Chapter 15
Urban America
Section 1: Immigration
Europeans Flood into the
United States (Pages 464-467)


By the late 1800’s, most European states made it easy
to move to America. By the 1890’s, eastern and
southern Europeans make up more than half of all
immigrants.
Of the 14 million immigrants who arrived between
1860 and 1900, many were European Jews.
 America offered immigrants employment, few
immigration restrictions, avoidance of military
service, religious freedom, and the chance to move
up the social ladder.
Europeans Flood into the
United States (Pages 464-467)


Most immigrants took the difficult trip to
America in steerage, the least expensive
accommodations on a steamship.
The 14-day trip usually ended at Ellis Island, a
small island in New York Harbor. It served as a
processing center for most immigrants arriving
on the East coast after 1892.
Europeans Flood into the
United States (Pages 464-467)

Most immigrants passed through Ellis Island in
a day. However, some faced the possibility of
being separated from family and possibly sent
back to Europe due to health problems.
Europeans Flood into the
United States (Pages 464-467)

Most immigrants settled in cities. They lived in
neighborhoods that were separated into ethnic
groups. Here they duplicated many of the
comforts of their homelands, including language
and religion.
Europeans Flood into the
United States (Pages 464-467)

Immigrants who learned English, adapted to
American culture, had marketable skills or
money, or if they settled among members of
their own ethnic group they tended to adjust
well to living in the United States.
Asian Immigration to America
(page 467)

Severe unemployment, poverty, and famine in
China; the discovery of gold in California; the
Taiping Rebellion in China; and the demand for
railroad workers in the United States led to an
increase in Chinese immigration to the United
States in the mid-1800’s.
Asian Immigration to America
(page 467)

In Western cities, Chinese immigrants worked as
laborers, servants , skilled tradesmen, and
merchants.
Asian Immigration to America
(page 467)

Between 1900 and 1919, Japanese immigration
to the United States drastically increased as
Japan began to build an industrial economy and
an empire.
Asian Immigration to America
(page 467)

In 1910, a barracks was opened on Angel Island
in California. Here, Asian immigrants, mostly
young men and boys, waited sometimes for
months for the results of immigration hearings.
The Resurgence of Nativism
(Page 468)

The increase in immigration led to nativism, an
extreme dislike to limit immigration. Earlier, in
the 1840’s and 1850’s, nativism was directed
towards the Irish. In the early 1900’s, it was the
Asian, Jews, and eastern Europeans that were
the focus of nativism.
The Resurgence of Nativism
(Page 468)


Nativism led to the forming of two anti-immigrant
groups. The American Protective Association had
500,000 members by 1887. The party’s founder, Henry
Bowers, disliked Catholics and foreigners. He wanted
to stop immigration.
In the 1870’s, Denis Kearny, an Irish immigrant,
organized the Workingman’s Party of California. This
group wanted to stop Chinese immigration. Racial
violence resulted.
The Resurgence of Nativism
(Page 468)

In 1882 Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion
Act that barred Chinese immigration for 10
years and prevented the Chinese already in
America from becoming citizens. This act was
renewed by Congress in 1892, made permanent
in 1902, and not repealed until 1943.
Chapter 15
Urban America
Section 2: Urbanization
Americans Migrate to the Cities
(pages 469-470)



The urban population of the United States grew form
about 10 million in 1870 to over 30 million by 1900.
Immigrants remained in the cities, where they worked
long hours for little pay. Still, most immigrants felt their
standard of living had improved in the United States.
Farmers began moving to cities because of better
paying jobs, electricity, running water, plumbing, and
entertainment.
The New Urban Environment
(pages 470-471)


Housing and transportation needs changed due
to the increase in the amount of people living in
cities.
As the price of land increased, building owners
began to build up. Skyscrapers, tall steel frame
buildings , were constructed for this reason.
The New Urban Environment
(pages 470-471)

In the late 1800’s, various kinds of mass transit
developed to move large numbers of people
around cities quickly. Beginning with the horse
car, and later to the more sophisticated electric
trolley cars and elevated railroads, engineers
created ways to move the ever expanding
population around the city.
Separation by Class
(Page 471)




Definite boundaries could be seen between where the
wealthy, middle class, and working class people lived.
Wealthy families lived in the heart of the city where
they constructed elaborate homes
The middle class, which included doctors, lawyers,
engineers, and teachers, tended to live away from the
city.
The majority, of urban dwellers were part of the
working class who lived in city tenements, or dark and
crowded multi-family apartments.
Urban Problems
(Page 472)




The growth of cities resulted in an increase in crime,
fire, disease, and pollution. From 1880 to 1900, there
was a large increase in the murder rate.
Native born Americans blamed immigrants for the
increase in crime.
Alcohol contributed to crime in the late 1800’s
Contaminated drinking water from improper sewage
disposal resulted in epidemics of typhoid fever and
cholera.
Urban Politics
(pages 472-473)

A new political system was needed to cope with
the new urban problems. The political machine,
an informal political group designed to gain and
keep power, provide essentials to city dwellers in
exchange for votes. Party bosses ran the political
machines. George Plunket, an Irish immigrant,
was one of New York City’s most powerful
party bosses.
Urban Politics
(pages 472-473)


The party bosses had tight control of the city’s
money. Many of the politicians became wealthy
due to fraud or graft- getting money through
dishonest or questionable means.
The most famous New York Democratic
political machine was Tammany Hall. During
the 1860’s and 1870’s, Tammany Hall’s boss was
William Tweed. He was arrested for corruption
and sent to prison in 1874.
Urban Politics
(pages 472-473)

Although corrupt, political machines did supply
important services and help assimilate the everexpanding population of city dwellers.
Chapter 15
Urban America
Section 3: The Gilded Age
A Changing Culture




In 1873 Mark Twain and Charles Warner co-wrote the
novel, The Gilded Age.
Historians use this term to refer to the time between
1870 and 1900.
The term gilded- refers to something being gold on the outside
with while the inside is made of cheaper material.
The authors tried to point out that although this was a
time of growth, beneath the surface were corruption,
poverty, and a huge difference between rich and poor.
A Changing Culture


Industrialization and urbanization caused
Americans to look at society in a different way.
This gave way to new values, art, and forms of
entertainment.
A strong belief during the Gilded Age was the
idea of individualism.

