Pure Food and Drug Act: US History 1877-present (EOC) 🌐 Ver en Español

• Prepared foods, meat, and medicines had dangerous chemicals.
• The muckrakers, like Upton Sinclair and Samuel Hopkins Adams, wrote about this issue.
• The American public was upset when they found out about the condition of their food.
• Congress passed two acts — the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.
• The passage of these acts led to the FDA being in charge of regulating and approving products for the public.

EXTENDING THE DISCUSSION
After the observational question, randomly call on one or more students to share what they or their partner answered. Then ask the class, “Did anyone notice…?” using the suggestions above or anything else you’ve noticed.

• What motivated muckrakers to expose unsafe practices?
• How did the public react when The Jungle was published?
• Did all business owners agree with these new regulations?
• How did the Pure Food and Drug Act impact the economy or jobs?
• What long-term effects did the FDA have on American society?

EXTENDING THE DISCUSSION
After students have shared what they notice, ask the class, “Did anyone wonder…?” using the suggestions above or anything else you might think is interesting or relevant to the lesson.

To the observational question, How was the Pure Food and Drug Act passed?

LOW-LEVEL

The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed after people found out their food and medicine were unsafe.

HIGH-LEVEL

The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed because muckrakers exposed dangerous food and medicine practices, leading the public to demand that Congress create laws to protect consumers.

RESPONDING TO RESPONSES
Emphasize and celebrate each student’s use of the key vocabulary to support a culture of “no wrong answers.”