Progressive Era (1890–1920), was a period of dramatic political reform and social activism. Progressive reformers denounced corruption and incompetence in government and used government power to regulate businesses and workplaces through regular on-site inspections, regulatory commissions, and antitrust laws.
In other words, the worst excesses and abuses of urban-industrial development corporate monopolies, child labor, political corruption, hazardous working conditions, urban ghettos were finally addressed in a comprehensive way.
Which gives us the right answer letter D. they represented forward thinking about political changes.
Were called "progressive" mainly because they sought to eliminate corruption in both big business and government, although they were not very successful.
