Students in Kori Friesen’s sixth period US history class learn about muckrakers and how they connect to their current unit, the industrial era, Oct. 17.

Muckrakers, as seen in the industrial era, use journalism to expose the truths of the corruption and abuse found in industrial America through photography and writing. During this time, (the late 1800s to early 1900s) the boom in demand for commercial goods and the growing economy caused factories to have a need for more, cheaper, and faster labor. In order to supply these desires, factory managers turned to more controversial methods of production such as child labor, more machines, and more people, and avoiding sanitary needs within these plants. The job of muckrakers was to share the reality of what was happening at this time with the general public.

After observing these photos, students go on to write their own article in the same style as these muckrakers. These articles contained stories of tragedies, quotes of individuals facing this first hand, and explanations of what was happening.

For more Feather photos, visit media, photos 2017-18