Which term best matches the concept of social reformers who exposed problems in society?

Which term best matches the concept of social reformers who exposed problems in society?

• A. Muckraker
• B. Progressive
• C. Immigration
• D. Urbanization

Answer: (A)

The term names reform-minded writers who brought hidden social problems into public view during the Progressive Era. Muckrakers exposed corruption, unsafe workplaces, poverty, and abuses in industry and government, with the goal of spurring public pressure and reforms. Examples include Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, which revealed unsanitary meatpacking; Ida Tarbell’s investigations of Standard Oil; and Jacob Riis’s photographs of tenement life. Their reporting helped push laws and reforms like the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act, along with broader antitrust and social reforms. The other terms describe a broader movement (Progressive) or general processes or conditions (Immigration, Urbanization) rather than the specific role of journalists who exposed problems.

The term names reform-minded writers who brought hidden social problems into public view during the Progressive Era. Muckrakers exposed corruption, unsafe workplaces, poverty, and abuses in industry and government, with the goal of spurring public pressure and reforms. Examples include Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, which revealed unsanitary meatpacking; Ida Tarbell’s investigations of Standard Oil; and Jacob Riis’s photographs of tenement life. Their reporting helped push laws and reforms like the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act, along with broader antitrust and social reforms. The other terms describe a broader movement (Progressive) or general processes or conditions (Immigration, Urbanization) rather than the specific role of journalists who exposed problems.