By: Jack Whitten & Cameron Ray
The Progressive Reform, or the Progressive
Era, was a time in American history ranging from
around the 1890’s to the 1920’s. It was during this
time period the Prohibition of alcohol, and the
legalization of women’s right to vote occurred.
The Prohibition was a 14 year attempt during the
Progressive Era to make alcohol illegal. This was strongly
supported by women (below), who claimed that alcohol
was behind the majority of crime, abuse of children and
women, and wasted money for those who struggled to
obtain basic living needs. The law was broken so often one
Washington citizen claimed he was shocked to find an
honest lawman. This rule was
Broken in Washington most often
due to ‘Rumrunners’ buying booze
legally over the northern border and
bringing it to private clubs called
‘blind pigs’
One of the best things (in my opinion, at least) to
come out of the Progressive Era was the legalization of
female participation in government activities, like voting
or running for office. This movement was started by
women who after leading the Prohibition so far they
believed that they would do well in office, so they pushed
for it, and Washington became the fifth state to legalize
this, ten years before it was signed into national law.
Before the Progressive Reform, children were
forced to work all day in factories or mines for little pay.
This was all changed when labor laws were issued. These
helped ensure the safety and rights of workers, and
children under 16 could not be made to do hard labor.
Instead, they went to school.
During the Progressive reform, some workers known
as the IWW came up with the idea of “One Big Union.”
They were very anti-capitalist, specifically against
government regulation of business. In the IWW’s union,
workers would strike if conditions were unfair or unsafe.
These people became known as ‘Wobblies.”
One of the more depressing
moments of the Progressive Era arose
from here, the Centralia Massacre. The
Centralia Massacre took place in
Centralia, Washington, where one day
some Wobblies were speaking publically
against capitalism and supporting other
ideals of theirs. Some were arrested, but
more Wobblies showed up, and
suddenly a firefight broke out, leaving 5
Wobblies and 2 Vigilantes dead. No
one knows who started the fight.
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