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