America 250 · 1900–1920
What to read and watch aboutProgressive Era
To understand Progressive Era, start with The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism (Doris Kearns Goodwin, 2013) — the book. 5 further picks — histories, biographies, novels, screen and audio — follow below.
Reformers try to fix what the Gilded Age built — sometimes successfully.
From McKinley's assassination through Wilson's stroke — the trust-busting, the muckraking, the income tax, women's suffrage, Prohibition. The era when Americans first tried to use government to discipline corporate power.
Presidents who served
Histories
The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism
Doris Kearns Goodwin · 2013
Triple biography — TR, Taft, and the muckrakers who made them possible. Goodwin on the era as a whole.
A Fierce Discontent: The Rise and Fall of the Progressive Movement in America, 1870-1920
Michael McGerr · 2003
The Progressive movement on its own terms — what its adherents wanted, what they got, why it ended.
Lives
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
Edmund Morris · 1979
Volume one of the trilogy. Pulitzer winner. The making of the era's defining figure.
Wilson
A. Scott Berg · 2013
The most comprehensive one-volume Wilson — honest about the resegregation of the federal government.
Fiction
The Jungle
Upton Sinclair · 1906
The Chicago meatpacking novel that produced the Pure Food and Drug Act. Sinclair aimed for the heart and hit the stomach.
On screen
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
Ken Burns · 2014
PBS seven-part documentary — TR's presidency anchors the first half; FDR's the second.
Common questions
What is the best book to start learning about the Progressive Era?
A Fierce Discontent by Michael McGerr is an excellent starting point for understanding the rise and fall of the Progressive movement. For a deeper look at the relationship between politics and the press during this time, The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin is a foundational text.
Why does the Progressive Era matter in American history?
The Progressive Era marks the period when Americans first attempted to use government power to discipline corporate influence. It was a time of significant reform, including the implementation of the income tax, the push for women's suffrage, Prohibition, and widespread efforts by muckrakers to expose societal issues.
What film covers the history of the Progressive Era?
The 2014 documentary series The Roosevelts: An Intimate History provides a comprehensive screen treatment of the era. It explores the lives and political impact of the Roosevelt family, who were central figures in the reform efforts that defined the Progressive Era between 1900 and 1920.
How did the Progressive Era differ from the Gilded Age?
While the Gilded Age was characterized by rapid industrial growth and the rise of corporate power, the Progressive Era was defined by reformers attempting to fix the systemic issues created during that time. It represented a shift toward government intervention to regulate business and address social inequality.
Move through history
Want cross-media picks matched to your taste — across every era?
Try TangentFree, 30 seconds, no account.