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Below are challenges that arose during the rapid modernization of America. Given your three areas of focus, use the chart below to create supporting questions to guide your research.
Research Question: How did the Progressives solve the social and political challenges created by modernization?
Research Question: How did the Progressives solve the social and political challenges created by modernization?
Challenge
Working Conditions/ Food and Drug Safety
Working Conditions/ Food and Drug Safety
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 and cut corners on production. There were no rules about how to keep workers safe or how to protect consumers.
Specific Challenges
Child Labor
Unsafe working Conditions
Workplace tragedies (eg. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire)
Dangerous food production facilities
Drug Safety
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
Crowded Cities
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
Influx of Immigration
Discrimination of Immigrants
Progress
Jacob Riis's / living conditions
Development of fire, sanitation services
Development of subways, skyscrapers, elevatorsActivist
Grace Abbott
Challenge
Exploitation of Natural Resources
Exploitation of Natural Resources
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
Fight for Civil Rights, including Women's Rights
Fight for Civil Rights, including Women's 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
Political Corruption
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.
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