American Studies- Jacob Riis & How the Other Half Lives
Muckraking
"Digging up the Dirt" Investigated terrible conditions that existed at the turn of the century; helped lead to change. People who do this are called Muckrakers- example: Jacob Riis
How the Other Half Lives
Book by Riis written in 1890; exposed the terrible conditions in apartments in NYC through graphic pictures (photos)
Jacob Riis
Danish immigrant who wrote How the Other Half Lives among other works, social documentary photographer and social reformer
Lower East Side, NYC
Location of the tenements that Riis took photos of
Immigrants
People who move to the US; many were poor and lived in tenements in NYC
Teddy Roosevelt
President who helped lead the Progressive Era- read Riis' book and called for changes to be made
Social issues
Problems in society- example: Tenement houses and their poor conditions, nasty meat, corrupt politicians who do not listen to the people, children working in terrible conditions
Tenement Houses
Slum apartments with crowded, terrible, unsafe conditions
Social Reformer
Someone who works to change society; example: Jacob Riis
Progressive Era
The time of reform in the United States; due to muckrakers like Riis, America saw changes in housing, politics, meat industry, labor conditions