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"The Jungle"
Upton Sinclair was one of many journalists labeled 'muckrakers,' whose primary purpose was to expose corruption and other social ills during the early 20th century. His most famous work was "The Jungle," a fictional novel set in the Chicago meatpacking industry. The book was meant to provide insight into the lives of immigrant workers, but led to the creation of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan caught fire, leaving many of its female workers struggling to survive. The doors to the factory had been chained closed to prevent breaks, which resulted in many of the women being unable to escape. The fire brought the plight of workers to the forefront of public attention, as the same girls had advocated for safer conditions during the year prior to the fire. -
Presidential Election of 1912
The election of 1912 pitted Republican Taft against Democrat Wilson, with Theodore Roosevelt leading the newly formed Progressive Party. The election revealed the importance of business in this era, as the candidates were primarily separated by their views on monopolies and corporations. Taft viewed all monopolies as illegal, Roosevelt promoted regulation, and Wilson desired incentives to make small businesses more competitive. Wilson ultimately won the election. -
Hetch Hetchy Debate
Hetch Hetchy was a valley located in Yosemite National Park. It was revealed that the valley was the ideal spot for a water reservoir to serve San Francisco. The proposal led to a debate on the purpose of environmentalism. Some argued nature should be preserved for its spiritual value, while others said nature should be utilized to best serve society with minimal waste. The second argument prevailed, and the valley was flooded for the benefit of the city. -
End of Grandfather Clauses
After the end of the Civil War, southern states began using other methods to prohibit African American voting. One of these methods was the implementation of grandfather clauses. In order to vote, an individual's grandfather must have been able to vote in the year 1867. As African Americans were still unable to vote at this time, it prevented their descendants from voting in the present. The Supreme Court declared these clauses unconstitutional in 1915. -
America Enters WWI
Conflict had existed in Europe for several years between Germany, Britain, Austria, Serbia, and other countries. However, it was not until 1917 that America chose to become involved. American politicians were enraged by the sinking of neutral ships by the Germans and by the Germans encouraging Mexico to start another war via the Zimmerman Telegram. America was largely unprepared for a conflict of this scale, as this was America's first appearance as a world power. -
Red Summer
In the summer of 1919, from April to October, Americans were still reeling from the aftereffects of WWI. The Red Summer consisted of several race-driven riots taking place across the country. The riots especially involved African Americans, as they had recently been empowered by their participation in the war efforts. These riots reflected the future of American society regarding race, as both World Wars offered citizens a new sense of equality. -
19th Amendment
After many years of protest and hard work, women were given the right to vote with the 19th Amendment. Women had become more visible with their new strategies of creating organizations and mounting public calls for equal rights. It was a massive victory when President Wilson endorsed women's right to vote in 1918, which led to the amendment being passed two years later.
