Question

Which of the following best describes the federal government's response to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle?

Answer 1

The federal government responded to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle by passing the Meat Inspection Act of 1906.

Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle discussed the unsanitary conditions of the meat packing industry in Chicago during the early 1900's. Even though this book was fiction, it was based on real conditions individuals worked in during this era. This book caused outrage among American citizens and the federal government, resulting in government regulation of certain industries.

Answer 2

Answer: Congress passed legislation that regulated the meat-packing industry only after sending a team of government investigators to plants and slaughterhouses.

Explanation:

Upton Sinclair´s novel depicted the severe conditions and exploitaition of immigrants in Chicago and oter industrialized cities. However, it unexpectedly contributed to public outcry about health violations in the American meatpacking industry. President Roosevelt assigned labor commissioner Charles P. Neill and social worker James Bronson Reynolds to make unannounced visits to meat packing buildings. Neill and Reynolds´s report led Roosevelt to support the regulation of the meatpacking industry and sign the Meat Inspection Act of 1906.