Political Corruption During the Gilded Age in America

(1890-1910):

The Muckrakers

Mr. Heidenheimer

Brandeis High School

Honors Class

During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s a new type of journalism emerged in America. A lot of the middle class were feeling blocked by the corrupt upper class. A new professional class emerged who saw their own advancement blocked by the corruption. Among these professionals were doctors, educators, journalists, factory managers, accountants and lawyers. To expose the problems of the old order they created a new style of journalism called muckraking.

You are a journalist in America and will investigate and gather evidence about the social problem of political corruption during the gilded age in America. As a member of a group of reporters you and your cohort will have to write an editorial explaining your investigations.

1. You will use your editorial to convince the editor of The New York Times to run your story in favor of exposing political corruption, during the gilded age. You will make note of policy that was created during that time.

2. Each group will have to make an oral presentation and, explain to the editor in detail, your findings as represented in the editorial.

3. Your group will then write a three paragraph editorial that advocates to our governmental leaders so they can create public policies that solve the problems that the muckrakers have illustrated.

Group Leader-responsible for the final editorial to be presented to the editor of the NY Times. You will manage the other reporters so that you can incorporate their report into your editorial. You will work with the group to write the final editorial to be typed by you. You will present your final editorial article to the editor on the final day.

Reporter on Labor-problems of the unregulated market during the gilded age.

Reporter on Big Business-problems of the unregulated market during the gilded age.

Reporter on City Politics-problems of political machines and how they worked during the gilded age.

Reporter on Housing and Immigration-problems of unregulated housing and “the new immigrants”

1. You will use the Public Policy Analyst as the basis of your investigation.

2. You will complete the four worksheets linked below. The worksheets are part of the PUBLIC POLCIY ANALYST (PPA). This web site will guide you in gathering facts on historical public policy issues and their resulting social problem. Please read each web page carefully before completing your worksheets. These worksheets will be used as resource material in completing your task. Your group is responsible for their completion.

Identifying the Problem

Gathering the Evidence

Determine the Cause

Evaluate the policy

1. Your group will report on the opinions of at least 2 muckrakers on each issue

2. Include pictures of the muckrakers if you can

3. Include your groups conclusion from worksheet 4 in writing your editorial and your blog

4. Include all group members names

7. Send a copy of your findings to the editor of the New York Times.

8. Post your findings on your blog.

http://www.americanwriters.org/classroom/videolesson/vlp21_sinclair.asp

http://www.ralphmag.org/BC/new.html

http://www.pace.edu/library/pages/links/muckrakers/Pages/Muckrakers.htm

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/June05/Fisher0628.htm

http://www.digisys.net/users/benwood/progressivism/webdoc3.htm

Rubric for the Political Corruption Blog

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score 100
INFORMATION	Information on in the editorial is incomplete & inaccurate -doesn’t meet requirements of the task	Information in the editorial is somewhat in-complete & inaccurate almost-meets requirements.	Information in the editorial is almost complete & accurate- meets requirements of task	Information in the editorial is complete& accurate-meets requirements of the task	30
THEME	Theme is inconsistent.	Theme lacks consistency.	Theme is supported with evidence.	Theme is accurate and shows more than one source of evidence.	20
ORGANIZATION	Editorial is poorly put together	Editorial is neat but no transitions	Editorial is neatly put together with some transitions	Editorial is excellent with appropriate transitions.	15
WRITING	Writing shows little understanding of the problem of political corruption during the Gilded Age.	Writing shows partial understanding of the problem of political corruption during the Gilded Age.	Writing shows good understanding of the problem of political corruption during the Gilded Age.	Writing shows full understanding of political corruption during the Gilded Age.	15

You have learned about the role of muckrakers as catalysts of the Progressive movement. You have investigated muckrakers and the roots of their problems as exposed in the reporting. You have followed the steps of the Public Policy Analyst to evaluate the problem of political corruption during the Gilded Age and the effects it had on housing, labor, immigration, big business and city politics. You have used this website and the Internet to help guide you in gathering facts on historical public policy issues and their resulting social problem.