Immigrants and
Urbanization
Chapter 7 – Honors US History
Section 1:Targets




By the end of this lesson, I will
be able to:
1. Identify immigrant’s countries of
origin.
2. Describe the journey immigrants
endured and their experiences at
United States immigration stations.
3. Examine the causes and effects of
the nativists’ anti-immigrant
sentiments.
Section 1: The New
Immigrants:





Main Idea:
Immigration from
Europe, Asia, the
Caribbean, and
Mexico reached a new
high in the late 19th
and early 20th
centuries.

Why it Matters:
Now: This wave of
immigration helped
make the United
States the diverse
society it is today.
Key Terms:
Ellis Island
Angel Island
Melting Pot

Key Terms (2):
Nativism
Chinese Exclusion
Act
Gentleman’s
Agreement



What is your favorite activity on a NO
SCHOOL FRIDAY?
30
1.
2.
3.
4.
Watching History Channel
Marathons.
Dreaming about WWII
Battles .
Reading the History
Channel Magazine.
Rocking out to historical
tunes!!
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Story Time!

The year is 1880. New York City’s
swelling population has created a
housing crises. Immigrant families
crowd into apartments that lack
light, ventilation, and sanitary
facilities. Children have no where to
play except the streets and are often
kept out of school to work and help
support their families. You are a
reformer who wishes to help
immigrants improve their lives….
Discussion: Turn and Talk




1. What would you
do to improve
conditions?
2. What skills do
newcomers need to
make it?
3. How might
immigrants
respond to help
from an outsider?
4. How do you
think you’d react?
Where Did the Immigrants Come
From?


Between 1870 &
1920, about 20
million Europeans
immigrated to the
U.S.
Population
explosion in
Europe(432 Million
people)
Why Did The Immigrants
Come Here?





1. Escape religious
persecution (AntiSemitism)
2. Improve their
economic situation
(jobs) (Birds of
passage)
3. Experience greater
freedom in the U.S.
4. Escape difficult
conditions (famine,
land shortages – from
rising population)
NOTE: Most European
immigrants arrived on
the East Coast (they
were from Europe).
Which of the following is NOT a reason why
the immigrants came to America?
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2.
To escape
persecution
To improve their
economic
situation
To educate their
children in better
American schools
To escape difficult
conditions
To
1.
25
Chinese and Japanese:





A smaller number of
immigrants came from
Asia.
They arrived on the
West Coast
About 300,000 Chinese
came between 1851 &
1883.
Many Chinese helped
build the 1st
transcontinental
railroad.
Some sought gold
(1848 CA gold rush)
They called US “Gold
Mountain”
Mexico and the Caribbean:


From 1880 to
1920, about
260,000
immigrants arrived
from Jamaica,
Cuba, Puerto Rico,
& other islands.
Over the next 20
yrs, around
700,000 Mexicans
arrived between
1910 to 1930 to
escape political
turmoil in their
country.
Ellis Island:





Most European
immigrants to the U.S.
arrived in New York.
Had to pass through
immigration station
located on Ellis Island
in New York Harbor
They were subjected to
various tests (some
were detained)
Only about 2% of
immigrants were
denied entry in the
USA.
Most immigrants were
allowed only 100 lbs of
goods (think about all
of your belongings)
Do you have any ideas about the
requirements necessary to enter the US?
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Yes…I have
some idea
Not really sure
but possibly
Not sure at all
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Passing Inspection:


Officials at Ellis
Island decided
whether the
immigrants
could enter the
country.
If they had a
serious health
problem or a
contagious
disease they
were sent home.
Inspection:


Children Waiting at Ellis
Island

A government
inspector checked
documents and
questioned every
immigrant to
determine whether
they met the legal
requirements for
entering the USA?
What do you think
they were?
What do you think
they should have
been?
What Were the Requirements for
Admission?




