MuckrakersMuckrakers

Investigative journalists who

highlight corruption,

abuse, or unsafe conditions in

industry, society, or politics and call for reform.

Jacob Riis

Photographed poor crime, overcrowding, poor living conditions in New York City

How the Other Half Lives

(1890)

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)

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

David Graham PhillipsTreason 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

Ida TarbellThe 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)