Muckraking

A study of the muck

Muckraking

• The exposing or revealing of corruption in the government or private business to the public

Chicago’s Union Stock Yards

Chicago’s Union Stock Yards

The Jungle

The Jungle’s effect

• Government created sanitation laws and other restrictions for the meat companies– This made food products

safer

• Made Chicago’s industry the focus of America

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Robber Barons• One of the American industrial or financial

tycoons who became wealthy by unethical means, such as exploitation of labor– Think monopoly guy

• Cornelius Vanderbilt was considered one• Argued for “laissez faire”

– What is laissez faire?

John D. Rockefeller

• President of Standard Oil Company– ExxonMobil, Chevron,

Conoco, BP, Marathon• Accused of being a robber

baron – corrupt boss• He had $257.6 BILLION in

today’s dollars– Bill Gates only has $100

billion

Labor Unions• Why would you want to be in a labor union?

– What does a labor union accomplish?

Haymarket Square Riot

• Chicago, May 4, 1886• 8 hour work day was scheduled to be

implemented on May 1, 1886• Some bosses weren’t following that law• Someone threw a bomb at the police• Most people thought it was an anarchist or

socialist. Why?

Haymarket Square Riot

• The media may have distorted the event• The governor pardoned some of the people

convicted in the deaths of police officers– Labor union population dropped dramatically

• International Labor Day is on May 1st

– Ours is in September– May 1 in the U.S. is Law Day

Labor Injustices

• We talked about robber barons who paid low wages and had disgusting working conditions

• Bosses weren’t afraid to hire children

Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire

• Women working in a shirt factory• Factory caught fire on the 8th, 9th, and 10th

floors• 146 workers died

Progressive Eraa period of reform which lasted from

the 1890s to the 1920s

Goals of Progressivism1. Social justice2. Moral improvement3. Democracy4. Economic Change5. Efficiency6. Conservation

Social Justice• Settlement houses• YMCA• Soup kitchens

Moral Improvement• Prohibition – 18th

amendment– A social movement led

by women• Women’s Christian

Temperance Union– Feminism

Democracy• Women’s suffrage – 19th

amendment– More rights for more

people• Direct Election of

Senators – 17th amendment– Gave voters more

control• Secret Ballot

Economic Change• Muckrakers• Child Labor laws • Trust Busting

– Trust – business entity formed with intent to monopolize

Trust Bustaz• refers to

government activities designed to break up trusts or monopolies

• No more laissez faire

Trust Bustaz