Thinking about Progress

Progress. What does it mean? According Merriam-Webster "progress" is the process of improving or developing something over a period of time. The Progressive era, between the 1890s and 1920s, was a period of social activism and political reform across the United States. There were quite a few issues during this time period, which they 'fixed' with the following progressive reforms:

1. Suffrage
• Only white men were allowed to vote, but women demanded the right to vote (suffrage).
2.  Prohibition
• alcohol was the cause of many social problems, and divorces, so a lot of people in the country wanted to ban alcohol.
3. Race
• Slaved blacks became free and US citizens, which caused problems between whites and blacks. 
4. Children
• Children were forced into working long hours until a movement began to outlaw child labor.
5. Workers
• There were many people on the streets, so worker's compensation systems were created. 

(List from NebraskaStudies.org).

These progressive reforms all have the common theme of bettering society. They are providing jobs for the homeless, giving children a childhood, giving women the right to vote (in the process), banning alcohol so that people stop ruining their lives,& giving the blacks citizenship. 

Rankings of Progressive Reforms (Opinionated)

1. Outlawing child labor 
2. Suffrage 
3. Prohibition 
4. Race
5. Worker's compensation