United States, 1898–1917

Democracy · Republic · North America · Great War Era era

Progressive-Era America, a rising industrial democracy of trust-busting and reform that acquired an overseas empire and emerged as a world power.

The Progressive Era saw the United States regulate corporations, expand democratic mechanisms such as direct primaries and referenda, and address urban and industrial ills, while consolidating its rise as a great power. Victory in 1898 brought an overseas empire in the Caribbean and Pacific. The federal government’s role in the economy and society expanded before the country entered the World War in 1917.

Open United States 1898–1917 in the interactive 3D atlas →

Dominant patterns

  • Democratization
  • Regime Stabilization
  • Great-Power Rivalry

Political-science factor profile

Each factor 0–100; higher = stronger authoritarian / crisis pole (except institutional stability, where higher = stronger institutions).

Centralization of Power45
Media Control25
Repression32
Nationalism58
Militarization50
Economic Stress40
External Conflict50
Cult of Personality30
Elite Fragmentation48
Institutions75
Social Polarization52
Corruption & Patrimonialism50
Ideological Mobilization42
External Sovereignty100

Economy & society

GDP per capita$5500 (intl-$)
GDP growth+3.5%/yr
Population100.0M people
Share of world population5.7%
Urban share46%
Territory~7.8M km²
Capital population~350k

Closest historical twins

The country-eras whose structural profile most resembles United States 1898–1917, by similarity score (0–100).

  1. United States, 1993–2001 – similarity 94/100 · shared: Democratization, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  2. Great Britain, 1688–1727 CE – similarity 89/100 · shared: Democratization, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  3. British Empire, 1868–1901 – similarity 87/100 · shared: Democratization, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  4. Great Britain, 1727–1760 CE – similarity 86/100 · shared: Democratization, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  5. British Empire, 1901–1914 – similarity 86/100 · shared: Democratization, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  6. United States, 1865–1898 – similarity 84/100 · shared: Democratization
  7. France, 1870–1900 – similarity 84/100 · shared: Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
  8. United Kingdom, 1918–1931 – similarity 84/100 · shared: Democratization, Regime Stabilization

What followed

  • Progressive regulation and democratizing reforms.
  • Overseas empire and rise to great-power status.