who were the muckrakers

Muckrakers were investigative journalists, writers, and photographers in the United States during the Progressive Era (roughly 1890s to 1920s) who sought to expose political corruption, social injustices, and abuses of power in business and government. They produced detailed, accurate journalistic accounts revealing the negative social and economic impacts caused by powerful monopolies, corrupt politicians, and unsafe working conditions. The term "muckraker" was originally pejorative, coined by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, but came to be associated with courageous exposé journalism that spurred public awareness and reform efforts. Prominent muckrakers included Lincoln Steffens, Ida M. Tarbell, Ray Stannard Baker, and Upton Sinclair. For example, Tarbell famously exposed the corrupt business practices of Standard Oil, leading to major antitrust actions, while Sinclair's novel "The Jungle" revealed the dangerous conditions in the meatpacking industry, prompting regulatory laws like the Meat Inspection Act. Muckrakers used investigative techniques such as thorough document analysis, interviews, and undercover work to highlight societal problems and prompt reforms during a time of rapid industrialization and political change in America.