1. Proving they
had never been
convicted of a
felony
2. Demonstrating
that they were able
to work.
3. Showing that
they had some
money: at least
$25 (1909
standard)
Let’s look at an
example:
Here Are The Exact
Questions Used:








1.What is your name?
2. Have you ever been to the America
before?
3. Do you have any relatives here? If the
answer was yes, then asked where they
lived.
4. Is there anyone who came to meet you
at Ellis Island?
5. Who paid for your passage?
6. Do you have any money? ( If the
answer was yes then immigrant was told:
Let me see it.)
7. Do you have a job waiting for you in
America?
8. Do you have a criminal record?
Edward Ferro: An Italian
Immigrant:

“The language was a problem of
course, but it was overcome by the
use of interpreters…It would happen
sometimes that these interpreters –
some of them – were really
softhearted people and hated to see
people being deported, and they
would, at times, help the aliens by
interpreting in such a manner as to
benefit the alien and not the
government.” (I Was Dreaming to Come to
America)
Angel Island:




Immigration
station for the
Asian immigrants
arriving on the
West Coast.
Located in San
Francisco.
Inspection process
more difficult than
on Ellis Island.
(filthy conditions,
harsh questioning)
Extended
detainment
Cooperation For Survival:



Survival Kit
Many immigrants
settled in
communities with
other immigrants
from same
country.
They also formed
organizations to
help each other.
Think about:
Finding a place to
live, a job,
understanding the
language and
culture.
Immigration Restrictions:



America started to
be called a
MELTING POT Many cultures &
races had blended
But, many
immigrants refused
to give up their
culture.
So, nativism
(favoritism towards
native born
Americans) began
to spread.
How do you feel about the Melting Pot
personification of the US?
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I think it suits
the US well.
I think it
somewhat
applies.
Most people
just view
themselves as
Americans.
It
1.
15
New and Old Immigrants
New immigrants tended to come
from Southern and Eastern
Europe
 These immigrants tended to be
Catholic
 Old immigrants tended to come
from Western and Northern
Europe.
 These immigrants tended to be
Protestant

The Rise of Nativism:



Some Americans
didn’t like so many
immigrants living
in the U.S.
NATIVISMObvious preference
for native-born
Americans.
Nativism gave
rise to antiimmigrant groups.
Also led to a
demand for
immigration
restrictions.
Anti-Asian Sentiment:





Chinese immigrants
worked for low wages.
(Native born Americans
were getting boxed out
of jobs)
Labor groups
pressured politicians to
restrict Asian
immigration.
CHINESE
EXCLUSION ACT
1882 - Banned all but
a few Chinese
immigrants.
Exceptions –
students, teachers,
merchants, tourists,
and government
officials.
Not lifted until 1943.
Do you think Nativism exists today?
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2.
Absolutely
To a certain
extent
Definitely Not!
A
1.
15
The Gentleman’s Agreement:
In San Francisco, all
Chinese, Japanese,
& Korean children
placed in special
Asian schools
 This led to antiAmerican riots in
Japan.
In exchange for
President Roosevelt
persuading San
Francisco officials to
stop separation policy,
Japan agreed to limit
immigration to U.S.


Section 2 Targets:




By the end of this lesson, I will
be able to:
1. Describe the movement of
immigrants to cities and the
opportunities they found there.
2. Explain how cities dealt with
housing, transportation, sanitation,
and safety issues.
3. Describe some of the
organizations and people who
offered help to urban immigrants.
Section 2: The Challenges
of Urbanization:






Main Idea: The rapid
growth of cities forced
people to contend
with problems of
housing,
transportation, water,
and sanitation.

Why it Matters
Now: Consequently,
residents of the US
cities today enjoy
vastly improved
living conditions.
Key Terms:
Urbanization
Americanization
movement
Tenement
Mass Transit

Key
Terms/Names:
Social Gospel
Movement
Settlement House
Jane Addams



Urban Opportunities:




Urbanization - the
rapid growth of cities.
Many immigrants
settled in cities in the
early 1900’s.
Settled mostly in
Northeast & Midwest
cities to find jobs in the
factories & businesses.
By 1910, immigrants
made up over half of
the populations of 18
major American cities.
Immigrants Settle in Cities:


Most immigrants
became city
dwellers –
cheapest and
most convenient
places to live.
Jobs were more
plentiful in the
city.
Americanization Movement:



