1. Life At The Turn Of The 20th Century
US History
Mr. Basich

2. Section 1: Objectives By the end of this lesson, I will be able to:
1. Describe the impact of technological advances on turn of the century urban planning.
2. Summarize turn of the century communication innovations.

3. Section 1: Science and Urban Life
Main Idea: Advances in science and technology helped solve urban problems, including overcrowding.
Why it Matters Now: American cities continue to depend on the results of scientific and technological research.
Key Terms:
Central Park
Key Names:
Orville and Wilbur Wright
George Eastman

4. This is how I feel today:
Great
Good
Average
Not so good
Horrible 20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

5. Science and Urban Life:
By the turn of the 20th century, four out of ten Americans lived in cities
New Inventions and innovations began to emerge to make life easier in the city
Subways, skyscrapers, electric streetcars, bridges, and parks all made life easier in the cities
New printing techniques (double sided) allowed more people to have access to the newspaper – literacy went up

7. Central Park
Central Park - made up of 840 acres of land in the middle of New York City
Designed to be a relaxing place in the center of a busy city.
The park took many years to construct but is still used today by millions of people each day!

9. Why is Central Park important to the residents of New York City?
It offers them a place to “get away from it all”
It conserves the land in the center of the city
It is much different than the area that surrounds it
All of the above are true
:20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

10. Photography Explosion:
George Eastman introduced his Kodak Camera – a lightweight easy to use device
The $25 camera came with 100-picture roll of film
Everyday people could now take pictures, not just professionals
1888 Kodak Camera

11. Airplanes:
In the early 20th century, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright, experimented with engines and aircrafts
On December 17, 1903 they flew their plane for 12 seconds covering 120 feet
Within two years the brothers were making 30 minute flights
By 1920, the U.S. was using airmail flights regularly

12. The Wright Brothers get it….Right

13. Did We Meet Our Objectives?
Can You:
1. Describe the impact of technological advances on turn of the century urban planning.
2. Summarize turn of the century communication innovations.

14. Section 2: Objectives: By the end of this lesson, I will be able to:
1. Analyze the expansion of public education at the turn of the 20th century.
2. Describe the growth of higher education.

15. Section 2: Expanding Public Education:
Main Idea: Reforms in public education led to a rise in national literacy and the promotion of public education.
Why it Matters Now: The public education system is the foundation of the democratic ideals of American society.
Key Names:
Booker T. Washington
W.E.B. Dubois

16. Expanding Public Education:
States passed laws requiring months of education for students ages 8-14
Do you think 3-4 months of school is enough?
New schools were built to accommodate all the students
Regular and Vocational schools were built

17. Turn and Talk: Discussion
Please discuss the following questions with a partner:
Why do you think that school reform became an issue during this time period?
Do you think it is a good idea to offer a vocational program in schools (like Auburn)? Why or why not?
What do you think parents thought about their children being “forced” to go to school?

18. Expanding Higher Education:
Before 1900, only 3% of people went to college
Between 1880 and 1920 college enrollments more than quadrupled
Most of these students were white males
African Americans were mostly excluded from secondary education

19. African American Universities Formed:
After the Civil War, thousands of African Americans pursued higher education – even though white schools wouldn’t admit them
Booker T. Washington – believed that racism would end once blacks acquired useful labor/educational skills and proved their value to society
W.E.B. Dubois – founded the Niagara Movement which sought liberal arts educations for all blacks
Booker T. Washington

21. Turn and Talk:
How might the economy and culture of the United States have been different without the expansion of public schools?

22. Did We Meet Our Objectives?
Can You:
1. Analyze the expansion of public education at the turn of the 20th century.
2. Describe the growth of higher education.

23. Section 3 Objectives: By the end of this lesson, I will be able to:
1. Trace the historical underpinnings of legalized segregation and the African American struggle against racism in the United States.
2. Summarize the turn of the 20th Century race relations in the North and the South.

24. Section 3: Segregation and Discrimination:
Main Idea: African Americans led the fight against voting restrictions and Jim Crow laws.
Why it Matters Now: Today, African Americans have the legacy of a century long battle to civil rights.
Key Terms:
Poll Tax
Grandfather Clause
Segregation
Jim Crow Laws
Debt Peonage
Key Terms / Cases:
Plessy vs. Ferguson
Lynching

25. Section 3: Segregation and Discrimination:
By the turn of the 20th century, Southern States had adopted a broad system of legal discrimination
Blacks had to deal with voting restrictions, Jim Crow laws, Supreme Court set-backs, and physical violence

26. Voting Restrictions:
All Southern states imposed new voting restrictions and denied legal equality to African Americans
Some states limited the vote to those who could read, other states had a poll tax which had to be paid prior to voting
Do you think people should have to pass a test in order to be able to vote?

27. More Voting Restrictions:
Since there were some white men that couldn’t pass the simple literacy test, a Grandfather Clause was created.
Grandfather Clause – Men were allowed to vote if he, his father, or his grandfather had been eligible to vote before January 1, 1867.
Blacks couldn’t vote before 1867!!!

28. Jim Crow Laws:
Southern states passed Segregation Laws - separated white and black people in public and private facilities
These laws came to be known as “Jim Crow Laws” - Racial segregation in schools, hospitals, parks, and transportation systems throughout the South

29. Plessy vs. Ferguson:
In 1896, in Plessy v. Ferguson the Supreme Court ruled that the segregation of races was legal and did not violate the 14th Amendment
“Separate but equal”
This decision legalized racial segregation for almost 60 years.
Turn and Talk – Can “separate but equal” work?

31. Violence: Lynching - illegal executions involving:
African Americans who did not follow the racial “etiquette” could face severe punishment or death
Between , more than 1,400 black men and women were shot, burned, or lynched
Lynching - illegal executions involving:
1. Beating to death
2. Burning to death
3. Hanging to death

32. Did We Meet Our Objectives?
Can You:
1. Trace the historical underpinnings of legalized segregation and the African American struggle against racism in the United States.
2. Summarize the turn of the 20th Century race relations in the North and the South.