Clean Food Laws

                 I researched about the clean food laws put into affect after Upton Sinclair published a book entitled, The Jungle, detailing the horrible conditions of food plants in Chicago. These laws were in large part facilitated by Theodore Roosevelt, an outspoken Progressive. I analyzed a political cartoon in which Roosevelt was literally running the Beef Trusts out of town with his ever famous "Big Stick". (1)

                   Interesting fact, Theodore Roosevelt actually invented the term Muckraker during a speech condemning the work of Upton Sinclair on the bias that he wasn't speaking truthfully. Upon further research, however, it was determined that the conditions inside of these meat packing factories wasn't exaggerated by Sinclair. It was only after he made sure of these conditions that Roosevelt started the fight for clean food. In fact, Roosevelt made a speech in Congress simply titled "A Revolting Story of Filth and Pollution". (3)

                  I really got to see what the "muckrakers", or reporters, thought of what Roosevelt was doing at the time. I got to see if they believed it to actually be an important issue because of things like how long the articles were and how big of a heading they received. I got to see these reporters slowly turn around what they were saying about Roosevelt and Sinclair, in an article titled "Thanks, Not Blame Due Roosevelt and Sinclair", which is a really fancy way of saying what they did is good for everyone and they should be praised for it as opposed to being condemned. (2)

                    Another fact that I found interesting is that Sinclair's book was literally so controversial that some libraries banned the reading of it and books by other "muckrakers". This is so crazy because it is against the 1st Amendment, and I think that it is crazy that big political and business bosses had the kind of power to make things like that happen, even such a short time ago. (4) (5)

                 I believe that it is obvious how my topic is relevant to the discussion of Progressivism in that this law would not have come into being without Progressive people wanting a change. They had to publicize what they believed to be wrong in order to gain the support of the people, and then they had to fight the people in power who didn't want the laws to change. Also, this effort was led by Theodore Roosevelt, a man who we studied because of how strong of a Progressive he is. Honestly I'm just glad we got these laws passed, because the thought of eating a group up human finger makes me gag.

Archive

Articles:

1. Cartoon: Pure Food and the Big Stick
2. Thanks, Not Blame Due Roosevelt and Sinclair
3. A Revolting Story of Filth and Pollution
4. Library Bans Book
5. Sinclair Presses for Publication of Report