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Module 4: Immigration and Urbanization 1876 - 1917
Lesson 1: The new Immigrants Lesson 2: the challenges of urbanization Lesson 3: politics in the gilded age Lesson 4: new technologies Lesson 5: the dawn of mass culture
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Transformation of American Society
Immigration: = Massive change in immigration patterns Old Immigrants v. New Immigrants Old Immigrants 1770s-1890s Northern and Western Europe Mostly Protestant Sought economic opportunity and religious freedom New Immigrants 1890s-mid 1900s Southern and Eastern Europe Jews, Catholics, Orthodox Came for the same reasons but had MANY challenges
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Immigration New Immigrants
Differ physically Language barriers Cultural differences Concentrated in big cities Could these new immigrants be “Americanized?” Melting Pot Pros and Cons of diversity?
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Immigration, cont’d… From 1905 to 1907: 10,000 immigrants per day at Ellis Island By 1890: 15% of all Americans were foreign born NYC: 80% Chicago: 75% Boston: 65%
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New Immigrants & Difficulties
Resentment Political, economic, cultural, religious reasons Difficulties: Long expensive journey New unknown life in US = culture shock Loved ones left behind or separated upon arrival Housing issues = ethnic slums (Little Italy) Racism and religious persecution Language issues = job issues General issues: Stay true or fit in?
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New Immigrants& Difficulties, cont’d…
Xenophobia: Fear of foreigners Nativism: Disrespect for cultures not yours Immigrants seen as: Too different Anarchists Radicals Socialists Communists Competition for jobsImmigrants paid less Many joined unions=seen as anti-American
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Attempts to Restrict Immigration
1873: Economic depression in US Dennis Kearney set a Workingman’s Party to keep out Chinese workers 1882: Congress passes Chinese Exclusion Act 1894: Immigration Restriction League proposes literacy tests—Congress passes a law 1906: Asian children in San Francisco removed from public schools 1907: Agreement between US and Japan Japan agrees not to let any more Japanese emigrate to America (1907: 30,0001909: 3,000) 1913: Alien Land Law in California Since immigrants are not eligible for citizenship, they cannot own land
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Challenges of Urban Life
Increased immigration brought about a larger lower class and a smaller upper class
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Concept of Americanization
The influx of immigrants brought various religious, social, and cultural practices and customs to the United States Created a “melting pot” How to “assimilate” immigrants?
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Urban Problems: Social Stratification
BOTTOM PORTION: New Immigrants Lived in ghettos/tenements Chinatown, Little Italy, “Jewtown” Based on ethnic / religious identity Factory workers Little pay, bad hours, bad conditions Jacob Riis--How the Other Half Lives
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Social Stratification (continued)
MIDDLE PORTION Old Immigrants (Fluently spoke English) Store owners, doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. Women Secretaries Nurses Teachers MAIN REASON FOR THE EMERGENCE OF THIS CLASS IS COMPULSORY EDUCATION LAWS
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Social Stratification (continued)
TOP PORTION: Old Money Modeled lives after British Victorian Culture Nouveau Riche (Newly Rich) Conspicuous Consumption Spent money just to show off Social Gospel Applied Christian principles to social problems Social Darwinism (Herbert Spencer) Argues that society progresses through competition, with the fittest rising to positions of wealth
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Some Attempts to Reform (fix) the Urban Problems
1867 Law set plumbing standards, safety features, and ventilation 1879 Law required windows for every bedroom 1901 Law: Tenement House Association to inspect and enforce laws Social Gospel Movement: Washington Gladden: church charity Settlement Houses: Jane Addams: Hull House in Chicago Attempts to give poor people a chance at social mobility (all part of the so-called American Dream)
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Politics in the Gilded Age
As a result of basic laissez-faire approach, officially elected local governments did not really “govern” This gave rise to the “political Machines”
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Definition of “Gilded”
To cover with gold or gold leafing, and to give a bright or pleasing aspect to Things are not always what they seem to be During the Gilded Age, life was made to seem wonderful, but underneath the surface there were many problems Labeled the “Gilded Age” by Mark Twain
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Problems of the Gilded Age: Review
Life in the big cities Cultural diversity/immigration Behavior of big business corporations Behavior and role of labor unions Behavior and role of laissez-faire government Ideas of capitalism and Social Darwinism Many pros and cons regarding these issues
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Increase in Population…
Put high demands on city governments Fire Police Sanitation Departments Construction Utility Systems (sewage, water, etc) BUT Laissez Faire = No real government action
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The Rise of Political Machines
District representatives and city council members took charge of public services Set up like a pyramid: neighborhood, precinct, ward, city Machine Boss like the unofficial mayor Gilded Theme Provided services that official city services didn’t Engaged in corruption and graft
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Political Machines Well organized political parties that dominated local and state governments Party Bosses: Men who ran political machines Provided jobs, favors and services to local residents Most famous political machine was known as Tammany Hall in New York City
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Tammany Hall
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Tammany Hall, cont’d… Democratic Party machine that controlled NYC politics Helped immigrants rise in American politics (most notably, the Irish) Provided immigrants with an early version of the welfare system
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Tammany Hall, cont’d Tammany Hall provided the following for immigrants: Welcome upon arrival Temporary housing Jobs Citizenship Funerals
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Tammany Hall, cont’d Why would a political machine like Tammany Hall focus on immigrants? Represented a HUGE supply of supporters and voters Tended to be very loyal
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William “Boss” Tweed Head of Tammany Hall in the late 19th Century
Believed to have stolen $40-$200 Million from New York City taxpayers through corruption
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How Did They Profit? Election fraud (stuffing ballot boxes)
Intimidating voters Graft: Acquiring money or political power through illegal or dishonest methods Kickbacks: Payments of part of the earnings from a job or contract
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Thomas Nast & The Tweed Ring
Thomas Nast was a political cartoonist who despised Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall Chose to use cartoons because many immigrants couldn’t read! Created the Republican Elephant and the Democratic Donkey (and the modern day version of Santa!)
