ABSTRACT
Among the journalists of this period, known as "muckrakers", Ida Tarbell, who wrote a critical series of articles on the Standard Oil Company, probably made the greatest impact. Her work led to the breakup of the Standard Oil monopoly and the restructuring of American capitalism. Her investigative report exemplifies the regular practice of the journalist's job. After local stints as a teacher and newspaper apprentice, she moved to Paris for three years, where she became deeply involved in its vibrant salon culture. Instead of feminism, Tarbell championed a traditional role for women sharply different from her own. The impact of journalism derived from the confluence of contemporary social and technical developments. The spread of high school education and the migration of rural residents and foreign immigrants created a broader audience for the press. Tarbell's work would stand as a journalistic monument that transformed the American corporate economy.
