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Published byTodd Walker Modified over 9 years ago
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The Antebellum City
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Astor Opera House Riot: May 7, 1849 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92126509
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The Murder of Helen Jewett 10 April 1836: hatchet, fire to cover tracks Richard Robinson Judge orders jury disregard prostitutes’ evidence acquittal (double standard)
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I. City Life Big growth of cities, especially in Northeast (35% of its populace urban, 1860) Largest city was NYC, but Chicago, Baltimore, San Francisco, etc. also large As major immigrant port, NYC ever changing w/ many short-term residents Mass transit allows explosive growth (NYC)
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A. Urban Problems Rapid expansion cause numerous problems Lack safe water and waste removal (disease) Slowly city governments increase activity Led efforts at public education; H. Mann: prepare children for citizenship + work (end misery and crime) Education racialized (few blacks), stressed obedience, and reflected Protestant influence
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Urban Riots (1830s–50s) Numerous mob attacks on religious groups (Mormons, Catholics), new immigrants (Irish, Germans), and free African Americans Competition is a key factor as separate groups vie for scarce jobs, housing, and street space Cities form professional police forces Laws are passed to restrict blacks and immigrants
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B. Urban Leisure Unlike farms (play and work mix in home), urban leisure is separate from home and work; a commodity w/ its own space Taverns and churches still social centers Urbanites read more, and printing presses produce extensive popular literature Newspapers, magazines, novels, and autobiographies (some anti-slavery)
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Many theaters develop as a major business, same w/ circuses and minstrel shows Minstrels criticize market economy as well as reinforce white racism w/ stereotypes Spectator sports grow as a major business, especially boxing and baseball Leisure divided by class, race, and ethnicity
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C. City Culture Wealthy form private clubs; others create their own groups (socialize, save traditions) Irish (Hibernians), Germans (Turnvereine), Jews (B’nai B’rith), blacks (Prince Masons) Age fragmentation emerges w/ youth culture of Bowery (NYC) Streets reflect class, race, and ethnic divisions
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D. Extremes of Wealth Some (Tocquville) assert equality exists for white males w/ geographic mobility Widening gap between rich and poor (top 10% own 75% of US wealth, 1860) For urban workers, poverty is a constant fear Crowding in emerging slums (Five Points, NYC), poor live a world apart from elite
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Contrast homeless orphans w/ mansions A few rich rose from poverty, but most inherited or married wealth, and then invested that money in commerce/manufacturing Small middle class of professionals emerge w/ specialized market economy Middle class envision home/family as key to their world and values
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II. Women & Families Men dominate families: own all property and all family members earn Most women marry, and marriage limits their legal and property rights (some reform on this) In New England farm families, many daughters work a few years before marriage Number of urban working-class women, mainly servants, grows (work whole lives)
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A. Idealizing the Family As home ceases to be a source of production, middle class creates a cult of domesticity Social importance of unpaid female labor at home (house upkeep and child rearing) Unlike men’s world of paid labor, women’s sphere stresses virtue, selflessness, morality Restrict paid jobs open to women; by 1850 teaching is a women’s job (usually unmarried)
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B. Decline in Family Size 1830: average number of children per woman was 5–6; 1860: number is down to 5 Decline sharpest among urban, native- born In cities, children more an economic burden than an asset; so limit births by traditional means or new methods (condoms, abortion) More women live to see children become adults; childhood seen as distinct period
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C. Single Men & Women In cities and w/ market economy, number of people who never marry increases MA, 1850: 17% of native-born females never marry (much higher than before) Alcott (author): example of financially independent white female, but difficult life
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III. Immigrants 1830–60: 5 million enter US, majority from Europe (especially Irish, Germans) 1860: 15% of whites are foreign born Leave native countries because of violence and famine; drawn by opportunities of US market economy States and companies recruit immigrants, and newcomers help family members emigrate
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A. Settling In Journey is difficult (crowded, disease), and hard to adapt to new country (many return home) Because land is expensive, many stay in cities Germans, Dutch, Scandinavians are able to farm Celtic Irish are largest group of immigrants; remain in cities as laborers and experience discrimination from Protestant majority
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B. Racial Ideas & Anti-Catholicism Native-born Protestants of British descent view Celtic Irish as inferior non-white race, same w/ blacks, Indians, and Hispanics Science classifies races by their alleged physical, intellectual, and moral traits Nativist riots are common (Philadelphia, 1844) Besides race and religion, rioters are motivated by economic competition for low-skill jobs
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C. German Immigrants & Hispanics Protestant Germans (the majority) accepted as white; non-Protestant Germans (Jews, Catholics) encounter discrimination With expansion, many Hispanics fall within US, and for most, economic status (land) declines Tejanos (TX) and californios (CA) Like Irish, blacks, and Indians, second-class citizens who struggle to save their culture
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IV. Free People of Color Numbers increase (1860: total = 500,000); 50% live in North, most in cities Ex-slaves contribute to increase; either escape or released when elderly Because of discrimination, free African Americans forge cohesive communities Churches are central; also a base for benevolent associations and schools
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A. Racial Exclusion Negro Conventions (1830s): protest for equal rights (vote) and against slavery Freedom’s Journal (1827) is first weekly black newspaper, circulated in North Free blacks are denied US citizenship; only “free whites” could be citizens Most northern and western states pass laws to exclude/restrict free African Americans
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B. Segregation & Black Nationalism Political/legal exclusion expands w/ early social/economic segregation (blacks barred from public places, stuck in servile jobs) Mothers continue to work even w/ children; face racial and gender discrimination By 1850s, many freed blacks consider abandoning US for Canada or Africa; first time blacks, not whites, support idea
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