Muckraker- the power of a name

   Muckraker-(n.) a term for a crusading journalist. The word got put into place by Teddy Roosevelt who compared the journalists to people who raked through muck. Wow... way to be creative. Anyway, is it pronounced muckraker or muck raker? Important question. This highly esteemed group of people included Ida Tarbell, Upton (what a funny name) Sinclair, and Jacob Riis. Ida Tarbell wrote about the unfair business methods of John d Rockefeller. Sinclair wrote about the practices in meat packing plants. "The Jungle" makes not want to eat meat ever again. Riis took photos of America's slum life.
These people represent the theme "the Progressives proved that nothing gold can stay." First because these people were progressives. Second, because they were all about change. They did not do these things for fun. Third, they thought that the workers should feel the benefits of the work done.

Picture taken from: http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/images/loc_ida_tarbell_23feb07_150_se.jpg

City Bosses

City Bosses. Not country bosses, CITY BOSSES. Is that clear? Anyway city bosses, were bad, no-good, lying, thieving people. Understood? They made themselves popular basically through bribery. Sure they handed out turkeys at Thanksgiving, but then they took money out of your paycheck. Now which would you rather have. A turkey or money? The Bosses (it sounds like a television show on TLC, Anna's favorite channel) also handed out coal at Christmas. Sounds to me like they are calling their workers bad children. Because of this, the workers often voted for the bosses' favorite candidate.
The City Bosses represent the theme "America was moving forward, going nowhere." This is because only they made money during this time. I would like to pointe out that this is because they stole money out of the workers paychecks and basically made life not worth living. No more Mr. NiceGuy now punk. The bosses were the 1% of America that held the wealth. Really nice of you to share it with the rest of us.

The Gilded Age- Covered with a thin layer of gold paint

   The gilded age is basically what the whole chapter is about. Gilded meaning "covered with a thin layer of gold paint." Age meaning "a time measured in years." So the gilded age is basically "a time measured in years covered in gold paint." During the Gilded Age people enriched themselves at the public's expense. That really sucks. American's worried that big bosses and government workers were hiding the problems of our country. This is like when He- Who- Must- Not- Be- Named takes over the Ministry of Magic. You see, after he takes over the Daily Prophet (comparable to the Chicago Tribune- Well known newspaper, full of fluff) it stops printing actual news. Covering up the murders, and torturing that actually happens.

   This represents the theme "America was moving forward, and going nowhere." This is due to the fact that only politicians and city bosses were the only ones who got anywhere. Provided for some that this place was jail. I mean, what did the innocent factory workers get out of this situation. Absolutely nothing. They just work all day for money that a person couldn't live off, while greedy people stole money from them.



God I almost typed theme. Identifications are getting to me.

Photos taken from: http://www.bookstellyouwhy.com/pictures/10854.jpg
http://www.bogdanpitaru.ro/wp-content/uploads/daily-prophet.jpg
http://www.glenbrook225.org/south/Athletics/GirlsTeamPages/GirlsSoccer/PublishingImages/ChicagoTribune.jpg

The Right to Vote Does Not Make Us Equal

   In 1920 the 19th amendment was passed. This came after tons of hard work put in by suffragettes. The National Woman Suffrage Association was started by two very smart ladies. The two ladies were Elizabeth  Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Both women spoke all over the country and were sometimes jailed for it. 
   However in the West, some women already had the right to vote. Their states were intelligent. They knew of the hard-work that their women put in. Wyoming even refused to join the Union if the US would not allow their women to vote. Actually, I am very surprised that Wyoming even had enough people to join.
   Anyway, after the first generation of suffragettes died or got sick or whatever, joined the cause. A lady called Carrie Chapman Catt (the triple C or the CCC) made a very detailed plan to get the vote. All the suffragettes followed her plan and slowly the states allowed women to vote.
    The suffragettes are an example of the theme "Power comes from the bottom up." This is due to the fact that the government did not recognize that women deserved the right. In fact they were the last to realize it. Also, the suffragettes wrote and spoke to the public. They got women across the country involved. So many, that the government had to say yes.

Photos from: http://www.coveringthemouse.com/images/ss03.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/ribinder/xprs-suffragettes.jpg

The Spoils System- How dumb are we?

   The spoils system was put into effect during the Age of Jackson. That's right ANDREW JACKSON! Don't kill me. Please, please, please don't kill me. Actually you can't kill me, it's illegal. Well , anyway moving on, the spoils system gave government jobs to the President's supporters. Of course, there are only so many government jobs to go around. So there are a bunch of angry people in Washington (adding to the many angry people there already are).  This became so intense that a crestfallen supporter actually shot a president. Bit too much if you ask me.
   The spoils system represents the theme "To the victors belong the spoils." This phrase was said by a Jackson critic. This thing states that if one has won, then all it is fair. In the spoils system, when a president wins the election, all his supporters win as well. In a perfect world of course. If your president wins, then you win. Basically, what the spoils system is.

