1. Immigration and Urbanization
Industrial Age
Immigration and Urbanization

2. Immigrants from Europe
Reasons for immigration to America:
Religious, Political, Economic, etc.
European Immigrants
1870 – 1920, 20 million came to US
Before 1890, most from Western or Northern Europe.
Ireland and Germany most often
After 1890, most Eastern and Southern Europe.
Italy, Russia, Poland. Many Jewish people arrive fleeing persecution in Eastern Europe.

3. Immigrants from Asia Asian Immigrants Smaller numbers
Predominantly from China and Japan
Arrive on West Coast
1851 – 1883, 300,000 Chinese Immigrants
By 1920, 200,000 Japanese 1

4. Arrival in America
Difficult journey by ship, one week from Europe, three weeks from Asia.
Europeans arrive at Ellis Island New York
Asians arrive at Angel Island in San Francisco
Immigrants are given physical and documents inspected
Treatment of Asian immigrants was harsher and fewer were admitted

5. Ellis Island 3
1892 – 1924, over 17 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island
Greeted by the Statue of Liberty
40% of Americans can trace at least one ancestor to Ellis Island 2

7. Living in America Immigrants seek new opportunity
Many are forced to take low paying and dangerous jobs in factories, mines, and slaughterhouses
Ethnic communities offer comfort and a sense of belonging
“Melting Pot” of cultures in cities like New York and Chicago

8. Anti-Immigration Backlash
Rise of Nativism – favoring of native born Americans
Discrimination in employment and on religious grounds
Favoring of certain immigrants over others

9. Anti-Immigration Backlash
Anti-Asian discrimination especially pronounced
1882 – Chinese Exclusion Act bans Chinese immigrants
1907 – “Gentlemen’s Agreement” limits Japanese immigration

10. 6

11. Cities Strain Under Growth
Urbanization – Growth of cities in America
From 1870 – 1920, urban population grew from 10 million to 54 million!
Reasons for Rapid Growth
Immigration
Lack of farm work due to improved technology
Promise of industrial jobs
Infrastructure of cities was stressed to the limit

12. Urban Problems Poor housing – crowded tenements
Transportation – transit systems like street cars weren’t enough, horses caused sanitation problems
Lack of clean water
Lack of sanitation systems
Rampant crime
Fire 7

13. Tenements in NYC 8
New York City
Great Chicago Fire 1871

14. Addressing Urban Issues
Jacob Riis – Photographer – exposes poverty and terrible conditions in How the Other Half Lives
Americanization Movement – helps immigrants assimilate and teaches literacy, American social norms
Social Gospel – Christian idea of helping poor – results in settlement houses-created to help immigrants and urban poor
Jane Addams’ “Hull House” in Chicago – most famous

15. 1. from http://mylawriting.blogspot.com
5. from hist346gildedage.homestead.com 
6. from
7. from
8 from
9 from steinhardt.nyu.edu