The Progressive Reform Movement played an instrumental role in elevating American society to new heights. The movement was quite successful in curing the ills caused by the massive industrial growth of the late 19th century. The wealthy executives who had created monopolies and trusts were believed to have become too powerful, and the political imbalances were deemed unacceptable. Progressive reform was a cornerstone of the early 1900s and was the issue that defined several presidencies. The Progressive Movement was the result of a century of economic and social neglect. He strove to correct the economic, social, political, and moral justice that had plagued the 19th century and to instill fairness and equal rights for all. Two key goals of the Progressive Movement were to reform the political system and create equity in the economic world. This was achieved through a series of left-wing governments that established regulations and began to act as checks on corruption. To combat political corruption, the American government passed several amendments to the constitution. Two of these amendments were the 17th Amendment and the 19th Amendment. The 17th Amendment provided for the direct election of senators. Before the 17th Amendment, the Senate was a corrupt house of government. Instead of representing their constituents, the senators represented the interests of their respective state party leaders. Although the 17th Amendment was nearly a century in the making, it took the Progressive Movement to finally get it passed. Like the 17th Amendment, the 19th Amendment also changed the political culture in America. Although the 17th Amendment allowed direct election of senators to nearly 50% of Americans... middle of paper......ors is also crucial to democracy in America because public opinion can change rapidly and what was considered public opinion just a year ago may be very different now. Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts can be strongly attributed to the 19th Amendment. The Massachusetts state government is nearly 100% Democratic, yet it still managed to win, largely thanks to the democratic infrastructure put in place by the 19th Amendment. The Progressive Reform Movement represents one of the high points in American history. It is a pillar of what Americans can achieve when challenged to change. This movement set the precedent for future movements and at the same time still influences us today because of the government institutions it created. Through economic and political reforms, America has become a better place to live and a more just democracy.