THE GROWTH OF CITIES AND AMERICAN CULTURE1865 - 1900

A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS

United States Population in 1850:23.2 millionIn

1900:76.2 million

Immigration from 1850 to 1900:

16.2 million

From 1900 to 1910:

8.8 million

GROWTH OF IMMIGRATION: REASONS

PUSHES: Negative Factors

1. Poverty (displaced from farms by mechanization) 2. Overcrowding in major cities in Europe

3. Religious persecutions (Jews)

PULLS: Positive Factors… Why Come To The USA?????

1. Political freedom

2. Religious freedom

3. Economic opportunities (cheap land)

4. Jobs

ALSO: better steamships provided cheap transportation

OLD IMMIGRANTS VS. NEW IMMIGRANTS

OLD: (up to 1880’s) Northern & Western Europe

-British Isles, Germany, and Scandinavia- Most were Protestant and Catholics- Most could speak a little English- High level of literacy & skills (blended into rural society)

NEW: (beginning in1890’s) Southern & Eastern Europe

- Italians, Greeks, Croats, Slovaks, Poles, and Russians- Poor and illiterate peasants- Unaccustomed to democratic traditions- Most were Catholics, Orthodox, and Jews- Unskilled labors- Most crowed in poor ethnic neighborhoods in large cities

Restricting Immigration…

Up until 1880’s very few restrictions…In the 1880’s Congress passes new laws restricting immigration:

1. Chinese Exclusion Act2. Restrictions on “undesirables”

Convicts or Mentally Ill3. Prohibited Contract Labor

When immigrants came into USA, went to Ellis Island. They had to pass rigorous medical and document examinations They also had to pay an entry tax

Who wanted to restrict immigration???

1. Labor Unions: immigrants hurt wages bargaining power)

2. Nativist Groups: The American Protection Association, openly prejudiced against Catholics3. Social Darwinist: believed new immigrants were socially inferior to English & German stock

Did they stop the flow of immigration?

NO!!!!BY 1900: 15% of the USA population were immigrants However by the 1920’s: Liberty’s Golden Door was shut!

URBANIZATION:Urbanization & Industrialization grew side by side

Cities Provided1. A central supply of labor for the factories

2. Principle market for factory made goods

By 1900: 40% of population lived in cities

By 1920: over 50%

Besides immigrants who else was moving into the city??

Young Americans & Blacks seeking new economic opportunities

Changes in the nature of cities: Structure and Size

Streetcar Cities:

- Pre-Civil War people had to be with-in walking distance- Now with better transportation “streetcars” people could live outside of city and commute

- The better transportation developed the further people moved outside the city. (starts segregation of workers) - Upper & middle class moved to suburbs to escape pollution, poverty, and crime… Inner-city left to working class poor and immigrants

Skyscrapers: Not only did cities expand out BUT up…

In 1885, William Le Baron Jenny builds 1st skyscraper in Chicago

New inventions help with the success of skyscrapers:

Otis elevatorCentral heating

Ethnic Neighborhoods:

As the rich moved out, the poor moved in…

To increase profits landlords divided inner-city housing into small, windowless rooms…. “Slums” 4,000 people to 1 city block…

Ethnic groups would move in to the inner-city and maintain its:

- Own language

- Own culture

- Own religion: churches & temples

- Own social clubs

- Own schools

- Own newspapers

Even with the overcrowding, unhealthy conditions & crime,

many immigrants still achieved the:

AMERICAN DREAM

Residential Suburbs:

5 factors that promoted suburban growth:

1. Abundant land available at a low cost

2. Inexpensive transportation into the city

3. Low cost construction for homes

4. Ethnic and racial prejudice

5. American fondness for privacy & detached homes

By 1900 every major city had suburbs…Single family homes surrounded by beautiful lawns It became the American ideal for comfortable living

THE USA WILL BECOME WORLDS FIRSTSUBURBAN NATION

PRIVATE CITY VS. PUBLIC CITY

At first people did not expect public services

BUT as population grew so did problems… To maintain healthy & beautiful cities people demanded city governments to provide:

- Pure water- Sewage- Waste disposal- Street lights- Police- Fire- Zoning Laws

Awaking of Reform…New Reform Movements Began…

Books on Social Criticism:

Henry George Progress and Poverty

Edward Bellamy Looking Backward: 2000 - 1887

His book made people look at problems of laissez-faire economics. He wanted a single tax on land to help stop poverty. He called attention to inequalities of wealth caused by industrialization

His book envisioned a future era of cooperative society that eliminated poverty, greed, & crime. Because his book became so popular American public turned away from laissez-faire to greater government regulations.

Settlement HousesConcerned about the lives of the poor…

Who? Young middle class, idealistic, & well educated men & woman

How? They would settle in poor neighborhoods to learn the problems the poor faced

What did they do?

They would provide the poor with social services

Most famous was the Hull House in Chicago (1889)

Hull Houses started by Jane Addams

They provided:

English lessonsChildhood educationTaught tradesEstablished neighborhood theaters & music schools

By 1900: over 400 settlement houses in the United States

The workers of settlement houses were civic minded volunteers who:

1. Created professional social workers2. Crusaded for child labor laws, housing reforms,

and woman’s rights

SOCIAL GOSPEL

Protestant preachers exposed the social injustices of the poorThey preached applying Christian principles to social problems

Leading the attack for social justice was: Walter Rauschenbusch

He linked Christianity with the Progressive Movement & encouraged middle-class Americans to attack urban problems.

