Michael Quiñones, NBCT

Macro Concepts Conflict-problem or issue hard to solve without compromise. Power-Authority usually of a government to pass laws and control its citizens. Consumption-The act of purchasing and using goods and services. Reform-The concept of improving lives of citizens by government action. Micro Concepts Industrialization-the act of creating goods using advanced processes and machinery. Immigration-the process of foreign citizens moving permanently to new nations. Progressivism-the act of using the government to improve the lives of citizens through legislation. Democracy-type of government ruled by the will of the people. Capitalism-type of economic system controlled by producers and consumers. Socialism-type of economic system strictly controlled by the government. Muckraking-type of news reporting that seeks to reveal negative truths such as corruption and criminal wrongdoing. Social Gospel-Christian-like philosophy that was applied to public social problems such as poor living and working conditions.

Muck is another word for dirt, slime and filth. During the late 1800s and early 1900s courageous journalists wrote sensational and critical articles about certain businesses. These writers were said to stir up muck or dirt by exposing corruption or injustice. Ida Tarbell a journalist [reporter] writer based out of New York wrote dozens of investigative reports about the tactics of the Standard Oil Company. Many people believed the stories were instrumental in the passage of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act that broke up the oil trust.

Published a book called the Shame of the Cities in The stories described by Steffens political corruption in cities throughout the United States. Because he sought to reveal bad things for the benefit of most citizens he was considered a muckraker.

Novelist Upton Sinclair, another muckraker, wrote about the scandalously organized meat packing industry. His best selling book The Jungle detailed how unsafe working conditions in the meat packing industry that burdened mostly immigrant workers. His tales of extremely poor sanitation conditions threatened the lives of consumers who ate products often housed among rodents, roaches and other vermin. As a result, shortly after the novel was released, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 and the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] was founded to protect food safety.

Jacob Riis was an immigrant from Denmark. He was a photo-journalist [photographer who told stories with photos] for New York City newspapers. He told thousands of photos showing how immigrants lived in squalor [horrible poverty], and unsafe/unsanitary conditions. In 1890 he published a collection of his photos titled How the Other Half Lives showing how the poorest of the urban poor lived. Americans were outraged!

Areas in large population cities often have sections that are “run down” and poor. During the late 1800s urban slums were miserable, crime infested and unsafe places to live. During the late 1800s and early 1900s newly arrived immigrants lived in these areas because they could not afford to live anywhere else.

Tragic fire at New York City’s Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in More than 100 people [mostly women workers] were killed due to fire related death or from jumping out of the windows to avoid burning. The factory was notorious for very poor working conditions as was known as a “sweatshop.” The factory owners had barricaded the doors shut to prevent employee theft and excessive work breaks. After the fire started workers could not escape. The tragic fire forced many workplace changes and improved building fire codes.

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