1. Muckrakers
Investigative journalists who highlight corruption, abuse, or unsafe conditions in industry, society, or politics and call for reform.

2. How the Other Half Lives
Jacob Riis
How the Other Half Lives
(1890)
Photographed poor crime, overcrowding, poor living conditions in New York City

3. Upton Sinclair The Jungle (1906)
Exposed for working conditions, exploitation of immigrant workers, and unsanitary conditions in Chicago’s Meat Packing Industry.
Meat Inspection Act (1906)
Pure Food & Drug Act (1906)

4. Lincoln Steffens The Shame of the Cities (1904)
Exposed Corruption of Political Machines
Spurred need for electoral reform… many states adopted secret ballots, initiative, referendum, and recall measures

5. David Graham Phillips Treason of the Senate (1906)
Criticized influence of big business on Senators
Reform: Passage of 17th Amendment, which changed from election by state legislatures to direct election of Senators

6. The History of the Standard Oil Company (1904)
Ida Tarbell
The History of the Standard Oil Company (1904)
Exposed unfair business practices such as “rebates” used by Rockefeller’s Oil Trust to put small companies out of business
Lead to passage of more Anti-Trust Legislation
Hepburn Act (1906)
Mann-Elkins Act (1910)
Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914)