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Anne Marie Marler

Whipple Period 8

AP-U.S. History

March 24, 2017

Urban Political Reform

Progressivism, introduced to the United States in the late nineteenth century, was a

formulated response to the Gilded Age and the rapid industrialization that it brought to urban

America, causing social and economical matters to erupt throughout the country. Beginning as a

social movement, progressives spurned Social Darwinism and progressivism grew into a political

movement in the early nineteen hundreds. Progressives advocated for government participation

in the effort to better the American workplace, educational system, environmental welfare, and

urban city standards. The most powerful social reformers at this time were well educated, anti

corporate control, and encouraged the recognition of how democracy impacts the United States

and its citizens. This American era, up till the horrors of World War I, produced a generation of

liberalism aimed at eliminating problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, immigration,

and corruption within the government (gwu.edu). Shifts in the political atmosphere caused from

urbanization shaped the platform for reform coalitions, the rise of unions, and populism. America

during the early twentieth century began to politically build itself around social and economical

reform movements, introducing Progressivism which was marked by the motion of urban,

middle class reform. Urban political reform and political machines such as Tammany Hall

shaped legislation in Washington during this time, and personal beliefs impacted how Americans

built reform movements in this era.

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The Gilded Age introduced new societal problems into American culture. The politics and

economy of the nation were quickly shifting through union movements, skilled and unskilled

employment and the introduction of new jobs, and unambitious democracy. Social issues and

populist movements had their own consequences, not necessarily negative, and resulted in more

local and federal social services for the people in urban America. Suddenly, no party had full

control and political leaders were gaining dominance through their ambitions and favors for the

power hungry corporations.

Political machines, controlled by substantial corporate leaders, were beneficial in human

resources for those who favored the corporations themself. Political reformers from the public

were typically undoubtedly against large corporate control over the federal government, and it

was the public that became the main influence during this eras current legislation. Political

emphasis pressured reform into the hands of apolitical experts (Urban Reform Article). Enlarging

a new municipal government created the transition of power in communities to their local

government bodies. Settlement houses, temperance movements, and farm and labor unions

gained stature amongst the public, and led to standing changes in government legislation,

proving that these changes and effects benefited the middle class public and created an

embodiment of progressivism. Local government bodies also became more involved within each

of their own communities and social activism. This is due to the differences that reform

movements caused in urban and rural counties. Political machines in urban communities were

able to influence a loyal voter following by their creation of more industrialized jobs in America,

mainly aimed at Irish worker immigrants in cities seeking new employment. Additionally, local

government bodies became highly focused on city public policy improvements and city wide

elections became a new impactful government force.

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The progressive era is well known for its rise of reform movements and the push for

change within middle class urban public life. It is obvious that the harsh impacts of the Gilded

Age propelled motivation into typical American civilians to create the principles for the mount of

political, economic, and social coalitions. Human living conditions were improved throughout

the late eighteen hundreds to early nineteen hundreds attributed to the fact that urban political

reform and reformers were impacting the social aspects of the government and contributing to a

less gilded democracy. Due to the boost in industrialization, transit systems, electricity, and

waterworks departments were bettered and the standard of living in both rural and urban

neighborhoods was highly improved. Not only did improvement in public life motivate

Americans to attach themselves to either political machines or urban reform movements, but

suddenly public ownership provided emphasis for democratic political control. Corporations and

their political machines continued to run assets of the United States, but not without the influence

of the rise of union workers, even more specifically immigrants. As industries began to boom,

consumerism became a mandatory force of the American economy, as well as a new national

culture. Urban services were now more easily accessible for those who were consumers of the

American factory production system. The more services accessed in the United States, the more

of a need for urban consumerism. More socially, reformers and reform services reached out to

one another to build support for reform legislations within congress at this time. The increase in

American connections in the progressive era sparked an influential change in the works of

journalism and its propaganda for political elections. This was an era where citizens had an effect

on each other and their political candidates/machines more than ever before.

Urban political reform was quite recognizably most impactful on the American public

because it was the American citizens themselves advocating for the change. Throughout
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womens suffrage, prohibition, civil rights, labor reform, conservation, and changes in urban and

rural American poverty, political reform was behind everything. The public life benefitted from

each machine running the country. Soon, health and epidemics within the public was a

controversial topic, yet was only improving during this era. Reformers gained the respect within

Washington to advocate for equality and voice of freedom in human health services. Companies

invested in medical research enhanced the protection of the well-being of American citizens at a

federal level (hhs.gov). As urban middle class public life was enhanced, urban planning was

developed and the addition of parks in urban neighborhoods helped to improved quality of life.

Reformers were suddenly motivated to create better things, like the social gospel. The public

began to commit themselves to this social gospel, and the transformation of christianity from

personal conversion to an awakening in social reform movements (dictionary.com). As urban

reformers generated a significant impact on legislation, motivation for the rise of unions

continued to increase up until around World War I. Political machines continued their effect on

the government as political bosses continued to receive votes and loyal followers from their deals

with various services and industry contractors. The increase in public policy and urban planning

was a high achievement within government reform. Content Americans meant a larger boost in

consumerism, and gave more hope for a quality life for immigrants who were forced into low

standard workplace homes in urban communities.

The progressive era is influential even in twenty first century guidelines. Urban political

reform after the Gilded Age proved to Americans the impact that a rise of a community has

within not just local politics, but also within the federal government and elections. Political

machines had the most impact on economical reform in the United States and as public life

improved, the rise of the people grew even stronger. Reform movements and their politics shaped
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reformers and ordinary citizens personal beliefs, which was the basis for the change in

democratic legislation. Urban political reform in the progressive era is a model for how modern

day America can improve daily life at the city-wide, statewide, and national standards.