Progressivism reached its height in the years between 1900 and 1914. Like most American reform movements, the progressive movement did not plot to overthrow the government; rather, it sought to use the government to promote American ideals and to ensure the survival of the American way of life. This chapter traces the important aspects of progressivism. It examines the social justice movement, which sought to promote reform among the poor and to improve life for those who had fallen victim to an urban and industrial civilization. It surveys life among workers, a group the reformers sometimes helped but often misunderstood. Then it traces the reform movements in the cities and states, where countless officials and experts tried to reduce chaos and promote order and democracy. Finally, it examines progressivism at the national level during the administrations of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, the first thoroughly modern presidents.
