I.
Chapter 5—Urban America (1865-1896)
—Immigration
Europeans Flood Into The United States (pp. 336-339)
A. 1890s—1/2 of the Immigrants were from Southern & Eastern Europe
1. America offered the Immigrants:
a. employment
b. few immigration restrictions
c. avoidance of military service
d. religious freedom –(Jews)
e. social mobility
B. Ellis Island---Processing center for immigrants arriving on the east
coast
C. Most immigrants settled in cities
1. Lived in ethnic neighborhoods—(Same language & religion as
their homeland)
2. Immigrants who learned English & adapted to the American
culture seemed to adjust well to living in the United States
a. skilled immigrants also seemed to adjust well
II. Asian Immigration to America (page 339)
A. Chinese immigration caused by:
1. unemployment , poverty, & famine in China
2. discovery of gold in California
3. Taiping Rebellion in China
4. demand for railroad workers in the United States
*** Chinese immigrants worked as laborers, servants, skilled tradesman,
& merchants*** (Some owned their own laundries)
B. Japanese Immigration
1. Increased between 1900-1919 because Japan began to build an
industrial economy & empire
III.
The Resurgence of Nativism (page 340)
A. Nativism—extreme dislike for foreigners by native-born people &
desire to limit immigration
B. Why? Give Catholics too much power & Labor unions feared that
immigrants would work for lower wages
1. Focus was on Asians, Jews, & Eastern Europeans
C. 2 Anti-Immigrant Groups:
1. American Protective Association (1887)—disliked Catholics &
foreigners---wanted to stop immigration
2. Workingman’s Party of California—wanted to stop Chinese
immigration---Racial violence resulted
D. Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)—barred Chinese immigration for 10
years & prevented the Chinese already in the U.S. form becoming
citizens
1. Renewed in Congress in 1892, made permanent in 1902, & not
repealed until 1943
I.
Urbanization
Americans Migrate to the Cities (pp. 341-342)
A. Urban Population grew to 30 million by 1900
1. Immigrants remained in the cities
2. Farmers began moving to the cities because of better paying
jobs, electricity, running water, plumbing, & entertainment
II.
The New Urban Environment (pp. 342-343)
A. Skyscrapers (Louis Sullivan)—Why built?--- land prices increased
B. Mass Transit changes—Horse car-electric trolley cars—elevated
railroads
III.
Separation by Class (page 343)
A. Wealthy Classes---lived in the heart of the city in elaborate homes
B. Middle Class---lived away from the city (doctors, lawyers, engineers,&
teachers)
C. Working Class (majority of the Urban dwellers)—lived in tenements
which were dark & crowded multi-family apartments
IV.
Urban Problems (page 344)
A. Increase in crime, fire, disease, & pollution
1. Immigrants & alcohol blamed for this increase in crime
2. Contaminated drinking water from improper sewage disposal
resulted in epidemics of typhoid fever & cholera
V.
Urban Politics (pp. 344-345)
A. Political Machine---informal political group designed to gain & keep
political power by providing essentials to city dwellers in exchange for
votes
1. Party Bosses---Ran the Political Machine
a. had tight control of the city’s money
b. Became wealthy due to fraud & graft (dishonest means)
2. Most Famous---Tammany Hall (New York City)—Democratic
Political Machine
a. Party Boss—William Tweed
I.
---The Gilded Age
A Changing Culture (pp. 348-349)
A. Mark Twain (1873)—The Gilded Age
1. Gold on the outside but beneath the surface was corruption,
poverty, & a big difference between rich and poor
2. Individualism---strong belief during the Gilded Age that
regardless of your background, you could still rise in society
a. Horatio Alger---Rags to riches stories
II.
Social Darwinism (pp. 349-350)
A. Social Darwinism (Herbert Spencer)--1. Human society evolved through competition
2. Society progressed & became better because only the fittest
people survived
3. Opposed to government interference with business
B. Andrew Carnegie—Gospel of Wealth
1. those who profited should give something back to society
(Philanthropy)
2. supported Social Darwinism
C. Critics of Social Darwinism
1. Devout Christians & some leading scientists rejected the theory
of evolution because it went against the Bible’s account of
creation
III.
Realism (pp.350-351)
A. Realism—portrayed people in realistic situation instead of idealizing
them
Popular Culture (pp. 351-352)
A. People had more $$$ to spend on entertainment & recreation
B. Baseball—Very popular Sport
1. 1869—Cincinnati Red Stockings—1st Professional team
C. Vaudeville---Combined animal acts, acrobats, gymnasts, & dancers to
perform
D. Ragtime—Popular music
1. Scott Joplin—Most Famous
IV.
I.
II.
---The Rebirth of Reform
Social Criticism (pp. 353-355)
A. Henry George—Progress & Poverty---Raised questions about American
society & challenged the ideas of Social Darwinism & laissez-faire
economics
Naturalism in Literature (page355)
A. Naturalism---style of writing that criticized industrial society
1. suggested that some people failed in life due to circumstances
they could not control
2. EX: Jack London, Stephen Crane
III.
IV.
Helping the Urban poor (pp. 355-357)
A. Social Gospel Movement—Washington Gladden
1. Apply “Christian Law” to social problems
B. Salvation Army (1878)—offered aid & religious counseling to the urban
poor
1. YMCA---Bible studies, prayer meetings, citizenship training,
libraries, gym, pools, & low cost hotel rooms
C. Settlement Houses---Improve the living conditions of the poor
1. Jane Addams—Hull House--- Lillian Wald’s Henry Street----a. Medical Care, recreation programs, & English classes were
provided
Public Education (pp.357-358)
A. Need for more schools & colleges due to the increase of industry which
needed better trained workers
B. Success for Immigrant Children was based on Americanization
1. knowledge about American Culture
C. Grammar Schools created
D. Booker T. Washington—Tuskegee Institute
E. Morrill Land Grant Act---gave federal land grants to states for the
purposes of establishing agricultural & mechanical colleges
1. Increased the ## of Colleges
F. Free libraries provided education to city dwellers—Andrew Carnegie