Progressivism & Government with Ronald J. Pestritto | BRI Scholar Talks

20+ minute interviews with modern authors and scholars on topics of U.S. History and Civics.

How did Americans at the turn of the 20th century address the rapid technological, demographic, and economic changes around them? Provide students an in-depth look at this formative period in United States history. Through primary-source-based activities and engaging narratives, students will be exposed to this fascinating period and analyze its numerous parallels to today.

Use this Lesson with the Wilsonian Progressivism Narrative and the Did the Progressive Movement Diverge from Founding Principles and Did It Affect the Purpose of Government? Point-Counterpoint to understand the Progressive Era.

Part of the Civil War’s legacy was a shift in the role of the national government. The defeat of the South, Reconstruction, and the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment gave the national government growing power over the states and the people. The Fourteenth Amendment gave the national government power (though exactly how much power was still being debated) to ensure state laws did not violate the rights of the freedmen. Additional amendments during the Progressive Era (the 1890s - 1920s) continued this transfer of power to the national government. In the name of giving power to the people, the national government was given power to tax incomes; states lost their representation in Congress, the manufacture and sale of alcohol was banned, and women achieved the right to vote.