HIS396H1

The Progressive Era and Rise of Big Business in America

This course examines the rise of big business in America and its relationship to social and economic changes in United States in the so-called Progressive Era (roughly 1880-1920). We will focus on several themes: the evolution and characteristics of big business; rise of organized labor; evolution of business-government relations; social and economic reform movements; and the changing status of immigrants, African Americans, and women (both white and African-American). In short, we will be studying a pivotal moment in the transformation of modern American society.