Final answer:
Frances Perkins, as Secretary of Labor, along with other influential figures like Alfred E. Smith and Robert F. Wagner, drove critical New Deal reforms that reshaped federal involvement in economic and social policy, while also building the Democratic Party's diverse electoral coalition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alfred E. Smith, Robert F. Wagner, and Frances Perkins were influential figures in the creation of landmark reforms in America during the early 20th century. Frances Perkins, in particular, played a pivotal role as the first female member of a presidential cabinet.
As Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, she was instrumental in the administration of critical New Deal programs such as the CCC, PWA, NRA, and the Social Security Act. By securing the support of both organized labor and business leaders, Perkins and her contemporaries were able to enact changes that fundamentally altered the role of the federal government in economic and social policy. Their efforts led to significant legislation such as minimum wage statutes, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and expanded democratic principles in the market economy — all while preserving the constitution and laying the groundwork for the Democratic Party's coalition of African Americans, ethnic minorities, and organized labor.