The Jungle
When Upton Sinclair began his most famous novel, The Jungle, he never expected it would changed the meat packing industry in Chicago, his novel proved that authors could greatly influence and change society with their works. After The Jungle was published, all of America was made aware of the horrible conditions of both the stockyard workers, as well as what their evening meal was actually made of. With his story of a Lithuanian immigrant named Jurgis Rudkus, Upton Sinclair not only changed an entire industry, but history as well.
The Chicago Union Stock Yard Gate, erected in 1879,
is today all that is left of the original stockyards.