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Within the year 1900, "Chicago was the home of the nation's biggest meatpacking companies".
Since Chicago was the heart of the meatpacking companies that means manufacturers were more focused on their businesses rather than their workers since they were expanding and growing. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response) -
A meatpackers Union in Chicago went on strike against the 4 biggest meatpacking companies of the Progressive Era.
The meatpackers wanted better wages and working conditions because they only got about 10 cents as a wage and the conditions were unsanitary/dangerous. (The Meatpacking Industry) -
While no one knew about the horrible conditions in factories "Upton Sinclair spent seven weeks in the slaughter houses in 1904".
Upton had to figure out what was really going on behind the scenes and had to use that new knowledge to spread the truth. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response). -
In Upton Sinclair's novel, "The Jungle", he described the horrors of the meatpacking plains in great detail".
Even if the book open the eyes of the people, "the people" weren't upset about thw working conditions but about what they were ating. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response) -
The "Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire" took place in 1911 that had 146 people die because of the horrible working conditions.
This fire finally triggered legislators to pass laws regulating the conditons within factories. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response) -
Within 1912, "Theodore Roosevelt ran aginst Taft in the new Progressive Party." They believed in regulating factory conditions, against involuntary employment/diseases and tried to prevent any accidents in the factories.
Roosevelt passed many laws to regulate factory conditions and helped make the meat more sanitary for consumers. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response) -
The government enforced the "Adamson Act" that gave railroad workers an 8 hour workday so they they aren't worked to near death.
Less employee strikes will take place if the government favors to the factory workers needs, or at least labor workers. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response) -
Congress passed the " Workingmen's Compensation Act" in 1916 that gave workers government assistance if they got hurt on the job.
This act gave workers government assistance since most employees were in poverty and with financial assistance, families didn't have to worry about medical bills. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response) -
As a result, "Congress passed the Meat Inspection Act", within 1906 because manufacturers did not advertise their products truthfully.
The act made it so that there were health standards for manufacturers and that there would be federal inspection of all of the meat. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response) -
Congress passed the "Pure Food and Drug Act", within 1906 because finding out about the chemicals that were put into the meat.
This act required that manufacturers use all safe ingredients in any of their products and that they have to advertise them truthfully. (Meatpacking Factories: Legislative Response)