Immigrants- Those Darn Foreigners

   Immigration rose rapidly during the Progressive Era. The Mexicans came because of the revolution, and Japanese came because of the hope of a better life on the mainland. It caused our all- white nation to be integrated with people of tan skin. OH NO!!! That's not good. When the immigrants came they thought that in America "the streets were made of diamonds." After a while they saw that the golden facade American promise. "What did they do about that?" you say. Well, the Mexicans got mad and striked. Actually, so did the Japenese. But, only when the protest could of caused an international inccedent did the government look in to it.
   The immigrants represent the theme "Nothing gold can stay." When they came the dream was clear to them. After they sat down and stayed awhile, the immigrants that they might never reach the goal. They proved that nothing good can ever last. I guess it is true, America is too good, to be real. The immigrants showed us that in the Gilded Age, the dream of a good life cannot last.

Picture from: http://johnseiler.com/images/immigrants.jpg

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union- I finally understand why they use acronyms

   The Woman's Chrisitian Temperance Union was formed in 1874. Frances Willard became the president of it in 1879. She was big on having state laws ban the sale of liquor. She worked hard to close saloons and bars. Willard also joined the suffrage movement and brought many women in the WCTU with her.
   Carry Nation took a more, well...um physical approach to the matter. She chose to walk into saloons with a hatchet and smash beer kegs. This won her much publicity, but it caused embarrassment to the WCTU.
   After many years of effort,  WCTU leaders  convinced Congress to pass the 18th amendment. That amendment banned the sale and consumption (eating and drinking) of alcohol. It was ratified in  1919.

   The theme that  the WCTU represents is  "Power comes from the top up." This is due to the fact that the leaders of the WCTU inspired others to join the cause. They also public spoke and got the crowd involved. The WCTU realized that they had the power, and that the government would do what they wanted. It worked as well, which is very important when you are trying to get something done. As stated before, the 18th amendment was passed. Of course the 21st amendment changed all that, but the 18th amendment was still passed.

Booker T Washington- The Man Who Makes Us All Look Bad

Booker T Washington, was one of those people who looks like they are made of unicorns, sugar, and all things nice. He he was a self taught reader. He later went on to work in coal mines, and attened schoool where it was offered. In 1881 (reads the same way back and forth) he founded a school for African Americans to learn agricultural and industrial skills. He said that African Americans should learn trades and try to move gradually. Washington (I feel that I am talking about the president) said that someday they would have the power and money to move up in society. His approach gave him the support of Rockefeller (like 30 Rock. I love 30 Rock <3)  These rich, so called philanthropists, allowed him to build schools for African Americans. Presidents also got some of their advice from him. If you ask me Mr. Washington looks slightly crazed.

The theme that Mr. Washington represents is "The pendulum of power is capable of swinging from one side to another with the proper amount of force and voice." This is due to the fact that he thought that with the proper amount of training and money, African Americans could move up in society. The pendulum started on the side of the industrialists and now hopefully it would be on the side of African Americans everywhere. Yeah, like that would happen.



Picture taken from: http://sethpickens.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/booker20t20washington12.jpg

W.E.B Du Bois- What those intials stand for anyway

Well who knew, W.E.B stands for William Edward Burghardt. Well Mr. Kannan you probably did, but I did not. W.E.B Du Bois was the first African American to get a Ph. D from Harvard University. That is  some major breakthrough that I don't quite understand. I think the wording in the book is kind of off. Was he the first to get a Ph. D? Was he the first to go to Harvard and graduate? I am confused. Anyway, He sided with Booker T Washington in saying that the people needed "thrift, patience, and industrial training." However, he thought that Washington was wrong in urging people to fight for their rights. That kind of rhymed. In the end he joined reformers (a name for people that are really goody two shoes, but you are not allowed to say that because they are considered saints) to build the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAFTAOC. The acronym is as long as a big word.
   Moving on,  the theme that he represents is "Long Live the Fight." This is due to the fact Du Bois was all like "don't let segregation live on, fight it." He thought that instead of waiting for segregation to end, that the people should fight it themselves. Du Bois believed that desegregation  will come from waiting. He thought it would come from fighting.

Picture taken from: www.nps.gov/hafe/historyculture/images/dubois285.jpg