Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

The Progressive Era, by Kevin Hillstrom. 104 pp. Detroit, MI: Lucent Books, 2009. ISBN 13: 978-1-4205-0067-7. ISBN 10: 1-4205-0067-7. $32.45.

This volume introduces the progressive era by reviewing key facets of the age of industrialization, including the waves of immigration, Social Darwinism, the rise of the robber barons, the Grange movement and populism, and early labor clashes such as the Haymarket riots and the Pullman strikes. The author skillfully creates context for each major topic introduced and draws connections to other aspects of the era wherever possible. A chapter focusing on the social and political reforms of the movement includes discussion of the impact of rapid urbanization, the waves of immigration, the rise of political machines and the subsequent responses by such reformers as Jacob Riis and Jane Addams. Another chapter examines business and labor reforms, with special emphasis on the creation of unions and the legal protections they gained through the courts. Teddy Roosevelt’s role in the progressive era dominates a chapter on Presidents and a final chapter skillfully analyzes the historical pressures that moved Americans away from the progressive agenda. Highly recommended as a supplement for U.S. history research and courses in middle school and high school libraries.