Bridge to the 20th Century
Industry, Immigration, and Reform- Immigrants and
Urbanization
The New Immigrants
Push vs. Pull FactorsPush
War, famine, religious persecution, political persecution, and poverty
PullEconomic opportunity, religious freedom
Where the immigrants were coming from?
Europe1870-1920
20 million immigrants arrived from Europe
Pre 1890Most immigrants came from western and northern Europe
Where the immigrants were coming from?Europe
Post 1890Increasing numbers came from southern and eastern Europe
Why were these groups immigrating?Religious persecution
Jews in RussiaRising population
1800-1900 European population doubled, leading to scarce farmland
Political Freedom
ChineseChinese
Originally pulled in by the Gold Rush and later helped in railroad construction
Congress limited their immigration numbers via legislation in 1882
JapaneseJapanese
Many were recruited to work in Hawaiian agriculture
When the US acquired Hawaii immigration increased due to high wages.
West Indies and Mexico
West IndiesLeft homelands because of scarce jobs
MexicoCame for job opportunity and to escape political upheaval.
Life in a new land
A Difficult JourneyMost traveled by steamship in the below decks in conditions of squalor
Points of Entry Ellis Island
Immigrant processing point in New York. Had to pass a physical or they were sent
home.Tuberculosis and other contagious
diseases were cause for return home. Then had to pass a government inspector
Had to pass a test in their native language, show they could work, and have $25
16 million passed through from 1892-1943 At one point they would process 11,000 people a
day
Points of Entry
Angel IslandImmigration processing center on the west coast
Handled primarily Asian traffic
Harsher than Ellis Island with poorer facilities
Results of Culture Shock
Many immigrants experienced issues with being in a new culture and land
To combat this they formed ethnic communities within the US.
Here they tried to keep old world values and traditions while trying to assimilate
Set up social welfare programs in their communities Many felt like hyphenated Americans because of attitude
of native born Americans IE: Italian-American, Polish-American, etc.
Immigration Restrictions The Melting Pot
The idea favored by native born Americans that immigrants were to come together and abandon their native language and culture and become Americanized.
Southern and Eastern European immigrants were unwilling to do this and this causes resentment among the native born.
Rise of Nativism
Anti-Asian Sentiment
Culturally and appearance wise the Chinese were very different
Many on the West Coast feared the Chinese would take their jobs because they accepted lower wages.
Depression of 1873 Led to riots that ended in violence.
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 Law banning almost all Chinese immigration that
stayed on the books until 1943 Gentleman’s Agreement of 1907
In San Francisco Asian students were segregated from schools
Led to Anti-American riots in China, Japan, and Korea
To settle matter Teddy Roosevelt traded the end of the segregation for Japan limiting immigration
The Problems of Urbanization
UrbanizationWhat is it?
Rapid growth of cities
Immigrants Settle in the Cities
Why?Cities were the cheapest place to live
Had jobs for unskilled laborers in factories
Had social network of other immigrants
Immigrants Settle in the Cities
Migration to the City
Technological advances made farming more efficient and less labor intensive.
African-Americans were hit hard and some 200,000 move to the north and west, but find similar attitudes towards race.
Urban Problems
Housing
Transportation Mass Transit
Electric subways and rail cars begin to appear. Linked city center’s to the outskirts of town. Allowed for commuting to work.
Water Water was unsafe and unsanitary Spread diseases like typhoid fever and cholera Large cities began building public water systems, but
it was slow going.
SanitationHorse manure gathered in
the streetsMany dumped their trash
into alleys and streets.Sewer systems helped, but
were just starting to evolve.
Fire Lack of accessible water made fighting fires hard. Closely packed wooden buildings gave plenty of fuel to a
fire. This was countered with professional fire departments,
buildings constructed of brick and concrete, and technology advances in fighting fires.
Crime Rampant with pick pockets and con men singling out
immigrants. Gangs flourished
Reformers Mobilize
Who were the Reformers?Mostly educated white middle-class men and women
Social Gospel MovementWhat was it?
Movement to aid the poor based on the idea that Christians have a responsibility to improve working conditions and eliminate poverty.
Social Gospel MovementWhat it did?
Encouraged the establishment of churches and aid programs within the cities themselves.
The All Peoples' Mission 1892
Settlement House MovementWhat was it?
A movement towards building community centers that provided assistance to residents of slum neighborhoods.
Settlement House MovementWho ran them?
Primarily Middle-class College educated women who provided educational, cultural, and social services.
What does this all mean?
The movements established the need for social responsibility toward the urban poor and the problems faced in urbanization.
The Emergence of the Political Machine
The Political MachineWhat is it?
An organized group that controls the activities of a political party in a city and exchange services for political or financial support.
The Political MachineHow were they set up?
Like a pyramid.What did they do?
Politicians traded jobs and contracts for the votes that the wards could promise.
The Political MachineWhat did the City Boss do?
They controlled thousands of city jobs (police, fire, etc.)
Controlled business licenses and inspections
Provided government support for new businesses.
The Political MachineWhat role did immigrants
play?They were intensely loyal due to the aid the machine provided.Helped find jobs and places to live.
The Political MachineHelped them become naturalized
In exchange for services they gave the machine their votes.
Municipal Graft and ScandalElection Fraud
Machines would often pad the eligible voter list with phony names and stuff the ballot box to ensure victory.
Municipal Graft and Scandal
Municipal Graft and Scandal
Politics in the Gilded Age
Reforms-Civil Service Replaces
Patronage
The ProblemPatronage (Spoils System)The practice of giving government jobs to those who had helped a candidate get elected to office.
Presidents and ReformHayes
His appointees to office fired those who were being paid to do no work
Investigated and fired officials in the corrupt customs houses
Workers there spent most of their time working for the Republican Party
Presidents and ReformGarfield and Arthur
James Garfield (Reformer of the Spoils System) was elected President by a split Republican party with Chester Arthur as VP
Arthur had been fired for corruption in the custom houses by Garfield
An anti-reformer assassinates Garfield, making Arthur President.
Presidents and Reform
Efforts to Regulate Tariffs
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