Efforts to create a responsible government in the United States began in the 1890s during the progressive era. The era was a period of social and political activism in America. It was characterized by government purification, modernization, improvement of education, and women’s suffrage. One of the most significant progressive interventions was the Nineteenth Amendment, through which American women got the right to vote. The paper seeks to explain why this amendment is considered the most significant outcome of the progressive era.
The Nineteenth Amendment marked a political change for women as it granted them equal vocal power as men on political grounds. Before the amendment, only men were allowed to participate in the voting exercise during elections (Joseph & Ben, 2019). Women were voiceless and were forced to submit to laws and policies made by men. After the amendment, all Americans, irrespective of their gender, gained the right to participate in politics and vote (Joseph & Ben, 2019). Such an achievement is significant as it was the beginning of women’s empowerment which granted women a voice equal to men’s in the governing laws and politics.
Besides, the right to vote guaranteed by the Nineteenth Amendment changed the social life of American women. Before the amendment, women lived miserably as they were not free to work and earn income. Those who worked were exposed to risky environments and were prone to harm. For instance, many women who worked in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory were killed in a fire outbreak due to unsafe working conditions (Joseph & Ben, 2019). Reforms brought about by the Nineteenth Amendment increased the number of women in the working class (Joseph & Ben, 2019). The reforms also enabled women to do unprecedented things like attending speakeasies.
In summation, the Nineteenth Amendment of the American constitution was the most significant progressive intervention. It is because it marked the beginning of the political and social changes for American women. Through the amendment, women gained the right to vote, which evened the political grounds. They had a voice equal to men in the governing laws and politics, which minimized women’s oppression in the country.
Reference
Joseph, L., & Ben, W. (2019). The American Yawp: Vol 2 [eBook edition]. Stanford University Press. Web.