Life at the Turn of the 20 th Century Chapter 5 Section 3

A. New Immigrants U.S. a nation of immigrants Btwn 1800 and 1880, “Old Immigrants” (Irish, German, Chinese) “New Immigrants” came from Southern and Eastern Europe  Russians, Jews, Slavic, etc  Mostly poor, different languages and religions By 1910, 1 out of 7 Americans foreign-born

1. Coming to America  People came in search of better life  Left due to poverty or oppressive gov’ts  a) Ellis Island New York European immigrants processed here in 1892  b) Angel Island San Francisco Asian immigrants processed here Asians discriminated agains Held in prison-like conditions

Some immigrants found a better life Others faced hardships Many crowded into tenements Lived in neighborhoods w/ people of same nationality

2. Reactions to Immigrants  Nativists (Native-born Americans) saw them as a threat  Blamed crime and poverty on immigrants  California, prejudice against Asians Banned from some jobs Had to live in certain areas a) Chinese Exclusion Act 1882  Banned Chinese immigration for 10 years San Francisco, Japanese students had to attend separate schools

Some Americans wanted to help immigrants assimilate Americanization Schools and organizations taught English, U.S. History, and gov’t Many immigrants are going to learn new skills Also going to lose some of their cultural heritage

B. Urban Life in America  B4 industrialization, American cities compact  Late 1800s, dramatic changes  Cities spread out  Taller buildings  Cities overcrowded

1. How the Different Classes Lived  The Wealthy Business owners Industrialists Showed off their wealth  The Middle Class Accountants, managers, teachers, engineers, lawyers, etc 1870s, 1880s, professionals began to set standards of certain occupations (Medicine)

The Working Class  Most lived in poverty  Wages low  Housing shortages  Lived in tenements Unhealthy, unsanitary

2. The Settlement House Movement  1 st Settlement Houses in London 1883  Taught immigrants English and job-training  a) Jane Addams Hull House Chicago 1889 By 1910, U.S. had 400 Settlement Houses  b) Social Gospel Idea that faith should be expressed through good works Churches had a moral duty to help solve social problems

C. Political Scandal and Reform 1800s, American cities have major problems  Crime  Poor housing  Poor sanitation Cities run by political machines  Organization of professional politicians  Often corrupt, but made cities run better Most notorious political machine was Tammany Hall  Run by Boss Tweed  Cheated in elections, took bribes, etc

1. Scandal in the Gov’t  Ulysses S. Grant became president in 1869  Presidency marred by scandal  a) Credit Mobilier Scandal Credit Mobilier a company set up by Union Pacific RR Funneled gov’t money to stock holders

b) The Spoils System  When people get elected, they give their friends gov’t jobs  President Garfield tries to stop this  Assassinated in 1880  Prompted passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Act 1886 Jobs based on Merit, not political connections

2. Farmers Reform Movements  Crops prices low  Farmers taken advantage of by RR’s  Form the Grange Movement Goal was to persuade gov’t to regulate RR’s Interstate Commerce Act 1887  Said RR’s had to offer “reasonable” rates

3. Silver vs. Gold  Farmer’s Alliance  Wanted gov’t to print more paper money  U.S. on the Gold Standard Meant that money could be exchanged for gold in treasury  Farmers want money to be backed by gold and silver  Would allow more money in circulation  Populist Party Pushed for RR regulation and silver in the money supply

4. Election of 1896  Silver in the money supply was the issue  William McKinley (R) v. William Jennings Bryan (D)  McKinley won, because he was backed by business leaders terrified of silver

D. Segregation and Discrimination 1. Legalized Discrimination  Poll taxes, literacy tests, granfather clauses prevented blacks from voting in South  Jim Crow Laws Laws that enforced segregation  a) Plessy v. Ferguson “separate but equal”  Lynching was common in the south

2. Opposing Discrimination  a) Booker T. Washington Blacks need to accept segregation for the moment Improve their situation through farming and vocational skills Founded the Tuskegee Institute  Taught blacks practical skills b) W.E.B. Du Bois  Full equality immediately  Helped create the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)