Industrialization in America,
1800s
U.S. History
Mr. Molina
p. 320-322
p. 326-327
Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, 1906
Sinclair was a writer and
“muckraker.” He brought issues
to the American public through
his writings.
“The pen
(again) is
mightier
than the
sword”
From Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle
“There would be meat that had tumbled out on
the floor, in the dirt and sawdust, where the
workers had trampled and spit uncounted
billions of germs. There would be meat stored in
rooms and thousands of rats would race about
it..A man could run his hand over these piles of
meat and sweep handfuls of dried rat dung.
These rats were nuisances, and packers would put
poisoned bread out for them; they would die, and
then the rats, bread, and meat would go into the
hoppers together…
In 1906 Sinclair’s novel The Jungle drew outrage against
the Chicago meatpacking industry for its arrogant
disregard of basic health standards. This led to
government regulation of food and drugs.
Teddy Roosevelt’s Reaction to The Jungle
Meat Inspection Act, 1906
Pure Food and Drug Act, 1906
Roosevelt responds by appointing a
commission of experts to investigate
the meatpacking industry.
Commission backed up Sinclair’s
account of disgusting conditions in the
industry.
Meat Packing Act (1906): Strict
cleanliness requirements for
meatpackers.
• 1. Write a short (2-3 sentence summary) of
today’s powerpoint.
• S.O.A.P.S. the T. Roosevelt / Meat Scandal
political cartoon.
S.O.A.P.S.
ROOSEVELT’S SQUARE DEAL
(p. 317-325)
PROBLEMS
1902 Coal Strike
Northern Securities Company monopoly
Unsafe Meat Processing
Exploitation of the Environment
Racial Injustice
SOLUTIONS
Letter to President Teddy Roosevelt
• Imagine you are a concerned citizen of the United States in
the early 1900s.
• You have read parts of Upton Sinclair’s novel, The Jungle.
• Write a letter to the President explaining:
– What you have read? What does Sinclair say about the
meatpacking industry?
– Do you think the government should intervene? How
should this problem be resolved?
– Why is this important to you and your family?
– Is it the government’s responsibility to “protect”
Americans from unsafe/unsanitary foods and work
conditions?