Challenges (topics)
Below are SEVEN challenges that arose during the rapid modernization of America. You will pick one of the challenges as your focus for research. As you begin to research you can choose a direction:
dig deeply into one specific incident and use that incident as evidence for your claim
broadly investigate many incidents within your focus area to use as evidence for your claim.
Research Question: To what extent did the Progressives solve the challenges created by modernization?
Challenge #1
Unethical Business Practices
Linking Modernization to Challenges
In the quest to dominate new industries and to make vast amounts of money, many business titans developed secret and unethical trusts to create business monopolies, brutally crushing their competition.
Specific Challenges in the....
Oil Industry
(eg. John D. Rockefeller)
Banking
(eg. J.P. Morgan)
Steel Industry
(eg. Andrew Carnegie)
Railroads
(eg. Vanderbilt)
Progress
Ida Tarbell's / Standard Oil
Anti-trust legislation by progressive politicians, etc.
Challenge #2
Brutal Working Conditions
Linking Modernization to Challenges
New industries built factories (new idea) and large industrial plants to make products quickly and efficiently. In order to make the most amount of money, businesses exploited their workers. There were no rules about how to keep workers safe.
Specific Challenges
Child Labor
Unsafe working Conditions
Workplace tragedies (eg. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire)
Progress
Lewis Hine / child labor in the coal mines
Rise of Unions (Samuel Gompers) (Homestead Strike)
Upton Sinclair's/ the meat packing industry
Establishment of workplace laws
Government Oversight Agencies
Challenge #3
Crowded Cities
Linking Modernization to Challenges
As big business expanded, people in the U.S. migrated from the farms to the cities for jobs. 15 million immigrants arrived in cities hoping for a new life. Cities became over-crowded.
Specific Challenges
Poverty
Poor housing conditions
Sanitation
Progress
Jacob Riis's / living conditions
Development of fire, sanitation services
Development of subways, skyscrapers, elevators
Challenge #4
Influx of Immigration
Linking Modernization to Challenges
15 million immigrants came to America between 1900-1915. They all hoped for a better life in the prosperous U.S.A, but the reality when they arrived, was harsh.
Specific Challenges
Poverty
Poor housing conditions
Unsafe Working conditions
Discrimination
Progress
Activist Grace Abbott
Jacob Riis's / living conditions
Challenge #5
Exploitation of Natural Resources
(more difficult topic)
Linking Modernization to Challenges
Modernization, technology and big business exploited the vast natural resources of this country. For the first time activists sought to conserve the natural beauty of our environment that many people felt were being wasted.
Specific Challenges
Forests to farmland
Wasteful Mining Practices
Wasteful Water practices
Pollution
Progress
John Muir
Teddy Roosevelt
New Government Agencies
National Parks
Challenge #6
Fight for Civil Rights
Linking Modernization to Challenges
After the Civil War, the prospect of a more inclusive society was helped by the ability to move to new jobs in new factories. But, the struggle for black equality, women's equality and assimilation for immigrants was just beginning. In fact, the progressive era was the foundation of those ideals and the Civil Rights struggle.
Specific Challenges
Treatment of Black people
Treatment of Women
Treatment of Immigrants
Treatment of Mentally Ill
Progress
Ida B. Wells
Booker T. Washington
W.E.B. Dubois
NAACP
Niagara Movement
Women's Suffrage
Jane Adams
Nelly Bly's / Mental Institutions
Challenge #7
Political Corruption
(more difficult topic)
Linking Modernization to Challenges
With a booming economy and the success of many new businesses, "corporate titans could buy anything they wanted—including politicians." (Klein, 2020)
Specific Challenges
Influence of Big Business on politicians
Local Corruption (Boss Tweed)
Progress
Lincoln Steffens / city corruption
Citations:
Klein, Christopher. "How the Gilded Age's Top 1% Thrived on Corruption." History.com, 27 Jan. 2020, www.history.com/news/gilded-age-corruption-corporate-wealth. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.