Chapter 14: A New Spirit of ChangeChapter 14: A New Spirit of ChangeSection 1: The Hopes of ImmigrantsSection 1: The Hopes of Immigrants

Section 3: Reforming American Section 3: Reforming American SocietySociety

Around the 1850Around the 1850’’s – s – a lot of immigrants began coming to a lot of immigrants began coming to

AmericaAmerica

An immigrant is: An immigrant is: someone who someone who comes into a comes into a country.country.

An emigrant is: An emigrant is: someone who someone who leaves a country.leaves a country.

Coming to America was much Coming to America was much different 150 years ago.different 150 years ago.

At that time, about 2/3 At that time, about 2/3 of all immigrants came of all immigrants came from Europe.from Europe.

They probably came They probably came over on a ship – with over on a ship – with the cheapest passage the cheapest passage possible.possible.

Conditions were filthy Conditions were filthy and people were often and people were often sick on the way over sick on the way over here.here.

When they got here, When they got here, many did the many did the ““Ellis Ellis Island thingIsland thing””

There are There are ““push-pullpush-pull”” factors for moving factors for moving

Europe had started to become Europe had started to become too crowded.too crowded.

Many European farmers were Many European farmers were forced off their lands. They forced off their lands. They needed a new place to live needed a new place to live and America had places they and America had places they might be able to continue to might be able to continue to farm.farm.

Some countries had crop Some countries had crop failures and famines – people failures and famines – people came here rather than starve came here rather than starve (The Irish Potato Famine).(The Irish Potato Famine).

The Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution meant people had to look for meant people had to look for jobs in factories – and there jobs in factories – and there were more of those jobs in were more of those jobs in the U.S.the U.S.

Many people left Europe for Many people left Europe for religious and even political religious and even political reasons.reasons.

Freedom – people in the Freedom – people in the United States could be / do United States could be / do anything they wanted.anything they wanted.

There were better There were better economic opportunities in economic opportunities in the United States.the United States.

There were millions of There were millions of acres of open and acres of open and unclaimed land – just unclaimed land – just waiting for the waiting for the opportunity to be settled.opportunity to be settled.

One of the large immigrant One of the large immigrant groups:groups:

The Scandinavians The Scandinavians They liked that America They liked that America

had a lot of land.had a lot of land. They moved to places here They moved to places here

that were very much like that were very much like their homeland – farming their homeland – farming areas with lakes, forests, areas with lakes, forests, and colder weather and colder weather (Minnesota and Wisconsin)(Minnesota and Wisconsin)

Another 1800Another 1800’’s immigrant s immigrant group: The Germansgroup: The Germans

Liked Wisconsin – they Liked Wisconsin – they could farm and grow could farm and grow oats and grains (beer?) oats and grains (beer?) (and for a while the (and for a while the Catholic Bishop in Catholic Bishop in Milwaukee was a Milwaukee was a German).German).

Many also settled in Many also settled in Texas.Texas.

Many also became Many also became bakers, butchers, bakers, butchers, carpenters, printers, carpenters, printers, shoemakers, and shoemakers, and tailors.tailors.

The largest 1800The largest 1800’’s immigrant s immigrant group: The Irishgroup: The Irish

Most were Catholic.Most were Catholic. At that time Britain ruled At that time Britain ruled

Ireland and gave the Irish Ireland and gave the Irish no rights – they couldnno rights – they couldn ’’t t vote, own land, or go to vote, own land, or go to school, so some came to school, so some came to get away from that.get away from that.

But… in 1845 a disease But… in 1845 a disease attacked the Irish potato attacked the Irish potato crop and destroyed much crop and destroyed much of the Irish food supply. of the Irish food supply. Over 1 million Irish starved Over 1 million Irish starved to death and almost 2 to death and almost 2 million more left and came million more left and came to America.to America.

The IrishThe Irish In America they stayed in In America they stayed in

the cities they sailed to – the cities they sailed to – they had no money to move they had no money to move anywhere else.anywhere else.

By 1850 they were ¼ of the By 1850 they were ¼ of the populations of Boston, New populations of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.Baltimore.

They were mostly They were mostly uneducated with few skills uneducated with few skills and little training.and little training.