Americanization
Movement – Was
designed to assimilate
people of wide-ranging
cultures into the
dominant culture.
This was a government
program that helped
immigrants learn more
about the USA.
Schools taught
them English,
American history,
and government.
Migration from Country to
City:




With the invention of
farming technology,
fewer farmers were
needed.
Farmers who lost their
jobs to machines
moved to the city to
find other jobs.
African American
farmers from the South
(between 1890 &
1910, about 200,000)
moved to cities in the
North.
They aimed at
escaping racial
violence, economic
hardship, and political
oppression.
Urban Problems:


There became serious
shortages in housing.
New types of housing
were created so people
could live in a small
amount of space.
1)Row house – Single
family dwelling that
shared side walls
w/other houses.
2)Tenement –
Multifamily urban
houses often
overcrowded &
unsanitary.
NYC – Improvements:



In 1879, NYC
passed a law that
set minimum
standards for
plumbing and
ventilation in
apartments.
Windows for each
room, air shafts.
Problem: People
dumped garbage
into the air shafts
– this attracted
rats – so they
nailed their
windows shut.
Mass Transit:



Now that there were
more people in the
city, transportation
became a huge issue.
Cities developed Mass
Transit –
transportation systems
designed to move large
numbers of people
along fixed routes.
The city had trouble
keeping up with these
because they were
used so often and
needed new ones to
keep up with demand.
Sanitation Problems:






Cities had hard time
supplying safe drinking
water.
People threw garbage
out their windows.
Horse manure piled up
on the streets
Sewage flowed in
streets.
By 1900, many cities
built sewers & created
sanitation
departments.
Filtration systems and
chlorine were also
helpful additions.
Crime:



When population
goes up, so does
crime.
Pickpockets and
thieves flourished
(some stealing to
survive)
NYC police was
relatively small and
didn’t make much
impact on crime.
Fire:





The city had limited
supply of water.
Most city apartments
were made of wood,
not concrete.
People also used
candles and kerosene
lamps for lighting.
Paid fire departments
were first created in
1853 (Cincinnati)
The automatic fire
sprinkler was also
created in 1874.
The Great Chicago Fire:
1871
Fire burned for 24hrs.
 An estimated 300 people died
 100,000 were left homeless
 More than 3 square miles of the
city center was destroyed.
 Property loss was estimated at
$200 million.
 17,500 buildings were
destroyed.

Reformers Help the Poor:



Social Gospel
movement - Early
reform program.
Leaders preached
that people
reached salvation
by helping the
poor.
They established
Settlement
Houses.
Located in slums.
Help & friendship
for poor &
immigrants.
Jane Addams: Settlement
Houses




Usually ran by
middle-class
college educated
women.
Provided classes,
health care,
clothing, etc.
Jane Addams was
well-known social
reformer.
The settlement
houses helped to
cultivate social
responsibility
toward the urban
poor.
Consider THIS:

You are a poor
immigrant living in a 1
room apartment with
your extended family.
Your family barely has
enough money to pay
the rent. Your grandma
becomes ill and there
is no money for a
doctor. What do you
do?

Consider:
No health insurance
No Medicare/Medicaid
Landlord will kick you out
if rent is short or late



Section 3:Targets





By the end of this lesson, I will
be able to:
1. Explain the role of political
machines and political bosses.
2. Describe how some politicians’
greed and fraud cost taxpayers
millions of dollars.
3. Describe the measures taken by
presidents Hayes, Garfield, and
Arthur to reform the spoils system.
4. Explain the positions taken by
presidents Cleveland, Harrison, and
McKinley on the tariff issue.
Section 3: Politics in the
Gilded Age:







Main Idea: Local
and national
political corruption
in the 19th Century
led to calls for
reform.

Key Terms:
Political Machine
Graft
Patronage
Civil Service
Pendleton Civil Service
Act







Why it Matters
Now: Political
reforms paved the
way for a more
honest and efficient
government in the
20th Century and
beyond.
Key Names:
Boss Tweed
Rutherford B. Hayes
James A. Garfield
Chester A. Arthur
Grover Cleveland
Benjamin Harrison
My favorite day of the week
is:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
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Political Machines:




During late 1800’s,
many cities were run
by a Political
machine.
This was an organized
group, headed by a
city boss, that
controlled activities of
a political party in a
city. (Had power over
civil servant jobs)
Offered services to
voters & businesses in
exchange for political
or financial support.
Sort of like the Mafia.
The Role of the Political
Boss:




What else did
the bosses do:
1. Controlled
access to jobs
2. Built parks,
sewer systems,
and waterworks.
3. Gave money
to hospitals,
schools, and
orphanages.
Why do you think that people supported
the political machines?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Jobs
Protection
Basic Needs
All of the above
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What Did the Bosses Get
Out of this “Charity?”




Voters’ loyalty
Win additional
public support
Extend their
influence
So…they did favors
for people so that
they were seen as
favorable and
people would vote
for them in the
future.
Immigrants and Bosses:





The immigrants liked
the idea of political
machines and bosses.
Why?
1. Many of the bosses
were immigrants
themselves (1st or 2nd
generation) – they
spoke their language
and battled the same
hardships.
They helped the
immigrants with
naturalization – full
citizenship.
Helped them get jobs
and houses
And in return –
VOTES!!!
Election Fraud and Graft:




Many Bosses got rich
through GRAFT-the
illegal use of political
influence for personal
gain.
How does this work?
Example: By helping a
person find work on a
construction project for
the city, a political
machine could ask the
worker to bill the city
for more than the
actual cost of materials
and labor.
The worker then
“kicked back” (an
illegal cash payment) a
portion of the earnings
to the machine.
More Fraud:


Political machines
also granted favors
to businesses in
return to cash and
also accepted
bribes to allow
illegal gambling to
flourish.
To win elections,
some filled the list
of eligible voters
w/names of dogs,
children, & the
dead.
Why do you think that people allowed the
bosses to do illegal activities?
4.
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Because they
were getting
things in return
They personally
liked the bosses
They didn’t like
the government
All of the above
B
1.
20
The Tweed Ring:


Boss Tweed
(William M. Tweed)
became the head
of Tammany Hall,
NYC’s powerful
Democratic
political machine.
Between 18691871 Boss Tweed
led a group of
people (Tweed
Ring) in defrauding
the city for millions
of dollars.
What Did Tweed Do?





The NYC Courthouse
was being built.
The project cost tax
payers $13 million,
while the actual cost
was only $3 million!
The difference went to
the Tweed Ring.
It is estimated that the
Tweed Ring stole
between $30-$200
million dollars from
NYC.
This is just one
example of the fraud
that the Tweed Ring
got away with until……
Ultimately, who did the Tweed
Ring’s actions hurt worse?
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4.
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3.
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2.
Boss Tweed
The city
The
government
The taxpayers
B
1.
20
They Got Busted!




In 1871 the ring
was broken.
Tweed was indicted
on 120 counts of
fraud and extortion
and was sentenced
to 12 years in jail.
His sentence got
reduced to 1 year
but he got in
trouble again and
was arrested.
While serving this
sentence, he
escaped to went to
Spain.
An Interesting Side Note:



Thomas Nast
During his crime
spree, Tweed tried
to pay off the NY
Times and Thomas
Nast (a political
cartoonist) so they
wouldn’t run
editorials on his
corruptive
practices.
Tweed offered the
NY Times $5
million dollars and
Thomas Nast
$500,000.
Both Declined.
1.
What is the significance of the word LAW on the torn piece of paper?
2.
What affect do you think Nast wanted to have on his audience?
What character speaks to your
inner Scooby Doo?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Shaggy…I love food too!
Velma…I dig nerdy girls in glasses.
Daphne…Her trendy style embraces
my fashionista sense!
Fred…Who doesn’t love an orange
ascot.
Scooby…Need I say more.
Scrappy…He is ready SPLAT his
enemies!
47%
26%
11%
11%
5%
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Patronage:




