Difficulty: Hard

Average Score: 38%

When increasing numbers of women entered clerical work between 1870 and 1930, all of the following occurred EXCEPT:

Rationale

Jacob Riis's book How the Other Half Lives is an example of the Progressive reform movement.

This influential work highlights the harsh realities of poverty in urban America during the late 19th century, aiming to spur social reform and improve living conditions. Riis's vivid descriptions and photographs played a crucial role in raising public awareness, thus aligning his efforts with the objectives of the Progressive reform movement.

A (Women became the majority of the workers in the profession.) YOUR ANSWER

The War on Poverty was a campaign initiated in the 1960s as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs. While it also aimed to address poverty, it emerged decades after Riis's work and thus cannot be associated with How the Other Half Lives, which was published in 1890.

B (Men dominated management positions in the profession.) YOUR ANSWER

As previously stated, Riis's book is fundamentally tied to the Progressive reform movement, which sought to address social issues such as poverty, labor rights, and corruption in government. His work encapsulated the spirit of reform during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, making it a pivotal piece within this movement.

C (Many men departed for jobs in other fields and professions.) YOUR ANSWER

The New Frontier refers to President John F. Kennedy's domestic program in the early 1960s, focused on social reforms and civil rights. Given that Riis's writing predates this initiative by several decades, it cannot be classified under the New Frontier.

D (Wages increased for everyone who worked in the profession.) CORRECT

The Fair Deal was a series of domestic policies proposed by President Harry S. Truman in the late 1940s aimed at social welfare and economic expansion. Since Riis's work predates the Fair Deal and is more aligned with the Progressive movement, this choice is not applicable.

E (The white-collar status associated with the profession decreased.) YOUR ANSWER

The New Deal was a series of programs and reforms established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression during the 1930s. Although it sought to alleviate poverty, it is distinct from Riis's Progressive Era work and thus cannot be considered the correct context.

Conclusion

Jacob Riis's How the Other Half Lives serves as a significant example of the Progressive reform movement, addressing the dire conditions of urban poverty and advocating for social change. While various policies like the New Deal and Fair Deal aimed to tackle poverty in their respective times, Riis's work reflects the earlier efforts of the Progressives to improve society by exposing and reforming the injustices of his era.

Related Questions

View all