Essay about Upton Sinclair And The Chicago Meat-Packing...

Upton Sinclair and the Chicago Meat-packing Industry In 1900, there were over 1.6 million people living in Chicago, the countrys second largest city. Of those 1.6 million, nearly 30% were immigrants. Most immigrants came to the United States with little or no money at all, in hope of making a better life for themselves. A city like Chicago offered these people jobs that required no skill. However, the working and living conditions were hazardous and the pay was barely enough to survive on. This is the bases for Upton Sinclairs book, The Jungle. Sinclair agreed to investigate working conditions in Chicagos meatpacking plants, for the Socialist journal, Appeal to Reason, in 1904. The Jungle, published in 1906, is†¦show more content†¦They needed help from the government and local community. In other words, machine politics. Politicians played an important role in the political machine. In order to maintain this role, they received substantial kickbacks from the owners of the factories. They would recruit people to help the immigrants become citizens of the United States, and then pay the immigrants to vote for a specific candidate, often several times. Before the Progressive Party materialized, there were just the Democrats and the Republicans, and the one got the office which bought the most votes. Readers were not concerned with the treatment of workers, as portrayed by The Jungle, because they really didnt care for the working class, or more specifically, immigrants. However, readers were shocked when they discovered exactly how their meat was processed and prepared. Sinclair used just as much, if not more, gruesome detail in describing the products the American public was consuming, as he did when describing the workplace, living conditions, politics, society and Chicagos scenery. In a futile attempt to build up the readers sympathy toward the wage-slaves, Sinclair also details the process in which foods not related to the meat-packing industry are prepared. For example, he write s, their pale blue milk...was watered, and doctored with formaldehyde. The controversy over foodShow MoreRelatedUpton Sinclair and the Chicago Meat-Packing Industry1072 Words   |  5 PagesUpton Sinclair and the Chicago Meat-packing Industry In 1900, there were over 1.6 million people living in Chicago, the countrys second largest city. Of those 1.6 million, nearly 30% were immigrants. Most immigrants came to the United States with little or no money at all, in hope of making a better life for themselves. A city like Chicago offered these people jobs that required no skill. However, the working and living conditions were hazardous and the pay was barely enough to surviveRead MoreUpton Sinclair s The Food Industry958 Words   |  4 PagesMikayla Peri Ms. Maxwell English III 10. Feb. 2015 Upton Sinclair Upton Sinclair, the most influential writer regarding the food industry was born in Baltimore 1879. Growing up in a poor family with an alcoholic father was difficult for Upton (Simkin, John). Upton often lived with his wealthy grandparents during his childhood due to the instability in his own home. Moving from his poor parents house to his grandparents rich house constantly made him see the injustice in the American society, thisRead MoreThe Jungle Essay example944 Words   |  4 PagesThe book, The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair had a major impact on the way the world saw the American Meat Packing Industry. While Upton Sinclair originally intended to appeal to the public’s heart concerning the conditions and the treatment of workers, it was obvious that the book had more of an impact on the meat industry. The public was outraged by the stories of waste meat being canned as wholesome meat, workers falling into vats and being processed as lard, and dead animals being processed whenRead MoreThe Rise Of The Progressive Era1418 Words   |  6 Pagescities. Furthermore, they attacked big corporations, such as the Armour meat-packing company and others, for how harsh their practices were. The progressives exposed these companies and how they treated workers, removed competitors, and set high prices. The meatpacking industry capitalized when the growth of livestock farming in the Midwest started to grow rapidly. Meatpacking companies and industries, such as the Armour meat-packing company, handle the slaughtering, processing, and distribution of animalsRead MoreUpton Sinclair: A Voice For Food Safety Essay1501 Words   |  7 Pagescentered on immigrant life in the Chicago meat packing district. â€Å"The Jungle,† was written by Upton Sinclair, a 27 year old author from Baltimore under a $500 advance from a socialist newspaper. This novel soon became a focus of controversy and change within the United States. Though known more for it’s horrifi c portrayal of the conditions inside slaughterhouses, only 60 pages of the 413 pages that make up â€Å"The Jungle† detail the goings-on of the meat packing industry.Sinclair’s book was intendedRead MoreThe Food Industry From The 20th Century1674 Words   |  7 PagesThe Food Industry from the 20th to the 21st Century Throughout human history, there have always been people who step up to make a change in our world. When people encounter something they don’t like they want to change it. The author of The Jungle and the producers of Food, Inc. are no exception. During the early 20th century the meat packing industry was a filthy and cruel business. Cruel to both the people that worked in the factories and the animals that were killed there. The industry has changedRead MoreThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair Student Critique1539 Words   |  7 PagesThe book The Jungle was introduced as a novel by Upton Sinclair was financed and published with his own money. Upton Sinclair was a famous novelist and social crusader from California. He was born on 20 September 1878 in Baltimore Md. He was the only child of Priscilla Harden and Upton Beall Sinclair. Upton Sinclair’s childhood was lived in poverty, one where his father was an alcoholic, his job as an alcohol salesman most likely contributed to h is disease. And although his own family was extremelyRead More Upton Sinclairs Purpose in Writing The Jungle Essay1141 Words   |  5 PagesUpton Sinclairs Purpose in Writing The Jungle Upton Sinclair wrote this book for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, he tries to awaken the reader to the terrible living conditions of immigrants in the cities around the turn of the century. Chicago has the most potent examples of these conditions. Secondly, he attempts to show the advantages of socialism in helping to remedy the problems of a society such as the one that exists in Chicago at this time. Sinclair accomplishesRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair1000 Words   |  4 Pagesstomach (Upton Sinclair).† Upton Sinclair originally intended to expose the horrible conditions faced by immigrants as they tried to survive in Chicago s Meat-Packing District in his 1904 novel â€Å"The Jungle.† Sinclair’s book created fear and anger in the public which would lead to the passage of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. The Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 (FMIA)is a law that makes it a crime to adulterate or misbrand meat and meat products being sold as food, and ensures that meat and meatRead MoreMain Goals of The Progressive Movement Essay2006 Words   |  9 Pagesjournalist and novel writer named Upton Sinclair. He was most known for his book The Jungle, which became a worldwide bestseller and dramatically changed food regulation during the Progressive Era. Many people saw the results of this book as good, but they did not see the corruption it caused. Upton Si nclair’s The Jungle changed food regulation in America forever, but the effects that came about because of The Jungle were more detrimental than beneficial. Upton Beall Sinclair grew up in a poor family, always