How Progressive Were the Progressives?
By the later part of the 19th Century America was plagued by a multitude of societal injustices. These "social ills" created an era known today as Progressivism. Many of the social injustices came as industrialism swept through our country and involved many different groups. Some examples of the "ills" are; child labor, overcrowding in cities, insufficient safety regulations, and the corruption of government.
From the abuse of the working class and their poor living and working conditions to the excesses of the wealthy, as well as the denial of women and minority rights in the United States, many suggested these problems needed reform. As the reform movement got underway, a new investigative journalistic style known as muckraking emerged and exposed for the public many of our nation's problems. These journalists' sometimes graphic information aided the reform movements by educating Americans to the nation's social and political abuses. Today's "investigative journalists" or muckrakers, continue to expose societal problems and initiate reform.
From the abuse of the working class and their poor living and working conditions to the excesses of the wealthy, as well as the denial of women and minority rights in the United States, many suggested these problems needed reform. As the reform movement got underway, a new investigative journalistic style known as muckraking emerged and exposed for the public many of our nation's problems. These journalists' sometimes graphic information aided the reform movements by educating Americans to the nation's social and political abuses. Today's "investigative journalists" or muckrakers, continue to expose societal problems and initiate reform.
Memorandum
TO: Nelli Bly, Jacob Riis, Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, John Spargo, Lincoln Steffens, Staff Writers
FROM: Samuel McClure, Editor
RE: Next Issue of McClure's Magazine
Our society has fallen into the depths of despair. We must expose the many social injustices that inflict our nation to the public so that we can initiate reform. Our next issue is critical, we need to include compelling stories that will create public outrage, so something will be done about them. I have compiled a list of stories that I want you to cover:
Your deadline is in less than one week, good luck.
Sincerely,
FROM: Samuel McClure, Editor
RE: Next Issue of McClure's Magazine
Our society has fallen into the depths of despair. We must expose the many social injustices that inflict our nation to the public so that we can initiate reform. Our next issue is critical, we need to include compelling stories that will create public outrage, so something will be done about them. I have compiled a list of stories that I want you to cover:
- Nellie Bly - Triangle Factory Fire
- Jacob Riis - Tenement Housing
- Upton Sinclair - Public Health (Meat packing Industry)
- John Spargo - Child Labor
- Ida Tarbell - Big Business
- Lincoln Steffens - Corruption of Political Officials
Your deadline is in less than one week, good luck.
Sincerely,
Samuel McClure
Directions
Meet with your team and each person will assume the role of one of the Muckraker journalist. (Nelli Bly, Jacob Riis, Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, John Spargo, Lincoln Steffans). Write down who represents each person. Elect a team leader that will act as the editor. This person will write an article also, but can be trusted to keep everyone else on task. The editor will also select the newspaper type and be in charge of putting it together.Each of you will investigate your journalist and
the topic that Samuel McClure, Editor of McClure's Magazine, has assigned you.
You will write an article that will include a title, appropriate graphics,
(photographs, clip art, etc.), a quick bio of your journalist, and it should
expose the social ill you are reporting on (k.i.s.s.).
- Nellie Bly - Triangle Factory Fire
- What happened? When did it occur? Where was it? Who was involved?
- Why was this event significant?
- Could the tragedy have been prevented? What can be done to help insure that it won't happen again?
- Jacob Riis - Tenement Housing
- What are the conditions of the housing? Give detailed evidence and try to include personal accounts.
- Why is this believable?
- What can be done to change the situation?
- Upton Sinclair - Public Health (Meat Packing Industry)
- Give a detailed description of the problems associated with the Meat Industry, citing evidence of what you uncover in your research.
- Are there any inspection/sanitations laws regulating the meat industry?
- What can be done to change the situation?
- Ida Tarbell - Big Business
- What are the problems associated with big business?
- How do monopolies take advantage for the public consumer?
- What can be done to change the situation?
- John Spargo - Child Labor
- Give a detailed description of the working conditions that children must endure on a day-to-day basis.
- Why are children forced to work? What kinds of jobs do they obtain?
- What can be done to change the situation?
- Lincoln Steffans - Political Corruption
- Who was Boss Tweed? What happened to Tammany Hall?
- Describe the political corruption and the parties involved.
- What can be done to prevent political corruption?
After conducting your research and writing your article your group must design the layout of the magazine issue using Microsoft Word. If you would like to submit your magazine in a different format, you may. Attached are two templates for you to use; however you may put together your own. Remember, your images MUST be true to the cause and the time period.
Resources
These links serve as a basis from which your research may begin. You may need to expand your research in order to properly meet the requirements of the project rubric.
|