Description
Book SynopsisDuring the 1800s, the United States progressed at a remarkable rate. Commerce gave rise to regional specialization and contributed to the growth of cities. By 1860 the nation had prospered to the extent that it no longer depended on Europe to purchase its goods. Innovations in technology helped increase production, especially in textiles, and transportation projects helped reduce costs of certain products. As the country progressed, so did its citizenry and their attention to certain interests: movements on issues like women''s rights, capital punishment, workers'' rights, education, and mental health swept across the country. As these groups advanced their causes, a kind of journalism began to capture readers'' attention: the exposé. Although examples similar to it had appeared occasionally in various publications years before, it became more prevalent at the turn of the century. In the spring of 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech in which he compared certain crusa