Progressive Era Webquest

By the later part of the 19th Century America was plagued by a multitude of societal injustices. These "social ills" created an era known today as Progressivism. Many of the social injustices came as industrialism swept through our country and involved many different groups. Some examples of the "ills" are; child labor, overcrowding in cities, insufficient safety regulations, and the corruption of government. From the abuse of the working class and their poor living and working conditions to the excesses of the wealthy, as well as the denial of women and minority rights in the United States, many suggested these problems needed reform. As the reform movement got underway, a new investigative journalistic style known as muckraking emerged and exposed for the public many of our nation's problems. These journalists' sometimes graphic information aided the reform movements by educating Americans to the nation's social and political abuses. Today's "investigative journalists," muckrakers, continue to expose societal problems and initiate reform.