C H A P T E R 2 0S E C T I O N 2

IMMIGRATION AND MODERN URBAN GROWTH

INDUSTRIALIZATION CHANGES CITIES

• New inventions and materials sped up industrial growth. • Industries drawn to cities with good

transportation and plentiful workers.• Urbanization – the growth of cities.• skyscrapers. Increased the amount of housing

and business.• 1889 – the first elevator was installed allowing for

taller buildings.• The use of steel helped engineers for building.

CONTINUED

• Skyscrapers changed city skylines forever.• 1900 – electric streetcars • By allowing workers to live further away from

their jobs, public transportation helped new suburbs develop. • Some suburbs wanted to merge with big cities for

the transportation. (Chicago)

THE NEW IMMIGRANTS

• Key ? – who were the new immigrants and where did they settle in the U.S.?• Before 1896 immigrants came from northern and

western Europe. • After 1896 immigrants came from southern and

eastern Europe. (southern Italy, Poland and Russia. • This group became known as the “new

immigrants”.

THE NEW IMMIGRANTS

• Key ? Who were the new immigrants and where did they settle in the U.S.?• Ellis Island – (New York) first stop for European

immigrants.• Had to pass physical health exam – name,

occupation, and financial situation .• Angel Island – (San Francisco) filthy buildings and

held for weeks. • Mexican immigrants usually entered through

Texas.

FINDING WORK AND HOUSING

• Immigrants drawn to cities for work.• Ethnic neighborhoods were created. (Little Italy)• European –settled in the East and Midwest.• Look for industrial jobs. • Asian – settled in the West.• Chinese worked on the railroads; Japanese

worked on sugar plantations. • Fished, farmed, or worked in mines.• Mexicans found work on ranches in CA and TX,

and copper mines in AZ.

WHAT DID NATIVE- BORN AMERICANS FEAR ABOUT IMMIGRANTS?

• “Melting Pot” – a place where cultures blend.• Assimilation – blending into society; studied

English and American citizenship.• Did not give up their cultures completely.• Native-born citizens feared new religions coming

in, being controlled by politicians, taking jobs from them.• Immigrants would take any job for cheap wages.• Sweatshops –hot crowded dangerous factories.

CONTIUED

• Some Americans wanted immigration banned or restricted.• Chinese Exclusion Act – banned Chinese

immigration for 10 years.• Chinese workers faced low wages and violence.• Mexicans and African Americans were forced into

peonage; a system of labor, people are forced to work until they have paid off debts.

WHAT PROBLEMS WERE CAUSED BY URBANIZATION?

• Natural Disasters (San Francisco)• Poverty and Disease.• Old run-down tenements: crowded, landlord

neglect, poor design, garbage and sewage.• Slums• Jane Adams – founded Hull House in Chicago; to

help with daycare, education, and health care to needy.• Settlement houses began to spring up inspired by

the social gospel movement. (worked for labor reform)

POLITICAL MACHINES

• Political machine – is an illegal gang that influences enough votes to control a local government.

• Tammany Hall – the most famous located in New York was led by William Marcy Tweed (“Boss Tweed”)

• Stole money from the city.• Ironically, they did some good things like building

parks, sewers schools, roads, and orphanages in many cities.

• Immigrants supported the machines in return for finding them jobs.