Progressive Era DBQ

Chapter 17 – Freedoms Boundaries, at Home and Abroad The Populist Platform Elizabeth Beeman History 207B - 73339 Also known as the People’s Party, in 1892 The Populist Platform sought for reforms to our Nation which they saw as being on the verge of ruin, caused by political and economic inequality. Corruption in government was rampant. People were demoralized by the conditions they found themselves in. It became necessary for voting in most States to take place in protected areas where the ballot boxes would not be stuffed, voters would not be intimidated and bribery could be held at bay. Because newspapers were largely subsidized they did not favor echoing public opinion.

The Jungle had very strong imagery and was designed to get the public’s sympathy towards these workers. Instead the people became disgusted at the sanitation of the meat packing industry and appalled about how their food was processed. Upton Sinclair said: “I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach.” Sinclair identified that the meat packing industry created a significant amount of true risk. The poor sanitation conditions increased the probability that people would get sick.

During the end of The Gilded Age, technology and innovation, expanded, and the United States were thought of as becoming a growing empire. With this growing empire came a lot of changes, trends and differences in opinions. Theodore Roosevelt, Ida M. Tarbell, and Upton Sinclair, sat down to discuss the continuing problems that started with the Gilded Age. Theodore Roosevelt was an astounding opinion leader and was someone people considered to be the prominent head of the Progressive Era.

Low wages, long hours, and no concern for the public mean more money in anyone’s pocket. The early 1900’s was a story of mistreatment in meatpacking companies all across Chicago. The secrets held by means of the owners of these companies were outrageous and deadly. Until a hero of sorts had the guts to spill all the dark secrets held inside the walls of all those companies, the consumers knew what they were eating. Upton Sinclair, author of The Jungle, brought to light all the wrongdoings of the meatpacking industry’s secrets and lies.

In the early 1900s, there were so many unbearable conditions that needed to be reformed such as factory injuries, overcrowded cities , starvation, wages and so on. Millions of immigrants came to the United States looking for a better life. The working conditions were inhumane and brutal since there were too many labors and those big businesses’ owners were looking for a way to minimize the input and maximize the profit. The meat packing industry was exposed to the public when Upton Sinclair published his book “The Jungle”. This industry was unsanitary and hazardous to workers and consumers.

Chris McCandless was a man who was unhappy with the society he lived in. He hated when his parents bought him expensive things, like cars, when there were people in the world that can't afford to feed themselves. He also dealt with that fact that his father was having children with his old wife when he was married to another woman, which greatly upset Chris’s opinion of his father. Another person who was upset with the society he lived in was William Wallace.

In 2011 many countries in the Middle East rose up and revolted against their oppressive authoritarian leaders. The citizens in these countries wanted the rights and freedoms they had been denied when the dictators were in power. The governments in these countries had far too much power and the there was nothing to keep them from abusing their power. When the citizens had far too few rights and there were laws in place to keep them from doing anything about it.

During the Progressive Era, there were many issues surrounding labor, the food industry,and trusts. The Labor Union began to protest for better working conditions and hours, along with child labor laws. The Federal Government and the reformers had to act, and bring about reform through the nation. But the real question is whether or not they were effective in doing so. One of the main issues of the working industry that came to light was the terrible state of the meat packing industry.

The publication of The Jungle in 1906 had a powerful affect on America, though not quite the affect that Sinclair had hoped for. His novel was meant to open people’s eyes to the poor conditions that workers are put through and the destructiveness of capitalism. However, reader’s main concern after reading this was the conditions of the meat packing plants and how their food was

Sinclair’s novel vividly and truthfully depicts the way the industrialization process decays the lives of its workers. In fact, to truly understand the struggles of the workers and write the most authentic piece of literature possible, Sinclair visited and spent several days in packingtown. Sinclair illustrates, throughout the entirety of the novel, the horrid conditions of the meatpacking industry, and he spared no gut-wrenching detail. One quote from Sinclair himself states, “I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach. "

Journalists and authors, such as Upton Sinclair from document 2, can be credited with exposing the corruption during the gilded age. Sinclair was know as a muckraker and his purpose in writing books such as The Jungle was bring light to what was happening in these factories. His work played a key role in the progressive era by holding these business men accountable. The Progressive Party also played a key role in the progressive era. Based on their platform, it is shown that their purpose is to benefit the working class by laws and

Thesis: In the progressive era there were many new ideas enacted by the government. These ideas changed many things about the way that America operated and were very effective at bringing reform at a national level. The progressive movement is one of the most influential movements in American history and has brought effective change all the way up until today. Contextualization:

During the 1900’s working conditions were undeniably horrible. In Packingtown everyday got more difficult as the days went on. In the meat packing business things were supposed to be done quick. Inside the factories packing, chopping, inspecting and people actions didn’t mix. Not only did the people in the factories suffered, the people outside of the factory also suffered.

Another critical grievance against society performed by many affluent employers was the exploitation of the new generations. Not only were fully adult workers being brutalized through an abhorrent working environment, children as young as six years old were exposed to many of the same or similar conditions. Document three is a photograph of two little boys who look to be no older than nine years of age changing the bobbins in a giant machine without any safety equipment while the machine is running. Not only are these kids forced to work in danger of losing digits or other body parts to the hazardous contraptions they worked with all day, this eliminates any chance they have to complete much, if any amount of education that might have helped them rise up in society and break the vicious circle that makes and keeps the poor the way they are, impeding any hierarchical progress. After a grueling day of hard work with little income to show for it, as people went home to their families to eat, they were presented with virtually inedible meat that was then compounded with rat hair, and feces.

“Upton Sinclair's The Jungle:Muckraking the Meat-Packing Industry.” BRIA 24 1 b Upton Sinclairs The Jungle: Muckraking the Meat-Packing Industry - Constitutional Rights Foundation, www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-24-1-b-upton-sinclairs-the-jungle-muckraking-the-meat-packing-industry.html. Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle.