Muckrakers exposed all of the flaws in society and the government and a lot of books were written about the problems there were. Poor working conditions, child labor, and quality of processed meat and other foods were big issues. During that time period people were big on from of press so that and the fact that people were just fed up in general led to reform.
They backed up liberal reforms in the lands they conquered. :)
Smaller states since they would get as much representation as the Bigger states.
