The Muckrakers• Journalists who exposed social

problems and political corruption but did not propose solutions– Thomas Nast – cartoonist known for

exposing Boss Tweed– Upton Sinclair – His book The Jungle

exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry

– Ida Tarbell – journalist who wrote about the Standard Oil Company

– Lincoln Steffens – exposed corruption in city government in St. Louis

Progressive Reforms—Political

• Problem: Politics controlled by political machines (bosses)

• The most famous political machine, Tammany Hall, was brought down by the most famous political cartoonist, Thomas Nast.

• Political cartoons are often most effective because they inspire emotion and reach populations of all educational levels

•Solutions:–17th Amendment: people, NOT state legislatures elect senators–Recall: Remove a corrupt elected official–Referendum: Allows voters to approve/reject a law (taxes)–Initiative: Allows voters to propose laws–Secret ballot: end control of bosses