involvement went to a high, and workers, women, and African-American all fought for justice. This era proved