A Fierce Discontent

Chapter 2 of McGerr’s book is entitled “The Progressive Opportunity.” Write an essay explaining what the “progressive opportunity” was, and why this opportunity emerged in America at the end of the 19th century.

Write an essay analyzing and critiquing the experiences of minority groups—African-Americans, Native Americans, or non-Western European immigrants—in the midst of progressive reform at the turn-of-the-century in America.

Analyze the title of McGerr’s book: A Fierce Discontent. Explain the extent to which you think this title appropriately encapsulates the nature of the progressive movement in America at the turn-of-the-century.