Final answer:
The Meat Inspection Act was passed in the early 1900s owing to public outcry against unsanitary conditions in the meat packing industry, influentially represented in Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle'. It was a part of broader shift towards more robust regulatory policies in the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Meat Inspection Act was passed in the early 1900s as a response to public outcry over unsanitary conditions and practices in the meat-packing industry. This outcry was largely fueled by muckraking journalists, particularly Upton Sinclair's 1906 novel 'The Jungle'. This work and the public's subsequent demand for reform led to the passage of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act, which sought to ensure the safety and cleanliness of meats and other food products that were being produced for the public.
Another important context for this legislation was the country's broader shift to more robust regulatory policies, which was also occurring around the turn of the 20th century. Increasing industrialization had led to an accumulation of power among a few large monopolies, and measures like the Sherman Anti Trust Act of 1890 and the Interstate Commerce Act in 1887 sought to regulate powerful industries and promote fair trade and market practices.
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