Question

fill in the blank.
the meat inspection act and the pure food and drug act, which gave the federal government regulatory power over food and drugs were enacted largely as a result of ______.

sustained lobbying from progressive women’s groups
○ organized by influential female leaders such as jane addams and ida b. well.

○ public outcry following upton sinclair’s exposé novel, the jungle, highlighted food contamination issues.

○ requests from large meatpacking and canning businesses, who hoped to drive smaller competitors out of business.

○ fifty people got deathly ill from eating meat from a chicago meatpacking plant.

Explanation:

The Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act were enacted mainly due to public outcry after Upton Sinclair's The Jungle exposed food contamination. Progressive women’s groups’ lobbying (first option) was for other reforms, large businesses wouldn’t request regulation to hurt competitors (third option), and there was no specific 50 - person illness event (fourth option) driving this. The novel’s exposure of unsanitary meatpacking conditions led to public demand for regulation.

Answer:

public outcry following Upton Sinclair’s exposé novel, The Jungle, highlighted food contamination issues.