2.3 – MUCKRAKING
UNIT 2 – THE PROGRESSIVE
ERA
SECTION 3 – MUCKRAKING
Learning Targets & Key Words
The Students Will Be Able
To (TSWBAT):


Analyze the major
problems from the Gilded
Age leading to the
Progressive Era
Evaluate the methods of
muckrakers
 Imitate the style of
muckrakers and apply it to
a modern issue
EQ: How did muckrakers
of the Progressive Era
attempt to make changes
to reform American
society?
Key Words:
 Muckraking
What is a Muckraker?
Writer/journalist who exposes the problems
of society in order to bring about reform
Muckrakers

Lincoln Steffens
(magazine editor)
 The Shame of the Cities
 Political corruption in
Philadelphia
Jacob Riis
(photographer,
NY Evening Sun)
 How the Other
Half Lives
 Poor living conditions
in tenements

Muckrakerscont.
Muckrakers,

Ida Tarbell
 The
History of Standard Oil
 Robber baron business
practices of Rockefeller

John Spargo
 The
Bitter Cry of the Children
 Child Labor

Also, Lewis Hine
Muckrakers, cont.
Lewis Hine and Child Labor
 Lewis Hine was a school teacher
turned muckraker during the
Progressive era.
 In 1908 Hine became a photographer who was
interested in exposing the ills of society.
 From 1908-1912 he targeted the abuses of
child labor in American Industry.
 He produced a photo essay on child labor in
1909
Muckrakers
Muckrakers, cont.
Frank Norris
 The Octopus
 Unfair business practices of the Southern Pacific
Railroad
Muckrakers
Muckrakers, cont.

**Upton Sinclair
 The
Jungle
 Working conditions for
immigrants; unsanitary
conditions in
meat-packing plants

Frances E.W. Harper
 Iola
Leroy
 Struggles of African Americans
Muckraker Article Assignment


You need to write your own muckraker article. Pick
something from today that you think needs to be
brought to light and changed (for example:
environmental policy dealing with global warming).
Write a 2 paragraph (each at least 5 sentences)
article from the point of view of a muckraker on the
topic of your choice. Include a title and a picture
with a caption.
5 picture pages
Review

What is a Muckraker?

Why did they write?

What types of things did they write about?

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