The Progressive Era was a time of significant socio-economic and political reforms. Among the two minority groups during the Progressive Era include women’s rights activists and child workers. Women’s rights activists organized campaigns to promote suffrage and even went so far as to engage in civil disobedience, such as chaining themselves to public buildings or refusing to pay taxes (Corbett et al., 2012). Additionally, they made a significant impact in the workplace by pushing for better working conditions, higher wages, and greater job and education opportunities. Today, women can be seen at the forefront of feminist, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ rights movements.
Similar to women rights activists, child workers in the Progressive Era contributed to significant social, political, and economic reforms that helped improve the lives of working-class Americans. Children, mostly from poor families, worked in hazardous conditions for long hours with little pay, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and limiting their opportunities for education and social mobility. Corbett et al. (2012) asserted that the exploitation of children stemmed from a larger problem of social inequality and sought to address the root causes of poverty and exploitation. Child workers formed unions to advocate for their rights, which gained momentum (Wood, 2020). States passed laws restricting the hours and conditions of child labor.
The Industrial Revolution had a significant impact on women’s rights activists and child workers. Although it created new employment opportunities for women, it perpetuated gender inequality and exploitation of children. Progressives supported women’s suffrage and expanded opportunities for women in education and employment. They were further concerned about child labor exploitation and supported labor unions to pass laws to protect children. Today, Americans work in a more just and equitable society because of Progressives’ efforts. Therefore, the Progressives successfully improved the conditions of women and child workers and made the government more responsive to the needs of the people
References
Corbett, P. S., Prencht, J., Janssen, V., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T., Vickery, P., & Waskiewicz, S. (2012). U.S. History. OpenStax. Web.
Wood, B. (2020). Upon the altar of work: Child labor and the rise of a new American sectionalism. University of Illinois Press.