1. Challenges of Immigration & Urbanization
What issues did many new immigrants & city dwellers face at the turn of the century?

2. Immigration to the US
As US industrialized, millions immigrate through the “golden door”
Europeans
20 million immigrate from (Ireland, Eastern & Southern Europe)
Chinese & Japanese
About 500K immigrate from (Page Act put quotas on Asian Immigration)
Mexicans
About 700K immigrate from , recruited by US Gov for field work in SW

3. Ellis Island, NY
Immigrants arriving from Europe went to Ellis Island & were subject to:
1) Medical Examination: check for contagious or debilitating diseases (48hr quarantine if needed)
2) Personal Questioning: criminal record, finances, politics, work
Whole process took about 5-6 hours
About 20% detained for a day & 2% rejected

4. Angel Island, CA
Immigrants from Asia went through Angel Island (SF)
Since Congress passed the Page Act & Chinese Exclusion Act, Asian immigrants were subject to:
Medical exams (quarantined for 14 days if anything was suspicious)
Discuss: How as Angel Island different from Ellis island & why?
2. Harsh personal questioning: criminal record, finances – could be detained months
50% detained, 25% rejected

5. Backlash to immigration
Nativist organizations want to slow immigration & get rid of the wrong type of immigrant
Many immigrants were forced into ethnic enclaves
Rebirth of the KKK
Ku Klux Klan, which started as anti-black gains momentum due to immigration backlash

6. Assimilation
As immigration increases, a nationwide movement called Americanization gains popularity
Goal: assimilate immigrants into the dominant “American” culture
Problem: Since immigrants forced into enclaves most groups keep own languages & customs

7. Challenges of Urbanization
Due to rise in population & lack of space, tenement housing is built
Tenements lacked clean water, sanitation and electricity (more disease & fires)
Rampant crime in cities, many areas controlled by gangs, police need new methods to deal with crime
Discuss: Why was the work of Jacob Riis important?

8. Social Gospel Movement
Jacob Riis publishes How the Other Half Lives – shows tenement life
Reformers preached to get salvation you must help the poor
Reformers establish settlement housing (places to help poor)
Most well known: Hull House in Chicago founded by Jane Addams