The lasting effect of the New deal, Progressive Era, and the Great Society has had a great and long lasting effect on American

The women's movement came alive and even though they were held from government offices they focus they ambitions on improving working conditions in factories through inspections and though regulations on children and women's labor. This was not only for white women in 1895 The National Association of Colored Women was founded. This was the nations first African -Americans social service organization. There were other great accomplishments that happened during this time period that still heavily affect American Society today. Initiative, referendum, recall, and the short ballot extended political democracy. The 17th Amendment was passed which called for the direct election of U.S Senators. Also registered voters passed the 19th Amendment, some limitation were put on trusts, monopolies were held to the law as prescribed by the Clayton Act. The federal Trade Commission Act was passed, as well as standards were put on meat inspections and many buildings and factories were held to inspection codes. A lot came out of the Progressive Era that made the American Society meet a standard and it laid the foundation for what we have become today.

The New Deal Era was a time period in American history that will never be forgotten. The economic depression of the 30' brought America to a stand still. One in four people were out of work. People were starving, banks were folding, and people were losing their homes and their self-pride. The depression went through the U.S like a tornado going through a trailer park. It had long devastating effects on the country. When President Roosevelt took office he said "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people." The New Deal was meant to create relieve too those suffering, and to prevent such a disaster from happening in the future. In the first few years of the New Deal the major concern was to set up shelters and soup kitchens to feed the many people effected by the depression. The federal government knew that they had to assist or 'handout' material goods to those struggling and the administrations thinking had to take on a new way of thinking. It was a drastic change from the thinking aspect that the government should not help people out and they should help themselves.

As the New Deal progressed it now could focus on ways to prevent such a disaster from happening again. The NRA was created in 1933 this would allow business to draft codes of fair competition. This would include such things as fair prices, wages, working conditions, and credit terms. This would allow employees to organize and bargain for wages, for the business to be exempt from some anti-trust laws. This law was found to be unconstitutional by the U.S Supreme Court in 1935.

Another big reform that came out of the New Deal that still has a huge impact on America today was the Public Works Administration. This was another attempt to boost the economy. With the creation of this it provided employment for hundreds of thousands of people to construct such things as school, libraries, aircraft carriers, and many other projects. This did not stimulate the economy like the administration had hoped. There were many other programs that help shape and define the recovery of Americans. The WPA was developed through the New Deal this was said to have been the best program to help bring self-respect back to the people. This was a program that used people's skill to create a product. Between 1935 and 1943 the WPA provided 8 million jobs for people. In 1943 the program was terminated due to wartime prosperity.

Also created was the Social Security Act, which provided old age pensions and unemployment insurance. This program assists families when they have a loss of income whether it is from a death, an illness, or unemployment. Again we see in this reform period how the lasting effects still assist Americas today. We also see the direct correlation that this change bettered the lives of those who were less fortunate.

The Great Society Era I feel was similar to the Progressive Era in the fact that it had to do with injustices. Meaning it dealt with racism or certain groups not having rights and the ability to stand up for themselves with out being retaliated against.

Sure there was great prosperity during this time frame the GNP increased 24% between 1960 and 1964 and unemployment was at 4%. But there was still work that needed to be done with equal rights and with poverty. The voting rights act of 1965 was enacted allowing federal inspections when peoples right to vote was infringed upon. In 1965 HUD was developed this program was to assist people in housing and protecting their rights. This program assisted the poor and the elderly greatly in their search for affordable housing. The war on poverty would emerge as the main focus on the American society. There was a direct link between poverty and the African American population in the U.S. This can be related to the unfair practices of blacks not being given good paying jobs. This discrimination could also be found in the women's movement into the workplace. They were given lower paying jobs and not equal rights that were given to the dominant group during this time period the white, male. The wars on poverty sow the creation of such things as the Job Corps, which provided skill training for young people. Assistance for those wishing to attend college through work-study. Head start programs where started to help low income families with there young child's early education. The many local programs that were stared would soon be abolished because the local politician did not want the responsibilities and wanted the local funding to go elsewhere. They war on poverty would come under criticism by the republicans and some hard working Democrats who would call it a hand out for the lazy. This stereotype would still affect the system today.

There has been mixed reviews in the war on poverty some positives are poverty fell from 20% to 12% and during Johnson's Presidency, 2 million people moved up and out of poverty.

I feel that these programs and reform have a lot in common but they do have some differences. Most of the reform that came from these time periods still affects us as Americans today.

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