The early years of the twentieth century and the Gilded Age are known as the most progressive periods in the history of the United States because of the reforms in social and economic growth that happened during those times. The Gilded Age was between the twentieth century and the reconstruction period in which most of the industrialization and urbanization happened. The other reason for calling it a golden period is that time was also known as the age of innovation in which technology and science became the priority. The construction of advanced railroads and the big business reached its rise. The government at that time was progressive and focused on the modernization of the state by fighting corruption and giving rights to businessmen. The rights of consumers came into being during that time with the rights of immigrants and the poor (Hovenkamp, 6).
The government emphasized special on the urban areas by increasing the number of voters through machine party politics. They increased the turnout of voters because that’s how the representatives of those areas could join mainstream politics. Also, the reason behind machine party politics was the bosses, who were powerful politicians, wanted to increase their support, so they increased the number of voters from the urban side. The urban area also progressed through the rapid and advanced railroad system because travel became easy, which benefited the business owners by allowing them to take raw materials and goods from one place to another easily. This railroad system connected the north, south, and west (Johnston, 439).
The other most significant reform that was beneficial to the urban area was the rise in big business, which brought economic growth to boom in those areas. These reforms included the legislation that helped protect the rights of consumers and the labor class for their economic growth, and especially minorities’ rights were started to get protection.
Works Cited
Johnston, Robert D. “INFLUENTIAL WORKS ABOUT THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVE ERA.” A Companion to the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (2017): 437-449.
Hovenkamp, Herbert J. “The Progressives: Economics, Science, and Race.” (2015).
