Progressivism responded to the economic and social problems of a rapidly industrializing America at the turn of the 20th century. What began as a social movement, later grew into a political movement, largely out of its predecessor, the Populist movement. Progressives lived mainly in the cities, were college educated, and believed that government could be a tool for change. They concentrated on exposing the evils of corporate greed, combating fear of immigrants, and urging Americans to think hard about what democracy meant. It also gave a voice to an emerging African American civil rights movement.