This is the belief that regardless of your background,
you could still rise in society.
Discussion Question

Why did Mark Twain and Charles Warner call
the era from about 1870-1900 the Gilded Age?
Social Darwinism


Herbert Spencer, and English philosopher, first
proposed the idea.
Spencer took Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and
natural selection and applied it to human society.

Like Darwin’s theory- that a species that cannot adapt to the
environment will eventually die out- Spencer felt that human
society evolved through competition. He concluded that
society progressed and became better because only the fittest
people survived.
Social Darwinism

Industrial leaders agreed with Social Darwinism!
Social Darwinism paralleled laissez-faire, and
economic doctrine that was opposed to government
interference with business.
 Many devout Christians and some leading scientists
opposed the idea of Darwin’s conclusions about the
origin of new species, They rejected the theory of
evolution because it went against the Bible’s account
of creation.

Social Darwinism

Andrew Carnegie, a wealthy business leader,
believed in Social Darwinism and laissez-faire.

However, he also felt those who profited from
society should give something back, so he softened
Social Darwinism with his Gospel of Wealth.

This philosophy stated that wealthy Americans were
responsible and should engage in philanthropy, using
great fortunes to further social progress.
Realism

A new movement in art and literature, called
realism, portrayed people in realistic situations
instead of idealizing them as the romantic artists
had done.
Thomas Eakins (painter)
 William Dean Howells (writer)
 Henry James (writer)
 Edith Wharton (writer)
 Mark Twain (writer of the first true American novel)

Popular Culture

Popular culture changed in the late 1800’s.
People had more money to spend on entertainment
and recreation.
 Work became separate from home.
 People looked to have fun by “going out” to public
entertainment.

Popular Culture

During the 1800’s, the saloon acted like a
community and political center for male
workers.

Coney Island in New York was an amusement park
that attracted working class families and single
adults. It offered amusements such as water slides
and railroad rides.
Popular Culture

Watching sports became very popular in the late
1800’s.
Baseball (Cincinnati Red Stockings)
 Football and Basketball also became very popular.

Popular Culture

In the early 1880’s, vaudeville became popular.

It was adapted from the French theatre and
combined animal acts, acrobats, gymnasts, and
dancers in its performances.
Popular Culture

Ragtime

The most famous African American ragtime
composer was Scott Joplin, who became known as
the King of Ragtime.
Chapter 15
Urban America
Section 4: The Rebirth of Reform
Social Criticism

Changes in industrialization and urbanization led to
debates among Americans over the issue of how to
handle society’s problems.



In 1879 journalist Henry George wrote a best-selling book
call Progress and Poverty.
In 1833 Lester Frank Ward’s Dynamic Society argued that
humans were unlike animals because they could think and
plan ahead.
1888 Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward 2000-1887 became a
best seller and helped shape the thinking of American
reformers, the book tells the story of the perfect society in
the year 2000.
Naturalism in Literature

Realists argued that people could control their
lives and make choices to improve their
situation.

In a style of writing known as naturalism, writers
criticized industrial society.
They suggested that some people failed in life due to
circumstances they could not control.
 Prominent naturalist writers all wrote stories of characters
caught up in situations they could not control.

Helping the Urban Poor

Reformers began to organize to help the poor.
Organizations Such As:
Social Gospel Movement
 Salvation Army
 YMCA
 Women’s Clubs
 Settlement Houses
 Temperance Movements

Helping the Urban Poor

Minister Washington Gladden was an early
supporter of the Social Gospel Movement.
He wanted to apply “Christian Law” to social
problems.
 From 1870 to 1920, members of the Social Gospel
group worked to better conditions in cities through
charity and justice.

Helping the Urban Poor

Baptist minister Walter Rauschenbusch later led
the movement.
He believed that competition was the cause of many
social problems.
 This led to many churches taking on community
functions to improve society by offering:

Gyms
 Social Programs
 Day Care

Helping the Urban Poor

Dwight L. Moody was an evangelical Christian
and president of the Chicago YMCA.
He founded his own church and by 1867 Moody
was so popular that he brought his revival meetings
to other cities.
 He was against Social Darwinism and the Social
Gospel:


He felt the way to help the poor was by redeeming their
souls and not by providing them with services.
Helping the Urban Poor

The settlement house movement was promoted
by reformers who felt it was their Christian duty
to improve the living conditions of the poor.

Jane Addams set up settlement houses in poor
neighborhoods:
Medical Care
 Recreation Programs
 English Classes

Public Education

In the late 1880’s, the increase of industry
resulted in a need for better trained workers:

As a result, there was a need for more school and
colleges.
Public Education

Americanization, or becoming knowledgeable
about American culture, was key to the success
of immigrant children.
Due to the lack of educational opportunities for
African Americans, Booker T. Washington, led the
crusade to form the Tuskegee institute in Alabama in
1881.
 The grammar school system in the city divided
students into 8 separate grades to help teach
successful habits in the workplace.

Public Education

The number of colleges greatly increased in the
late 1800’s:

This was partly a result of the Morrill Land Grant
Act, which gave federal land grants to states for the
purposes of establishing agricultural and mechanical
colleges.
College attendance increased
 The number of Women’s colleges also increased.
 Free libraries provided education to city dwellers.
