Many economic and social changes transformed American society in the 20th century, including innovations in science and technology, and economic productivity. In turn people believed that the government should create political, social, and moral reforms to regulate big business and the other colonial problems. The progressive movement was caused by a renewed interest in social issues and the revival of the ideals on which America was founded. Big businessmen had created empires of wealth, owning vast majorities of businesses. This only allowed enough space for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, but the Progressive Era brought dramatic changes to the nations economic, and political sectors.
The Progressive Era was made of broad, and sometimes desperate attempts from the early 1900s through the end of World War I to address economic and social reform. Progressivism expanded in American cities and confronted the political system full of monopolies and corrupt leaders. The start of Progressivism dates back to the mid to late 1800s, when angry farmers and small business owners formed the Grange and later the Populist Party to confront unfair practices of big business. Middle and lower-class Americans felt helpless against industrial giants like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, and Cornelius Vanderbilt. These men took advantage of the time period and created vast monopolies. These monopolies created great opportunities for the wealthy to invest in political parties that supported big business. The reforms of the Progressive Era were meant to help our middle and lower classes . They were meant to distribute the wealth in the country more evenly. From 1890-1920 many political, social, and economic reforms were made. These reforms were made under our progressive presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. .
After President William McKinley was assassinated, republican, Theodore Roosevelt took office and saw the need for big change.
