Eric Foner’s Voices of Freedom Chapter 18
Essay Question:
- According to Eric Foner, “The word ‘Progressive’ came into common use around 1910, as a way of describing a broad, loosely defined political movement of individuals and groups who hoped to bring about significant change in American social and political life.” Write an essay that gives two examples from the primary sources in Voices of Freedom chapter 18 that highlights different reform issues for which Progressives sought change. Your “how-conclusion” should compare or contrast the authors, audiences, and the purposes of your two chosen documents.—Note: Regarding purpose in your conclusion, make sure to discuss whether the authors’ issues could be considered supporting one another or conflicting? For example: Fighting against the use of children in factories seemed like an extremely important Progressive reform to the middle-class organizations that did so. Yet, working class families fought against this Progressive reform because they saw that their children’s pay helped keep the family from starving to death.