progressivism

Introduction

progressivism, in U.S. history, a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th cent. In the decades following the Civil War rapid industrialization transformed the United States. A national rail system was completed; agriculture was mechanized; the factory system spread; and cities grew rapidly in size and number. The progressive movement arose as a response to the vast changes brought by industrialization.

Sections in this article:

Introduction
Progressivism's Legacy
Reform on the National Level
Reform on the State Level
Urban Reform
Bibliography

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