<P> The movement primarily targeted political machines and their bosses . By taking down these corrupt representatives in office a further means of direct democracy would be established . They also sought regulation of monopolies (Trust Busting) and corporations through antitrust laws . These antitrust laws were seen as a way to promote equal competition for the advantage of legitimate competitors . </P> <P> Many progressives supported prohibition of alcoholic beverages, ostensibly to destroy the political power of local bosses based in saloons, but others out of a religious motivation . At the same time, women's suffrage was promoted to bring a "purer" female vote into the arena . A third theme was building an Efficiency Movement in every sector that could identify old ways that needed modernizing, and bring to bear scientific, medical and engineering solutions; a key part of the efficiency movement was scientific management, or "Taylorism". </P> <P> Many activists joined efforts to reform local government, public education, medicine, finance, insurance, industry, railroads, churches, and many other areas . Progressives transformed, professionalized and made "scientific" the social sciences, especially history, economics, and political science . In academic fields the day of the amateur author gave way to the research professor who published in the new scholarly journals and presses . The national political leaders included Republicans Theodore Roosevelt, Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and Charles Evans Hughes, as well as Democrats William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson and Al Smith . Yet, leaders of the movement also existed far from presidential politics . Jane Addams, Grace Abbott, Edith Abbott and Sophonisba Breckinridge were among the most influential non-governmental Progressive Era reformers . </P> <P> Initially the movement operated chiefly at local levels; later, it expanded to state and national levels . Progressives drew support from the middle class, and supporters included many lawyers, teachers, physicians, ministers, and business people . Some Progressives strongly supported scientific methods as applied to economics, government, industry, finance, medicine, schooling, theology, education, and even the family . They closely followed advances underway at the time in Western Europe and adopted numerous policies, such as a major transformation of the banking system by creating the Federal Reserve System in 1913 . Reformers felt that old - fashioned ways meant waste and inefficiency, and eagerly sought out the "one best system". </P>

What characterized the progressive era the period from the late 1890s through world war i