Unit 2 Document Based Question Assessment

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Unit 2 Document Based Question Assessment

Part 1: Primary Source Document Analysis

Historical Context: During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Progressive reformers worked to improve American society. Their goals included: protecting consumers, and improving working and living conditions.

TASK: Read and analyze the following primary source documents. As you look over these documents underline any key words or write down any thoughts or questions you might have about them.

Document 1: Upton Sinclair describes the problems in the meat packing factory in his book the Jungle

Source: Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, 1906

1.  According to this document, state two effects of poor working conditions in this factory.

Document 2 – James Davidson in After the Fact describes a meeting between Upton Sinclair and President Theodore Roosevelt regarding Sinclair’s book the Jungle

Source: James Davidson, After the Fact Mark Lytle, After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection, Alfred A. Knopf

2.  According to this document, what action did President Theodore Roosevelt take to keep his promise to Upton Sinclair?

Document 3 – In 1896 the New York Times describes life in a tenement house in New York’s Lower East Side

Source: New York Times, 1896

3.  According to this document what were two criticisms of New York tenements in 1896.

Document 4 – Andrew Dolkart outlines the provisions in the Tenement House Act of 1901

Source: Andrew Dolkart, The Lower East Side Tenement Museum

4.  According to this document what were two provisions of the Tenement House Act of 1901?

Document 5 – A headline and article from the New York Times in 1911

5.  According to this document, what problems did workers face during the Industrial Era?

Document 6 – Mother Jones describes the plight of child workers in textile factories during the Industrial Era

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

6.  Using this primary source, describe the challenges child factory workers experienced during the Industrial Era.

Document 7

7.  Based on this document, identify two examples of how a state action resulted in the improvement of working conditions.

Part 2: Essay

Historical Context: During the Industrial Era that spanned the late 1800s and early 1900s, Progressive reformers worked to improve American society. Their goals included: protecting consumers, and improving working and living conditions

Task: You will write a five paragraph essay in which you answer the following document based questions:

In your essay, be sure to:

• Develop all aspects of the task

• Incorporate information from at least four documents

• Incorporate relevant outside information

• Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details

• Use a logical and clear plan of organization, including an introduction and conclusion that

are beyond a restatement of the theme