The Muckrakers

Christine Ahn

Mr. Eggen

U.S. History

22 February 2018

The Muckrakers

        The muckraker was someone who wrote about the truths that exist in society. They used descriptive and persuasive writing, along with images to show others the terrible truth behind America. Muckrakers “racked up the dirt or muck in the real world and exposed it to the public.” For example, Upton Sinclair wrote about meat production in The Jungle. He shows how sausages were “moly and white;” there was slo “meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in dirt and sawdust, where the workers had trampled and spit.” This made the middle and wealthy class Americans feel disgusted about the meat they were eating. It helped reform to make more sanitary conditions for the food they were eating. Following, Jacob Rils highlights the living conditions of the poor. The rich people of America probably thought their country was rich and luxurious before knowing much about the lower classes. He says that tenements are filled with suffering people that have almost no way of escaping if there ever is a fire. Jacob Rils shows the wealthy class of America how most of the others were living and that these conditions needed a change. Muckrakers were essential to the Progressive Era because they brought into light more serious issues concerning the American Society. Without them, most of the wealthy class probably would have no idea about what food they were eating or how the poor people lived. Even today, journalists and news reporters continuously alert us of what is happening around the world. Without them, we would have not been willing to change and begin the Progressive Era.