Skip to content

Chicago (1914)

Author: Carl Sandburg
Type: Poetry · Free verse
Era/Period: USH Unit 1 — Industrial Revolution & Progressive Era
ELA Standards: 9-10.R.8 · 9-10.R.9
USH Standards: US.6_12.3 · US.6_12.2
Copyright: Public domain (published 1914)

What This Poem Is About

Carl Sandburg wrote "Chicago" in 1914, a time when Chicago was bustling with industry and growth during the Industrial Revolution. He wanted to capture the raw energy and toughness of this city, known for its meatpacking industry and busy factories. The poem celebrates the gritty spirit of Chicago as it works hard and contributes to America's progress.

Read It

Public domain — full text.

Hog Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Gaper at Gapers, Builder of Much Silenced Machinery,
Flander of Fashion: always slangy.
Stormy, husky, brawling, Chicago!
City of big shoulders,
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders: Under the reveals of these great windows
Flames from millions of fires that brighten the night
Leap out at one and dance.
To-night
Let us wrap our bodies in a white mantle
Of flame, for it is the birthday of a year. Chicago, we are ready to know you,
We will glorify your name. Not with discords of the quick lip and eye
But with great songs of labor, and noble deeds of peace.
Chicago, add on another year
To the score of your hundred years.

Why This Poem Matters

"Chicago" is significant because it reflects the rapid industrial growth that transformed America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sandburg, born to Swedish immigrants, had firsthand experience with hard labor before becoming a celebrated poet. He uses Walt Whitman’s catalog style to paint vivid images of Chicago as a place where work is never ending and machines hum day and night. The poem highlights both the pride and challenges of industrial life in this period.

ELA Standards Connection

Standard Connection
9-10.R.8 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. Example: The poem's repetitive structure creates rhythm and emphasizes the city's relentless energy.
9-10.R.9 Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare). Example: Sandburg's style is reminiscent of Whitman, yet he adapts it to capture Chicago’s unique spirit.
9-10.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Example: Students could write an argumentative essay defending why Sandburg chose to portray Chicago as he did or crafting a descriptive piece about their own city.

Social Studies Connection

US.6_12.3 · US.6_12.2

Sandburg’s poem reflects the rapid industrial growth of Chicago in the late 19th century, particularly during the era known for meatpacking and steel production. The city's nickname "Hog Butcher for the World" originated from its dominance in the meat industry, which peaked around the time Upton Sinclair published The Jungle (1906), a novel about the horrors of the meatpacking industry.

Key Vocabulary

  • Catalog Style: A poetic form where an author lists many items or ideas.
  • Industrial Revolution: A period marked by widespread social and economic changes resulting from the development of new technologies, especially in manufacturing.
  • Progressive Era: A time when Americans advocated reforms to address problems caused by industrialization and urbanization.
  • Slangy: Using casual or informal language that is popular at a particular place and time.
  • Reveals: The part of a building where the window frame shows.

Studio Ideas

  1. Write an argumentative essay discussing whether Sandburg’s portrayal of Chicago is positive or negative, referencing specific lines from the poem.
  2. Craft a historical connection writing prompt exploring how life in Chicago during this era compares to today's urban environments.
  3. Create a contemporary connection writing task where students discuss how modern cities reflect similar qualities as described by Sandburg.

Pairs With

Why This Is Relevant Today?

"Chicago" is still relevant today as it speaks to ongoing debates about the role of industry, labor rights, urban development, and the relationship between cities and their workers. The poem's celebration of hard work and resilience continues to resonate with contemporary discussions around economic growth versus social justice.

Poetry Collection · SDA Commons Reading Library · South High School

Note: Sandburg was a son of Swedish immigrants who worked as a laborer before becoming a poet. The poem uses Walt Whitman's catalog style. Published in Poetry magazine 1914.