1. The Immigrant Life-1890s

2. Life for an immigrant was harsh

3. The prospect of employment in a rapidly expanding industrial economy brought millions of immigrants from Europe, Asia, and Latin America to the brink of America in the period 1891 to 1930

4.  in 1890, Jacob Riis published How the Other Half Lives-a photo documentary of ghetto conditions that would have national impact. The following year, Josiah Strong pointed out that "a mighty emergency is upon us."

5. These new immigrants differed in appearance, cuisine, language, and worship; to many, they seemed dirty, illiterate, and poverty-stricken. With the immigration law of 1891, the federal government took complete authority over immigration and created the machinery for federal officials to inspect and exclude immigrants.

6.  The law required medical officers of the Public Health Service (PHS) to inspect and issue a medical certificate to all immigrants suffering from a "loathsome or a dangerous contagious disease," representing an elaboration on the formulation of what made a good industrial citizen: one who would remain healthy and not become dependent on the charity of the nation.

7. By 1900, some 2.3 million people were living in tenement housing
80,000 tenements had been built in New York City
A typical tenement building had 5-7 stories

8. Heating and cooking were done by wood or coal burning stoves.
water had to be obtained from an outside pump, frequently frozen in winter.

9. Clothes were made in these tenement buildings
They were known as sweatshops
Workers operated sewing machines powered by foot
Children would usually also be working on making the clothes

10. By 1904, the opening of the New York Subway System and other transportation options moved the sweatshops uptown
Factories would house hundreds of workers per floor
Workers would work 6 days out of the week
Most Jewish immigrants would work on the Shabbat-Out of necessity for work

11. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in Manhattan
 The deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city
The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers
 The owners had locked the doors to the stairwells and exits (common practice used to stop workers from taking breaks)

13. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory safety standards
helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
fought for better working conditions for sweatshop workers.