Final answer:
Hull House was a community center in the early twentieth century that provided social and educational services to immigrants and the working poor in Chicago, influencing the settlement house movement and many public policy reforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase that best describes the purpose of Hull House during the early twentieth century is 'a community center providing social and educational programs for the working poor, especially immigrants.' Hull House, founded by Jane Addams in Chicago in 1889, became a hub for social reform, offering services such as cultural events, classes, exhibits, childcare, playgrounds, and clubs. It also provided practical support like medical care, legal aid, English classes, and hot lunches for factory workers. Addams and her colleagues, many of whom were women college graduates, lived among the community they served, creating a living social classroom for their sociological research and public policy advocacy.
The significance of Hull House extends beyond the services it rendered. It inspired the establishment of other settlement houses across the United States, promoting a movement that aimed to improve the living conditions of the urban poor. The efforts of those involved in Hull House also influenced political agendas, leading to advancements in housing laws, child labor laws, worker's compensation laws, and women's suffrage.