AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Muckrakers (Day 206/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about Muckrakers as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

“The Open Road,” Library of Congress

Muckrakers were a group of investigative journalists and writers during the Progressive Era in the early 20th century who exposed and criticized social and political issues in the United States. 

“A Nauseating Job, But it Must Be Done,” Britannica

The term "muckraker," coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, reflected their role in uncovering and "raking up" the societal "muck" or problems in order to spread awareness and push Americans to act. 

Upton Sinclair, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Lincoln Steffens, Ida Tarbell, Wikimedia Commons 

Extremely influential muckrakers included Upton Sinclair, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Lincoln Steffens, and Ida Tarbell. They addressed many issues including workplace sanitation, racial violence, municipal corruption, and monopolistic practices.

Collier’s, The National Weekly, Wikimedia Commons

Their writings were published in books and magazines, including McClure’s, Collier’s, and Cosmopolitan, and collectively contributed to the initiation of many progressive reforms.

Muckrakers became a driving force behind the Progressive movement, advocating for positive change and inspiring a new era of social and political consciousness in the United States.

Join me tomorrow as I explain Prohibition in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!