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Thomas Nast Graft Political Machine Gilded Tammany Hall
Describe the Word… Thomas Nast Graft Political Machine Gilded Tammany Hall
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William “Boss” Tweed Kickbacks Party Bosses Immigrants
Describe the Word… William “Boss” Tweed Kickbacks Party Bosses Immigrants Political Cartoon
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Tammany Hall: Boss Tweed
Role of Thomas Nast (like Jacob Riis) Bring attention to a problem Publicize the issues Put pressure on the government to do something Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883 Said you had to be qualified for certain gov. jobs Similar to Sherman Anti-Trust Act
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New Technologies and the Changing Face of the Cities
Growth of cities US cities had pop. of over 50,000; by US cities New technological needs for communication, transportation, and space Skyscrapers Louis Sullivan (Wainwright Buildng ) Daniel Burnham (Flatiron Building 1902) Elisha Otis (elevator) Electric transit Suburbs require mass transportation: cars, street cars, trains (“el”) Bridges- Brooklyn Bridge
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Urban Planning / Food / Education
Frederick Law Olmsted: 1857 Central Park, 1870s landscaping in Washington D.C. Feeding cities: George Washington Carver- crop rotation, planting peanuts to fight soil erosion Fritz Haber- chemical fertilizers Communication 1890- literacy rate up to 90% (related to the rise in education) created a publishing business- magazines, newspapers, books
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Education Education: (literacy rate up to 90% by 1890)
1860s: Compulsory Education Laws = educated people are necessary for democracy # of public school kids from 7-15 million Education could also help immigrants assimilate Learn about American culture, history, English 1870: 160 public high schools/500 colleges 1900: 6,000 public high schools/1000 colleges Since more education = more reading = publishing and advertising 1865: 500 Daily newspapers 1910: 2600 Newspapers William Randolph Hearst/Joseph Pulitzer (Yellow Journalism)
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American Intellectualism and Art
Fine arts- Thomas Eakins- realism (Ashcan School) Philosophy: Pragmatism: William James- balance science, morality, and religion Popular fiction- Mark Twain
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Daily Life in the Big Cities
More money = more leisure time/entertainment Reading Parks—Central Park in NYC 1857 (Frederick Law Olmsted) Sports—Baseball, football (Walter Camp) boxing, basketball Theater—Vaudeville variety shows, movies Music—Jazz, combines cultural diversity Scott Joplin Jelly Roll Morton Louis Armstrong Amusement Parks—Roller coaster (1884); Coney Island; Ferris Wheel (1893 in Chicago)
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Different Economic Systems, cont’d…
Free Market (Capitalism)—Profits are key So…Mass production and mass consumption 1870s early 1900s (bulk purchasing = lower prices) Cleveland Arcade 1890 Department stores (1860s-1870s) Marshall Field-Chicago, R.H. Macy-NYC Chain Stores (almost a monopoly),Woolworths, A&P Grocery Mail Order Catalogs (Combined phones and trains to get products to people outside cities) Sears and Roebuck: relied on RFD
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Different Economic Systems
Free Market (Capitalism) Government makes ZERO decisions Mixed Economic (Socialism) Combination of Free Market and Command Command (Communism) Government makes all the economic decisions Production Pricing Distribution No concern with Supply and Demand Too unfair, too unequal
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Attempts to Reform “Participatory Democracy” 1) “Grass Roots” Efforts:
-Political, social, economic actions by citizens -Protest movements and organizations 2) Social Reform Movements -Populist Movement and Populist Party -Progressive Movement and Political Party 3) Actual Government Actions -Acts and Laws -Court cases and Supreme Court decisions
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How the Other Half Lives: Jacob Riis
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Video Links Jacob Riis Boss Tweed The Great Chicago Fire
Boss Tweed The Great Chicago Fire The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
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