The Progressive Era Research Paper

In the late 1800’s and 1900’s america was in a state of reform or change. It was called the progressive era. Where they changed, edited, or made rules for education , the environment, and for workers . These reforms try and changed the way america worked.and because of the progressive era the U.S. has changed. During the progressive era education laws have changed to better help america’s education for the better. Such as the third reform made for education during the progressive era,”School is a free requirement for all children, regardless of gender or ethnicity,”(Progressive Era Education Reform.pdf ). Before in order for people to go to school they had to pay money that some people could not afford because of the economy. But because
In the year 1880 the first labor union(an association of workers) was created.this labor union was called the knights of labor.they promoted and tried to fight for 8 hour work days. but lost power due to a riot. they tried to fight for rights by either going on strike(employees refuse to work till something is done) or collective bargaining(negotiation between employer and employees). these strikes that people would have caused issues for the company's. the government then decided to make laws defending these rights. before the progressive era people had to work in environment so harsh and unhealthy that it was not safe for worker. an account from a worker,“There would be meat stored in great piles in rooms; and the water from leaky roofs would drip over it, and thousands of rats would race about on it. It was too dark in these storage places to see well, but a man could run his hand over these piles of meat and sweep off handfuls of the dried dung of rats. These rats were nuisances, and the packers would put poisoned bread out for them; they would die, and then rats, bread, and meat would go into the hoppers together…There was no place for the men to wash their hands before they ate their dinner, and so they made a practice of washing them in the water that was to be ladled into the sausage.”(Social Ills of Industrialization, Excerpt from Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle”). this quote explains the harsh working environments that workers had to go through. such as leaking water from roof. highly unsanitary because of rat infestation and highly likely get sick and infect food they are selling. but during the progressive era they fix the working conditions for the workers safety,”1849: Pennsylvania creates 10 hour work day for cotton, woollen, paper, bagging, silk and flax factories 1872: Massachusetts provides cheap transportation in the morning and the evening