AP US History

Answer - C - Roosevelt called journalists “muckrakers” because he believed they had become too sensationalist.

Key Takeaway: Theodore Roosevelt became very frustrated with journalists during the Progressive era. The president felt that they pandered to the public and sensationalized normal events to make them more dramatic to the public. These authors and journalists sought to expose corruption, scandal, and injustice. Examples of “muckrakers” include Lincoln Steffens (The Shame of Cities, 1904), Jacob Riis (How the Other Half Lives, 1890), and Theodore Dreiser (Sister Carrie).