RELIGION & SOCIETYThe call of religion to help the with the challenges of modern urban living…

Roman Catholics: will gain support with new immigrants

with inner-city support

Dwight Moody & the Moody Bible Institute: Chicago Will train urban evangelist

Salvation Army: Helped provide basic necessities of life for homeless & poor while preaching the bible

Mary Baker Eddy: taught that good health was the result of correct thinking about “Father Mother God”.

She starts the Christian Science Church.

The Trinity in Christian Science is found in the unity of God, Christ, and divine Science, or: "God the Father-Mother; Christ the spiritual idea of sonship; divine Science or the Holy Comforter."

Eddy defined Christian Science in these terms: "...the law of God, the law of good, interpreting and demonstrating the divine Principle and rule of universal harmony."[ She saw it as "...the natural law of harmony which overcomes discord."[

Families & Women in Urban Society

PROBLEMS:-City life took away extended family & village support-Divorce rate went up (new laws against cruelty)-Number of children went down

Rural: children a necessity… the more the betterUrban: children an economic liability… less is

cheaper 1890: Elizabeth Cody Stanton & Susan B. Anthony organized:

National American Woman’s Suffrage Association Helped woman get voting rights and to own and control property

Elizabeth Cody Stanton Susan B. Anthony

Temperance and MoralityMany woman were convinced that excessive drinking of alcohol by male factory workers was the main cause of poverty…

New Groups Developed:

WCTU (Woman’s Christian Temperance Union… 1874) Leader: Francis Willard She called for: complete abstinence from alcohol Members: 500,000 by 1898

Anti-saloon League

By 1914 persuaded 21 States to close saloons & bars

Carrie Nation (Kansas):

Raided saloons & smashed barrels of beer with a hatchet

The Society of Suppression of Vice, took it even farther They became the “watchdog” of American morals.

Created by: Anthony Comstock

He will persuade Congress to pass the “Comstock Law” The law stopped the mailing or transporting of obscene & lewd materials (including photographs).

Intellectual and Cultural Movements

The USA changes from a farming economy to an industrial economy. From a rural society to an urban society. These changes will affect all areas of life & culture in the USA Major areas of change: education, the arts, & sports

Changes in Education Public Schools:

-Taught the 3 R’s- McGuffey Readers: promoted traditional values- New laws made it compulsory to go to school- By 1900: US literacy rises to 90%- Kindergarten was created: early education- Tax supported public high schools High schools 1st for college prep, now focus was on vocational and citizenship…

Higher Education : Number of colleges increases because…

1. Land Grants2. Wealthy Philanthropist3. Woman Colleges

Changes in college curriculum & social activities

- Harvard introduces elective classes-John Hopkins University specializes in advanced studies- Other colleges become dominated by social activities, fraternities, and sports…

Literature and the ArtsRealism and Naturalism

Samuel Clemens: (Mark Twain)

1st great realist author.His stories revealed greed, violence & racism in the USA. Huckleberry Finn Tom Sawyer

William Dean Howell another realist wrote about the problems of industrialism and the unequal wealth in the USA

Other artist became known for their Naturalism…Which described how emotions & experiences shaped the

“Human Experience”

Stephen Crane: “The Red Badge of Courage”

Jack London: “The Call of the Wild”

Jack London

Theodora Dreiser: “Sister Carrie” book about a poor girl in Chicago

Paintings: Emphasis on Realism

Winslow Homer: The Fog

Thomas Eakins: Taking the Count

James Whistler: Arrangement in Black & Gray (Whistler’s Mother)

Music

Most large cities had either a symphony orchestra or an Opera House or Both…

In small towns they had outdoor bandstands

John Philip Sousa Famous for his marching band & His marching songs

Biggest change in music was created by Blacks in New Orleans.

JAZZJelly Roll Morton

Others: Buddy Bolton & Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag

Pop Culture

Newspapers….

Joseph Pulitzer: New York World 1st to have a million papers in

circulation “Sensationalism”

William Randolph Hearst: New York Journal Brings sensationalism to new heights

YellowJournalism

Joseph PulitzerWilliam R. Hearst

Amusements: Leisure time activities caused by:1. Less working hours

2. Improved transportation

3. Billboards & advertising

4. Decline of Puritan & Victorian Values

Most Popular Amusements:

1. Drinking & hanging out at corner saloon2. Theaters

3. Circus: P. T. Barnum & James Bailey

4. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show

5. Vaudeville

6. Parks for picnics

Spectator Sports

1. Professional Boxing: Heavyweights1st Champion: John L. Sullivan

Only defeat was to James Corbett who took the Heavyweight Title from John L.

2. Baseball

3. Basketball: James Naismith 1891

A. Doubleday A. Cartwright Cincinnati Reds

4. Football

First football game: Rutgers vs. Princeton 1869

Walter Camp “Father of American Football”

Bachelor Sub-culture

Sports were played and watched by men… Especially single (20 – 30 yr old) who spent most of their time at saloons, race tracks & pool hallsAmateur Sports:

Getting into shape (even woman)

TennisGolfPoloCroquetBikingGoing to Athletic Clubs (Rich Only)

FASHION IN THE 1890’S