Muckraker’s Mission: Progressivism

Muckraker Assignment:

Instructions:  

1. Watch the video on the Introduction Page  

2. Click on this link to see the Prezi presentation of the background information for the Progressive Era.  If it takes too long for the Prezi to download, you can view the PDF version here.  Fill out the Progressivism background worksheet while you view this presentation (you can download it here).  

3. Research information about the following aspects of the Progressive Era, and choose ONE of the following to compose a Muckraker article in which you expose the problem to American society:      

• Unclean food      

• Legal Patent Medicines      

• Poor urban living conditions (ghettos, slums)      

• Dangerous working conditions      

• Corrupt government      

• Anti-Monopoly “Trust Busting”      

• Child Labor      

• Women’s Rights Movement      

• The Fight for Equality      

• Prohibition  

4. Prepare a debate topic for our in-class debate about the Progressive Era.    You will decide on a single issue or aspect of the Progressive Era that was the most important, prepare some facts to prove that your choice was the most important, and discuss them in class.   

• Be prepared to answer the following questions in your debate:      

• Of the many reform movements occurring in the Progressive Era, which one reform is the most important and WHY (prepare evidence & statistics)?      

• What evidence exists in the early 20th century American society to support your opinion?      

• What kind of resistance will reformers face in this reform movement, or why is this a difficult problem to fix in American society?      

• Who are the key personalities related to this movement?  Are there any prominent members of American society or the American government that support your reform movement?  If so, who are they?    

5. Muckraker Speech and Legislation Proposed to Congress:      

• You will write a speech that describes specifically why the issue you’ve chosen is the most important issue or problem facing America in the early 20th century.  Be prepared to include specific details and examples.     

• Write a 1-2 paragraph, single spaced speech that contains details about that specific problem (including facts, statistics, detailed stories or personal accounts, etc).

• Your speech must end by proposing a solution to the problem

Wondering how much your reform effort might cost? These are estimates based on current Federal Government budgets, adjusted for inflation to represent what it might cost in the year 1912 with a total budget of $3 billion dollars:

• End Child Labor and Fund a Public School System — $48.9 million (or 1.63 percent of the $3 Billion budget for 1912)

• Food & Drug Administration — $9.48 million (or 0.316% of the $3 Billion budget for 1912)

• Improve Working Conditions