During a period of American history when poverty, greed, and crime ran wild, reform movements began to grow to "clean up" society. Reform was brought about in many aspects of American society including immigration, temperance, and equal rights. The American public was zealously behind the work of such reform. Two writers who spurred enthusiasm were Henry George (Progress and Poverty) and Edward Bellamy (Looking Backward, 2000 - 1887). Both of these men were able to gain public support and push people to implement reform ideas put forth in their books. During the early 20th Century, reform movements swept through the United States and were able to bring about radical social, economic and political change.

Immigration skyrocketed around the turn of the century. "New" immigrants from Eastern & Southern Europe, and China began to pour into the United States at alarming rates. Many Americans grew afraid of these immigrants because the immigrants...