The Progressive Era was a period in which Progressives sought to re-establish the marketplace amongst poor people. In effect they would be able to consume more and elevate the “strain” of their dependency on both the progressives and elitist. Though it was evident that their plight was mainly for their own benefit it made people more aware that they could have some kind of effect on the situation surrounding them. Many unions began to form fighting for the amelioration of their working conditi