Clare Keating

July 19, 2019

Professor Kimberly Lark

The Impact

In 1906 a book was released that exposed light to the appalling conditions of the meat

packing industry. The Jungle, was written by Upton Sinclair. Now, this book isn’t the most

famous book. It didn’t have the giant impact that Upton Sinclair truly desired, but it definitely

riled people up enough to address the issue. This made an impact on the progressive era.

Why was this book so important to the progressive area? This book truly exposed the vile

and disgusting conditions of the meat industry. These conditions were so bad that people

believed it was exaggerated or made up. Even the President of the United States at the time,

Theodore Roosevelt, spoke against this book “President Theodore Roosevelt ordered an

immediate investigation into the meat industry, though privately he told Sinclair that he disliked

the Socialist polemic near the end of the novel, Upton Sinclair (1906).” President Theodore

Roosevelt also stated that most of what was said in that book was in accurate.

Out of sight of mind, right? Not after people got a hand on The Jungle. Most people who

didn’t see what was happening first hand had a hard time grasping the horror that occurred being

those walls. After reading the book, it enraged people. Yes, it was a fictional story. Where did

the story come from then? It was actually based on the storyline and reality of a working family.

During this time period, people were looking for change, they wanted something different. So

what did the people do? within two weeks of the books release, Congress passed a bill. The bill

covered many of the concerns that people read about in that book. This was a change they loved
to see.

The message of this book couldn’t be pushed under the rug. The public spoke, made

plans, and made a difference by getting that bill passed to make a change. This book, the jungle,

tore at the heart of people who may not even wanted to participate in the progressive era. It even

got the hardest minded people to step up and do something for good.

References
Costly, Andrew. “BRIA 24 1 b Upton Sinclairs The Jungle: Muckraking the Meat-Packing
Industry - Constitutional Rights Foundation.” BRIA 24 1 b Upton Sinclairs The Jungle:
Muckraking the Meat-Packing Industry - Constitutional Rights Foundation, Constitutional
Rights Foundation, www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-24-1-b-upton-sinclairs-the-
jungle-muckraking-the-meat-packing-industry.html.
Foist, Laura. “Why Was The Jungle Important During the Progressive Era?” Study.com,
Study.com, study.com/academy/lesson/why-was-the-jungle-important-during-the-progressive-
era.html.

Hendricks, Beth. “Impact of The Jungle on Government Policy.” Study.com, Study.com,

study.com/academy/lesson/impact-of-the-jungle-on-government-policy.html.

“Upton Sinclair.” Upton Sinclair, www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3932.html.

“Upton Sinclair (1906).” THE JUNGLE, faculty.uml.edu/sgallagher/jungle.htm.