Dbq Essay Progressive Age

DBQ Essay        

Zhiyou Li

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Progress reformers worked to improve American society. Their persistence, their unwillingness to fold on their issues and their continuing battles with public support are all factors that have contributed to making the nation a much more pleasant place to live.

Regulating child labor was one of their goals. Form the document 3a, we can know that at first parents signed the pathetic documents that they will make no claim for damages resulting from “careless”. This action really surprised people. In addition to this, the factories owners also ignore these problems. Such things led the reformers to address the goal. And then, several states began to solve this problem. First Factory Law of Illinois forbids employment of the children under fourteen and register of any under sixteen (document 3b). And Wisconsin legislature limits hours for children (document 4). In document 5, the graph illustrate that the number of child labor became fewer and fewer between 1900 and 1930. Finally, the children labors were regulated.

Progressive reformers also tried to improve working conditions. At the beginning, Physical injury and other health-related problems suffered as a result of the job addressed by Upton Sinclair in The Jungle (document 1). This is a really serious working condition. Besides that, women receive lower wages than men, but work under harder conditions (document 8). And lack of governments support for solving these problems. Then the Progressive reformers began to achieve their goal. Wisconsin legislature limits hours for women and children in 1911. Massachusetts passes first state minimum wage law in 1912. And in 13, overtime pay for some workers legislation was enacted (document 4). Gradually, more and more working conditions problem were solved.

In addition, reformers made effort to expand democracy. Form document 6a, we can find that the monopolist dominated the Senate. And peoples’ entrance is closed. It shows that the lack of acceptance of the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments written at Seneca Falls Convention This is a typical example shows that the democracy need to expand. In order to solve this, the 17th Amendment provides direct election of Senators (document 6b). The Senate will be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by people, for six years. And the reformers also increase women’s participation in the political process successfully.

In conclusion, Progressive reformers actually did well in these areas. Workers and children were not so badly treated in the work place. Of cruse, working regulations have loopholes, and children still worked in a young age illegally. But at least there is a chance they can be caught. Without Progressive reformers’ effort, more would have died from ungodly factory conditions; women would receive little to no representation, and on a large scale. The nation would have remained under a chaotic curtain for years to come.

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