The Growth of Cities Essential Qs: 1)How did immigration and urbanization affect the United States and Americans? 2) What were the significant intellectual and cultural movements of the Gilded Age?

Immigration

The Great Migration  Population tripled between  56% of the 46 million who left their homes came to the U.S.  From 1880 to 1921, more than 23 million immigrants arrived in the U.S.  Few limits on immigration  Population tripled between  56% of the 46 million who left their homes came to the U.S.  From 1880 to 1921, more than 23 million immigrants arrived in the U.S.  Few limits on immigration

Why Did They Leave Home?  Push 1: Lack of Work  Mechanization of farm work led to unemployment of farm laborers  Craftspeople are unable to compete with factory production  Push 2: Rising Population  More people competing for fewer resources like land, food and jobs  Push 3: Political and Religious Persecution  Jews in Russia  Push 1: Lack of Work  Mechanization of farm work led to unemployment of farm laborers  Craftspeople are unable to compete with factory production  Push 2: Rising Population  More people competing for fewer resources like land, food and jobs  Push 3: Political and Religious Persecution  Jews in Russia

The Lure of America  Political and religious freedom  Economic opportunities in the West  Business owners sent representatives overseas to recruit cheap labor  Inexpensive one way tickets on steamships  Political and religious freedom  Economic opportunities in the West  Business owners sent representatives overseas to recruit cheap labor  Inexpensive one way tickets on steamships

Demographics of Immigrants  The “Old Immigrants”  New immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe:  Italians, Russians, Polish, Slovaks, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Greeks, Armenians  Young, male, spoke little or no English, unskilled, little money or education, not Protestant  The “Old Immigrants”  New immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe:  Italians, Russians, Polish, Slovaks, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Greeks, Armenians  Young, male, spoke little or no English, unskilled, little money or education, not Protestant

Restricting Immigration  Chinese Exclusion Act 1882  Restrictions on the “undesirable”  Contract Labor Law 1885  Literacy Test in 1917  Ellis Island inspections after 1892  1921 Dillingham Bill and Immigration Act of 1924 set quotas  Efforts to restrict immigration came from labor unions, the American Protective Association and Social Darwinists

Pick a Section! / Talk to your neighbor about important ideas (so far) from today’s lecture. Be ready to share with the class!

Urbanization

 By 1920, majority of Americans lived in urban areas  Sought new economic opportunities in the cities  1 mil Af-Ams settled in Northern and Western cities  By 1920, majority of Americans lived in urban areas  Sought new economic opportunities in the cities  1 mil Af-Ams settled in Northern and Western cities

Mass Transportation

Allowed the wealthy to live in suburbs

Ethnic Enclaves  Distinct ethnic neighborhoods  Provided familiar customs, food, language, etc.

Political Machines  Tightly organized group of politicians w/ a boss  Gave gov’t jobs to supporters  Helped the city’s poor in exchange for votes  CORRUPT!  Tightly organized group of politicians w/ a boss  Gave gov’t jobs to supporters  Helped the city’s poor in exchange for votes  CORRUPT! Boss Tweed and the Tammany Hall Political Machine in NYC

Intellectual and Cultural Movements

Changes in Education  New compulsory education laws increased literacy  Emphasis on early childhood education  Tax supported high schools  Accessibility to higher education  New compulsory education laws increased literacy  Emphasis on early childhood education  Tax supported high schools  Accessibility to higher education

Literature  Response to industrialization: realism and naturalism

The Arts: Ashcan School  Depiction of life in urban areas

Music

Jazz, Ragtime and Blues / Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag / tube.com/watch? v=pMAtL7n_-rc / Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag / tube.com/watch? v=pMAtL7n_-rc

Joseph Pulitzer Owned the New York World

William Randolph Hearst Owned the New York Journal  Yellow journalism: exaggerated and sensationalist writing

Amusements  Growth of leisure time activities can be attributed to:  Gradual reduction of work hours  Improved transportation  Advertising and billboards  Decline of Puritan values  Growth of leisure time activities can be attributed to:  Gradual reduction of work hours  Improved transportation  Advertising and billboards  Decline of Puritan values