Skip to main content
SHEG

User account menu

  • Register
  • Log in

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Reading Like a Historian History Lessons
  • Beyond the Bubble History Assessments
  • Civic Online Reasoning Curriculum

Secondary navigation

  • About
    • History of SHEG
    • People
    • Updates
    • In the News
    • Professional Development
    • Testimonials
    • Links
  • Events
  • Projects
  • Publications

Register today!

Our lessons and assessments are available for free download once you've created an account.
Create an Account

Breadcrumb

  1. History Lessons
  2. U.S. History
  3. Progressive Era
  4. Jacob Riis
Topic: U.S. History
Time Period: Progressive Era

Jacob Riis

In the late 19th century, progressive journalist Jacob Riis photographed urban life in order to build support for social reform. Riis also wrote descriptions of his subjects that, to some, sound condescending and stereotypical. In this lesson, students look at Riis’s photographs and read his descriptions of subjects to explore the context of his work and consider issues relating to the trustworthiness of his depictions of urban life.

[Teacher Materials and Student Materials updated on 04/22/2020.]

Image: Photo of street children in "sleeping quarters" taken by Jacob Riis in 1890. From the Library of Congress.

Image: Photo of street children in "sleeping quarters" taken by Jacob Riis in 1890. From the Library of Congress.

Download Materials

Download Teacher Materials Register or Log in to download
Download Student Materials in English Register or Log in to download
Download Student Materials in Spanish Register or Log in to download
Download Original Documents Register or Log in to download
Download PowerPoint Register or Log in to download

Related Assessments

  • Jacob Riis

    View assessment
  • Riis's Urban Photography

    View assessment
Home

Support us

We’re committed to providing educators accessible, high-quality teaching tools. That’s why all our lessons and assessments are free. Please consider donating to SHEG to support our creation of new materials. All gifts are made through Stanford University and are tax-deductible.

Contact usSupport us

© Stanford University     |     485 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305     |    Privacy Policy

facebooktwitteryoutube