AN URBAN SOCIETY AN URBAN SOCIETY 1877-19001877-1900

The Lure of the CityThe Lure of the City

City becomes a symbol of the new City becomes a symbol of the new America between 1870-1900America between 1870-1900

Explosive urban growthExplosive urban growth– sources included immigration, movement from sources included immigration, movement from

countrysidecountryside– six cities over 500,000 by 1900six cities over 500,000 by 1900

Tenements and the Problems Tenements and the Problems of Overcrowdingof Overcrowding

Tenements house urban dwellersTenements house urban dwellers Tenement problemsTenement problems

– inadequate sanitationinadequate sanitation– poor ventilationpoor ventilation– polluted water polluted water

Urban problemsUrban problems– poor public healthpoor public health– juvenile crime juvenile crime

Strangers in a New LandStrangers in a New Land

By 1900 most urban dwellers foreign-born By 1900 most urban dwellers foreign-born or children of immigrantsor children of immigrants

1880s--eastern, southern European 1880s--eastern, southern European immigrants prompt resurgent Nativismimmigrants prompt resurgent Nativism

Nativist organizations try to limit Nativist organizations try to limit immigrationimmigration

Immigration to the United Immigration to the United States, 1870-1900States, 1870-1900

Immigrants and the City:Immigrants and the City:Families and Ethnic IdentityFamilies and Ethnic Identity

More children born to immigrants than toMore children born to immigrants than to

native-born Americansnative-born Americans

Immigrants and the City:Immigrants and the City:InstitutionsInstitutions

Immigrant associations Immigrant associations – preserve old country language and customs preserve old country language and customs – aid the process of adjustmentaid the process of adjustment

Immigrant establish religious, educational Immigrant establish religious, educational institutions, media which preserve institutions, media which preserve traditionstraditions

The House That Tweed BuiltThe House That Tweed Built

Urban party machines headed by “bosses”Urban party machines headed by “bosses”– some bosses notoriously corrupt, e.g. William some bosses notoriously corrupt, e.g. William

Tweed of New York CityTweed of New York City– most trade services for votes most trade services for votes

Most bosses improve conditions in citiesMost bosses improve conditions in cities

Social and Cultural Change Social and Cultural Change 1877-19001877-1900

End of Reconstruction marks shift of End of Reconstruction marks shift of attention to new concernsattention to new concerns

Population growthPopulation growth– 1877--47 million1877--47 million– 1900--76 million1900--76 million– 1900 population more diverse1900 population more diverse

Urbanization, industrialization changing all Urbanization, industrialization changing all aspects of American lifeaspects of American life

Urban and Rural Population, Urban and Rural Population, 1870-1900 (in millions)1870-1900 (in millions)

Manners and MoresManners and Mores

Victorian morality dictates dress, mannersVictorian morality dictates dress, manners

Protestant religious values strong Protestant religious values strong

Changing Views: A Growing Changing Views: A Growing Assertiveness among Assertiveness among

WomenWomen "New women"--self-supporting careers"New women"--self-supporting careers Demand an end to gender discriminationDemand an end to gender discrimination

Educating the MassesEducating the Masses

Few students reach the sixth gradeFew students reach the sixth grade Segregation, poverty compound problems Segregation, poverty compound problems

of Southern educationof Southern education 18961896—Plessy v. Ferguson —Plessy v. Ferguson allows allows

"separate but equal" schools "separate but equal" schools

Higher EducationHigher Education

Colleges and universities flourishColleges and universities flourish Greater emphasis on professions, Greater emphasis on professions,

researchresearch More women achieve college educationMore women achieve college education

Higher Education: African Higher Education: African Americans Americans

African Americans usually confined to all-African Americans usually confined to all-black institutions like Tuskegee Institute in black institutions like Tuskegee Institute in AlabamaAlabama

Booker T. Washington--accommodate Booker T. Washington--accommodate racism, concentrate on practical educationracism, concentrate on practical education

W.E.B. DuBois--demand quality, W.E.B. DuBois--demand quality, integrated educationintegrated education

The Stirrings of ReformThe Stirrings of Reform

Social Darwinists (life of humans in society Social Darwinists (life of humans in society was a struggle for existence ruled by was a struggle for existence ruled by "survival of the fittest" )"survival of the fittest" )

see attempts at social reform as useless see attempts at social reform as useless and harmfuland harmful

Reformers begin to seek changes in USReformers begin to seek changes in US

Progress and PovertyProgress and Poverty

Henry George (reformer and economist) Henry George (reformer and economist) the rich getting richer, the poor, poorerthe rich getting richer, the poor, poorer

George’s solution: tax land, wealth’s George’s solution: tax land, wealth’s source source