The Edwardian era from 1901 to 1914 was a tumultuous period in the United States as life in urban and rural areas was affected by modernization and social reform, followed by the First World War. The first couple of decades were especially prosperous for Kansans. After a significant economic downturn and exodus in the 1890s, there was an exponential boom in the economy and population. Kansas became increasingly connected with the rest of the country through greater circulation of magazines and newspapers, as well as technology. Major advances made many inventions more accessible and affordable, including the Model T, telephone, motorized tractors, and even airplanes. Despite these, however, many Kansans and new immigrants flooded into cities like Topeka, Wichita, and Kansas City, allured by the promise of employment, growing accessibility of other technologies like electricity, and an expanding social sphere. Most of these migrants were met with a lack of success, poor working conditions, and low wages, leading to an increase in the social unrest of the early 20th century and calls for reform. Women especially were amongst the reformers, as the suffrage movement reached its peak at this time. Though Kansas passed its own Equal Suffrage Amendment in 1912, Kansas suffragettes continued to fight for and support the national suffrage movement. The final major event of the 1910s was the entrance of the United States into World War I, which halted much of the protesting as attention turned towards manufacturing supplies for the military. As a result, more women than ever joined the workforce, taking on traditionally masculine jobs. The events of the Edwardian era and World War I had lasting effects on the future of the economy, politics, and fashion of the United States.

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