Who were the progressives in the Progressive Reform Period?

Progressives were the American people who worked to fix social, economic, and political problems.

Social reformers addressed the moral well-being of society through the push to outlaw alcohol, restrict immigration, improve living conditions in the cities, expand public education and end prostitution and child labor.

Economic reformers promoted the ending of unfair monopolies and bad trusts, regulation of industry, ending unfair labor practices, health and safety standards, protection of consumer rights, worker compensation laws, efficiency standards in work environments and protection of natural resources.

Public reformers worked to make government more responsive to the people by attempting to end abuses of power in urban politics and government, make city governments more efficient and broaden political participation through democratic reforms, such as the direct election of senators and women's suffrage, meaning the right to vote.

Then President, Theodore Roosevelt was open to progressive calls for reform and brought attention to progressive issues at the national level.