Chapter 15: Urban

America

American History

Immigration Many Europeans decided to

immigrate to the United States for several reasons heard U.S. had plenty of jobs

available and few restrictions to avoid forced military service chance to break from European

class system and move to a democratic nation

Immigrating to the United States was easy European countries repealed

their old laws requiring peasants to stay on the homeland, and allowed citizens to take their savings and go to America

Ellis Island

Many immigrants booked passages on steerage, the cheapest accommodations on a steamship

The journey took 14 days, and many went to Ellis Island in New York Harbor, to be processed

Process included: Initial physical exam

If failed, person might be separated from the families and returned to Europe

Paperwork Change of name

Adjusting to American Life After being processed into the

country, immigrants settled in major U.S. cities

Immigrants would settle in sections of the city where other inhabitants spoke their language and practiced their customs “Little Italy”, “Chinatown”, etc.

How quickly the immigrants adapted was based on if they learned English quickly and if they had a particular set of skills

One of three immigrants returned to Europe shortly after arriving

Asian Immigrants Chinese immigrants started to come

into the U.S. during the mid 1800’s Gold Rush, Taiping Rebellion, and the

Central Pacific Railroad were some reasons why they came

because of certain restrictions, many Chinese people began their own businesses, centering on the skills they had acquired

Japanese immigrants began coming into the U.S. in 1900, during the time Japan started forming into an industrial empire caused hardships in many peoples

Asian immigrants coming into the U.S. were housed and processed at Angel Island

Opposition to Immigration Nativism spread quickly throughout the U.S. in fear of

the newly arriving immigrants led to the creation of the American Protective Association

and the Workingman’s Party of California to combat both European and Asian immigrants

A law in 1882 was passed, banning convicts, paupers, and the mentally disabled from entering the U.S., and required immigrants to pay 50 cents to come in (a lot of money back then)

In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed barred Chinese immigration to the U.S. for 10 years, and

did not allow Chinese immigrants in the U.S. to become citizens

Chinese immigration went down until the act was repealed in 1943

New Urban Development

Due to the influx of immigrants into large cities, engineers designed ways to house the growing city population

Due to demand raising prices on land, building owners chose to build upward instead of outward Built skyscrapers due to

limited land

Cable cars, electric cars, above ground railways, and subways, helped improve mass transit

Separation of Classes The wealthy established districts in

the heart of the city, constructing lavish mansions or foreign estates

The economy and industry helped create a middle class made of doctors, lawyers, engineer,

managers, social workers, architects, and teachers

Moved away from the center of the city

The working class was the majority of the population in the city Lived in tenements, or dark and

crowded multi-family apartments Sent young children to work in

factories or rent tenement space to bring in additional income

Urban Problems

City living posed threats such as crime, violence, fire, disease, and pollution

Immigrants were often blamed for the violence and deplorable conditions of the city

Alcohol was blamed for violence and corruption

Due to improper sewage disposal, diseases such as typhoid fever and cholera was rampant in the cities

Urban Politics A new political system, the political

machine, came into being Designed to gain and keep power Grew from cities growing faster than

expected

In exchange for votes, the political machines and party bosses, or runners of political machines, provided jobs, housing, food, hear, and police protection to new city dwellers

The party bosses had control of the city’s finances, and grew rich from graft, or getting money through dishonesty and questionable means Also accepted bribes from contractors,

sold permits to friends to operate utilities Ex. Tammany Hall and Boss William

Tweed

The Gilded Age Inventions, innovations, and

achievements laid the foundation for this time period

Named the “Gilded Age” as a warning from Mark Twain and Charles Warner Something “gilded” is covered

with gold, but made of cheaper materials on the inside; simile to corruption that lay ahead

One of the strongest beliefs of the era was individualism Individuals could rise in society

and go as far as they could with their talents and commitments

Social Darwinism

Herbert Spencer’s take on Darwin’s theory of evolution in a social manner believed human society was

created from competition and natural selection

believed that society progressed because only the fittest survived

Andrew Carnegie made a variation of this philosophy known as the Gospel of Wealth The wealthy bore the

responsibility of engaging in philanthropy, or using their fortune to further social progress

Realism Movement in literature and

art depicting people realistically instead of ideally

Examples: Thomas Eakins William Dean Howells (The

Rise of Silas Lapham) Mark Twain (Adventures of

Huckleberry Finn) Henry James (Portrait of a

Lady) Edith Wharton (The Age of

Innocence)

Pop Culture Industrialization improved the

standards of living, with enabled people to spend money on amusements and entertainment

Saloons were available for working men as political centers and bars

Amusements Parks were available for couples and families Ex. Coney Island

Watching sports, like baseball and boxing, became popular

Vaudeville, or variety acts, was popular to go see

Ragtime, or a type of music from this period, was popular to listen and dance to

Challenges to Social Darwinism Authors and philosophers

began to challenge social Darwinism Henry George: proposed a

single tax on unearned land to make society equal

Lester Frank Ward: government could regulate the economy, cure poverty, and promote education better than competition could (Reform Darwinism)

Naturalism promoted that some individuals could not control what went on around them, thus not excel in life

Reforms to help the poor The Social Gospel movements worked to promote better city

conditions according to biblical ideals of charity and justice Advocates of movement: Washington Gladden and Walter

Rauschenbusch Inspired many churches to expand their mission

The Christian Mission, later the Salvation Army, offered practical aid and religious counseling to the poor

The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) helped urban poor by organizing Bible studies, prayer meetings, citizenship training, and group activities Dwight L. Moody: led revivalism and expressed goals of helping

the poor reform their characters

The Settlement House Movement established settlement houses, or establishments were middle class individuals would live with and help the poor

Public Education Public schools increased after the Civil War

Americanization helped immigrant children become knowledgeable about American culture Helped immigrants assimilate to American way of life

Many immigrants and African Americans began their own schools, due to the inaccessibility of many public schools

Grammar school system in cities helped students learn timely attendance, neatness, and efficiency for the workplace, while high schools taught skills to students

Establishment of colleges, including private colleges for women and attendance expanded after the Civil War

Public libraries were built in the cities to promote learning