Question

evidence of the gilded age/progressive movement
newsies
background: during the late 1800s and early 1900s, newspaper titans like joseph pulitzer and william randolph hearst were the masters of information. any politician, business leader, or public figure could be made or broken by what sort of news these men printed. however, even these titans of information had to rely on newsboys, also called newsies, to help sell their newspapers in the streets of cities. when the price the newsies have to pay for the newspaper is raised, these kids ban together and fight against the newspaper titans, exemplifying the growing progressive movement where certain groups in society fought against injustice.

• as you watch the movie, notice the signs of the times, or the conditions people lived during the gilded age/progressive movement. find and describe 3 examples of each of the following:

1. conditions of the city
2. corruption
3. muckrakers
4. child labor
5. labor unions

Explanation:

The Gilded Age/Progressive Movement in US history is the context. You need to observe and identify examples related to city - conditions, corruption, muckrakers, child labor, and labor unions from a movie. For city conditions, look for overcrowding, poor sanitation; for corruption, political bribes or embezzlement; muckrakers are investigative journalists exposing wrongdoings; child labor can be seen in kids working in factories or on streets; labor unions are groups fighting for workers' rights.

Answer:

1. Conditions of the City:

• Overcrowded tenements: Narrow, poorly - ventilated buildings where many families lived in close quarters.
• Lack of sanitation: Open sewers and garbage - filled streets leading to health hazards.
• Inadequate housing: Shoddy construction of homes for the working - class.

1. Corruption:

• Political bosses accepting bribes for contracts: Politicians taking money from businesses in exchange for awarding public works contracts.
• Embezzlement of public funds: Officials stealing money meant for public projects like schools or infrastructure.
• Vote - buying: Politicians paying voters to cast their ballots in a certain way.

1. Muckrakers:

• Journalist writing about factory safety issues: Exposing dangerous working conditions in factories.
• Magazine article on meat - packing industry: Revealing unsanitary practices in meat - processing plants.
• Newspaper series on political corruption: Uncovering illegal activities of politicians.

1. Child Labor:

• Young children working in textile factories: Performing long hours of repetitive tasks.
• Kids selling newspapers on the streets: Working long days instead of attending school.
• Children working in coal mines: Performing dangerous jobs in dark and dusty mines.

1. Labor Unions:

• Workers striking for better wages: Organizing to demand higher pay from employers.
• Union meetings to discuss working conditions: Workers coming together to plan actions against unfair treatment.
• Labor union leaders negotiating with factory owners: Trying to secure better benefits and shorter working hours.