What 1906 laws addressed food safety and meat inspection?

• A. The Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act
• B. The Sherman Antitrust Act
• C. The Clayton Antitrust Act
• D. The Wagner Act

Answer: (A)

The question tests understanding of Progressive Era reforms that expanded federal regulation to protect consumers, especially around food safety. The correct answer is the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act. Enacted in 1906, these laws responded to public health concerns raised by muckraking reporting and The Jungle. The Meat Inspection Act established federal inspectors in meatpacking plants and set standards for cleanliness and humane handling, while the Pure Food and Drug Act prohibited the sale of adulterated or misbranded foods and medicines and required truthful labeling. Together, they created a framework for federal oversight of food safety that shaped consumer protection for years to come. The other options focus on antitrust regulation or labor rights and do not address food safety or meat inspection.