National politics were
also corrupt – It’s all
about who you know.
Patronage: spoils
system
giving of government
jobs to people of the
same party who had
helped a candidate get
elected.
Reformers wanted a
better way of electing
people – they should
be the most qualified.
Civil Service:



Civil ServiceGovernment
jobs.
Reformers called
for a merit
system.
Civil service jobs
would go to the
most qualified,
regardless of
political views.
Why was the “civil service” system a
better system than the spoils system?
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3.
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w
as
2.
It wasn’t
It allowed political
bosses to control
the job market
It allowed the
most qualified to
get hired
It benefited only
the wealthy
It
1.
President Hayes:




President
Rutherford B.
Hayes attempted
to reform civil
service.
1. Investigated
court houses (lots
of patronage going
on here)
2. Fired corrupt
officials
3. Hired
independents for
his cabinet (neutral
party members)
Did it Work?



Some members
of Republican
party objected.
There needed to
be a balance
between
reformers and
Republicans.
Hayes decided
not to run for
reelection in
1880
In order to reform civil service, President
Hayes did all of the following EXCEPT:
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st
2.
Investigated court
houses
Fired corrupt
officials
Took money from
the political
machines
Hired
independents for
his cabinet
In
1.
Republicans Divided:




Stalwarts
opposed changed
in patronage
system.
Reformers
supported
changing the
system.
Republican Party
settles on James
A. Garfield, an
independent
candidate.
Chester A. Arthur
was nominated to
the VP spot.
President Garfield
Assassinated!



As Garfield walked
through the D.C. train
station, he was shot
two times by a man
that Garfield turned
down for a job (Charles
Guiteau).
He was a die hard
Stalwart (opposed to
Garfield’s reformer
ties) He was hanged!
Chester Arthur became
president. (he turned
reformer)
Why was Garfield assassinated?
1.
2.
3.
4.
He wasn’t liked by
the political
machines
He had ties to the
reform movement
He didn’t deserve
to be the
President
None of the above
Arthur in Action:


Arthur’s first
message to the
Congress was to
pass the
Pendleton Civil
Service Act
(1883) - Created
a civil service
commission to give
government jobs
based on merit,
not politics.
This helped to
reform civil
service.
How Did This Act Effect
Politics?



By 1901, more than
40% of all federal jobs
had been classified as
civil service positions.
PRO - The act made
these positions much
more honest and
efficient.
CON - On the other
hand, because officials
could no longer
pressure employees for
campaign
contributions,
politicians turned to
other sources for
donations.
Business Buys Influence:




Politicians no
longer had jobs to
offer.
Had trouble
seeking $ from
supporters.
Many turned to
wealthy business
leaders for
support.
Big business and
the Government
became good
friends.
What was the main reason why politicians
had to turn to big business for campaign
money?
1.
2.
3.
4.
40% of jobs were
now Civil Service
jobs
No one would
vote for them
They were
running out of
money
All of the above
Tariffs:




Tariff is a tax placed
on goods coming into
or going out of a
country.
Most Americans
believed tariffs were
necessary to protect
U.S. industries from
foreign competition.
Tariffs did cause prices
to rise.
For 12 years, Tariffs
were a key issue in
presidential elections.
Crazy Times!!!





Grover Cleveland
(1884) - Democratic
president who tried,
but failed to reduce
tariffs. (First Dem.
President in 28 years)
He attempted to lower
tariffs but Congress did
not support him
Benjamin Harrison
(1888)- Republican
who was supported by
big business and
supported tariffs
Signed the MCKINLEY
TARIFF ACT into law.
Tariffs were raised to
their highest level
ever.
Crazy Times – Part 2





Grover Cleveland Cleveland defeats
Harrison in 1892 to
become President again!
(Only President to not
serve 2 consecutive
terms)
He was unsuccessful in
reducing tariffs.
William McKinley was
elected President in 1897
and raised tariffs again.
The spirit of reform kept
going into the 20th
Century.
Many new developments
are to come….in the next
chapter…
What do you think about taxing
imported goods today?
1.
2.
3.
It is great
idea…Buy
American!
It is an idea
worth pursuing.
Heck no…we
want low
prices!