At the turn of the twentieth century, American politics and culture underwent significant changes brought about by major increases in immigration, urbanization, and industrialization. These developments led to new questions about the character of the nation and what its future might hold. Progressivism was borne of these concerns, as groups outside the political realm attempted to steer society in the proper direction. Many of the most active progressives were proponents of liberal religion's Social Gospel, and thus, the era was greatly influenced by traditional Protestantism. In the period between 1890 and 1920, the United Methodist Church, as one of the leading Protestant Churches, became increasingly involved in the debates surrounding social issues, as progressivism was in many ways the secularization of Protestant theology. Indeed, the Methodist Church took strong stances on issues like race relations, prohibition, and child labor, putting forth a social doctrine not only for its members but for the betterment of society in general.
In response to an uncertain future, progressivism attempted to adopt an optimistic view of society's potential. Much of the movement's faith was derived from a religious background, as evidenced by the involvement of the Methodist Church in the progressive movement. The idea was to transform society through political and educational reforms, guided by social ethics, social science, and a civil "religion of America." In many ways, progressivism was anti-institutional, as it concentrated its attack on the traditional components of ordered society, such as big business corporations, urban political machines, traditional church hierarchies, and the established political parties. Thus, progressives wished to break up monopolies, institute compulsory education for children and improve public schools, and instruct immigrants in an attempt to 'Americanize' them.
In fact, progressi...