Life in the CitiesLife in the Cities

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City Growth• 1880 rural population = 1880 rural population = 74%74%• 1910s rural population = 1910s rural population = 54%54%

• Great migration of southern blacksGreat migration of southern blacks– 2 phases (1890, 1910s) – movement of southern

blacks to northern and Midwestern cities.

• Advances in transportation– Suburbs – Kingwood

• Skyscrapers & elevators– Buildings can be taller and cites can be more dense

Where do poor people live?

• TenementsTenements– Low-cost apartment buildings designed to

house as many families as the owner could pack in

• Severe overcrowding• Few trees, little grass• Dark, foul air from coal engines & boilers• Open sewers attracted rats (diseases)• Small fires become large fires quickly• Contagious diseases spread easily

“Late one night, when we were all in bed,

Mrs. O'Leary lit a lantern in the shed.Her cow kicked it over,

Then winked her eye and said,

"There'll be a hot time in the old town tonight!"

How can we improve this?• “Lack of ventilation = main problem”

• Solution = dumbbell tenementsSolution = dumbbell tenements– Wasted because of trash

Do we just not know about it?

1. Uncle Tom’s Cabin (slaves)

2. A Century of Dishonor (Indians)

3. How the Other Half Lives (urban poor)• Jacob Riis, reporter, publishes book in 1890• Describes living conditions in cities• Led to legislation to improve tenements

Rise of Political Machines• Boss Tweed and

Tammany Hall

• Helped many immigrants who were “fresh off the boat” in exchange for their votes

• Filled the void left be social services

• Extremely corrupt

• Controlled local politics

ReactionsReactions

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Addressing the ProblemsAddressing the Problems• Appalling living conditionsAppalling living conditions

– Gov’t doesn’t do anything– Organizations form to address the issues

• Attempt #1COS – NY Charity Organization SocietyCOS – NY Charity Organization Society– Detailed files– Some people unworthy of help– Aimed to Americanize– Mixed feelings among immigrants

Addressing the ProblemsAddressing the Problems• Appalling living conditionsAppalling living conditions

– Gov’t doesn’t do anything– Organizations form to address the issues

• Attempt #1COS – NY Charity Organization SocietyCOS – NY Charity Organization Society– Detailed files– Some people unworthy of help– Aimed to Americanize– Mixed feelings among immigrants

Addressing the ProblemsAddressing the Problems• Attempt #3

Settlement House MovementSettlement House Movement– Settlement house = community center in

poor area of town, offering social services• “Simply giving money to poor never helped”

– Hull House established by Jane Addams• Initially just to get to know neighbors• Grew into huge community center over the years

– 400 settlement houses by 1910• Worked by recent college grads and women

Other reactionsOther reactions• Sociology – study of society

• Nativism – favoring native-born Americans– American Protective Association

• Secret society, targeted immigrants & Catholics• Oath to only hire & vote Protestants• Supported teaching of only American culture &

English language in schools

Other reactionsOther reactions• Temperance Movement

– Organized campaign to eliminate alcohol consumption

– Several different groups

• Purity crusaders– Drugs, gambling, prostitution, other vices– Make America moral, again!– Attacked political machines that seemed to

profit from vice