1. What is happening in this picture? Use
details from the photo.
Why do you think this situation exists?
2. Essential Questions
Activity
Focus: What
led to the rise
of the
Progressives?
Unit Focus: Who
benefits and who
suffers during the
time of profound
economic
change?
Unit Focus: Did
this period of
industrialization
and reform move
America closer or
further away
from its founding
ideals?
Unit Focus:
How can
people
change
society?
4. Getting Started
Read chapter 16 section 1
in (pg. 205)
Write down the chapter title
and the section heading in
your notes.
Answer these three questions in complete
sentences under the chapter heading:
• Who was Jacob Riis?
• What is a muckraker?
• What was Riis trying to accomplish with his
photographs?
5. America in 1900
Read chapter 16 section 2
(pgs. 206-07)
Write down the section
heading in your notes.
6. Reread
Answer these questions in
complete sentences under the
chapter heading:
What important announcement
did the Census Bureau make in
1890?
What happened to American
industry in the years after the
Civil War?
What did American cities look
like in 1900?
How had the U.S. population
become more diverse by the
early 1900s?
7. Important Vocabulary
Muckrakers
Urbanization
The Jungle
Tammany Hall
Patronage
Pendelton Act
Civil service
Temperance
movement
Tenements
Political Machine
Boss Tweed
Jacob Riis
Vocabulary activity link:
10. Directions
1. Prepare your “muckraking”
notepads.
2. Conduct your field investigation.
3. Choose the focus of your
investigative report.
4. Create a magazine or newspaper
to inform the nation.
5. Report your findings to the class.
11. Prepare your
“muckraking” notepads
1. Divide your
paper in half.
Fold it and then
draw a line on
the fold.
2. Divide the half
paper into three
sections.
3. Repeat on
another piece of
paper.
1: Problem title
2: Problem
Description
3: Information about
the Problem
12. Conduct your field
investigation.
Fill in your “notepad”
For part 1: Examine the visual and written information. In
this space, explain what problem you think you have
uncovered. Use a headline style format.
For part 2: Describe the problem using vivid and shocking
language that will stir your reader into action. Write at
least 2 sentences about the photograph. Also chose one
sentence from the quotation excerpt that exemplifies the
problem. Cite the quote.
For part 3: Read the section in the textbook. Then, in this
space, record at least four important pieces of information
about the problem.
13. Choose the focus of your
investigative report.
Pick one of the four areas to focus on:
Problems in cities
and workplaces
Slum Life
The workplace
Unsafe products
Problems in the
environment
The landscape
Natural resources
Pollution
Problems in politics
Political Machines and
bosses
Local and state politics
National politics
Problems in society
Social class
African Americans
Women
Families
14. Research Your Issue
Read the section for your specific
topic.
Problems in cities and workplaces
Problems in the environment
Problems in politics
Problems in society
15. Can you write an
effective paragraph
about a problem at
the Turn of the
Century?
GOAL
16. Write Your Investigative
Report 1/3
Requirements:
A title and date for the publication. (ex.- The New York
Times- be creative with your own title.) The date should
be an appropriate date from the time period.
An appropriate and appealing title for each article with a
byline. It should let the reader know what the topic of
the story is. A byline is the name of the author or
author(s) of the article.
An introduction article with a brief explanation of
muckraking and an overview of what you plan to expose
in the publication. It is a minimum of one well-
developed paragraph.
17. Write Your Investigative
Report 2/3
Requirements:
One article describing each of the problems your
group uncovered for your topic. Use vivid and
shocking language. Each article should be a
minimum of at least five well-developed sentences,
including at least three pieces of information from
your notes. Each group member writes one of these
articles.
A conclusion article summarizing the reasons your
readers should take action to address the problems
your group uncovered. It is a minimum of one well-
developed paragraph.
18. Write Your Investigative
Report 3/3
Requirements:
A “photograph” for each article from your
investigation with a brief caption. This can be
downloaded from the Internet. It should depict
something you wrote about the article. It must be
historically accurate. The caption should be placed
under the picture.
Add other clever and creative touches that will make
your article more realistic. This includes
advertisements and anything else that makes it look
more authentic.