They had to take the worst They had to take the worst jobs.jobs.

Irish immigrants often were Irish immigrants often were not wanted in America. Ads not wanted in America. Ads for employment often were for employment often were followed by "NO IRISH NEED followed by "NO IRISH NEED APPLY." APPLY."

Immigration laws

With all these immigrants cities With all these immigrants cities became VERY crowded – especially became VERY crowded – especially

east coast cities.east coast cities. Many cities doubled in size Many cities doubled in size

every 5-10 years.every 5-10 years. There often wasnThere often wasn’’t enough t enough

housing and many housing and many immigrants would have to immigrants would have to share the same apartments share the same apartments – because of money too).– because of money too).

It was also a time without It was also a time without modern plumbing, sewer, modern plumbing, sewer, and water systems, and water systems, garbage pickup, police and garbage pickup, police and fire departments, and had fire departments, and had overall poor general overall poor general sanitationsanitation

NYC - 1849

Wall Street - 1850

NYC – 1850 Tenement

There have always been There have always been people who are people who are prejudicedprejudiced

A negative opinion A negative opinion that is not based on that is not based on facts. facts.

Some people felt Some people felt these immigrants these immigrants would never learn would never learn American ways.American ways.

Some felt they might Some felt they might take over.take over.

Some felt all the Some felt all the Catholics might Catholics might somehow overthrow somehow overthrow our countryour country’’s ideals of s ideals of democracy.democracy.

These people who felt they needed to These people who felt they needed to eliminate foreigners were called eliminate foreigners were called

nativistsnativists

People who People who believed they were believed they were way better than way better than immigrantsimmigrants

Of course, the only group that Of course, the only group that is really is really ““nativenative”” to America: to America:

In the early 1800In the early 1800’’s Americans began to s Americans began to believe they could try and make their lives believe they could try and make their lives

betterbetter

There were several different ways they thought There were several different ways they thought

people could improve their lives.people could improve their lives.

TemperanceTemperance Societies: Societies:(not drinking alcohol)(not drinking alcohol)

People drank a lot of alcohol People drank a lot of alcohol in the early 1800in the early 1800’’s.s.

Some workers (men) spent Some workers (men) spent too much money on getting too much money on getting drunk and their wives got drunk and their wives got upset.upset.

Many women joined the Many women joined the temperance movement.temperance movement.

They were also supported by They were also supported by business owners who wanted business owners who wanted their workers at work (their workers at work (notnot hung over and hung over and notnot drunk). drunk).

Organized group that protects Organized group that protects and watches out for workersand watches out for workers Workers RightsWorkers Rights

Labor unionsLabor unions began to began to form – and they demanded form – and they demanded better working conditions. better working conditions.

TheyThey’’d even go on strike if d even go on strike if they needed to – for they needed to – for shorter working hours, shorter working hours, higher wages, and better higher wages, and better working conditions.working conditions.

In 1840, President Van In 1840, President Van Buren even passed a law – Buren even passed a law – government employees government employees were limited to 10 hour were limited to 10 hour working days. working days.

Improving EducationImproving Education

Better schools started Better schools started in the 1830in the 1830’’s.s.

Blame Horace Mann – Blame Horace Mann – the first person put in the first person put in charge of schools.charge of schools.

Boston – 1821 – 1Boston – 1821 – 1stst public high school.public high school.

Churches and private Churches and private groups began to open groups began to open up a lot of private up a lot of private colleges.colleges.

But…But…

Women usually couldWomen usually couldnn ’’t go to college.t go to college.

Elizabeth BlackwellElizabeth Blackwell: : 11stst woman with a woman with a medical degree – medical degree – 1849.1849.

African-AmericansAfrican-Americans In the south – illegal to In the south – illegal to

teach slaves after the teach slaves after the Nat Turner rebellion.Nat Turner rebellion.

In the north – they In the north – they usually were not usually were not allowed.allowed.

Later on – after the civil Later on – after the civil War (1865) – more Black War (1865) – more Black colleges / universities colleges / universities opened in the Southopened in the South

Caring for the needyCaring for the needy

Dorothea Dix did a lot to help Dorothea Dix did a lot to help both women – and both women – and women/people in jail.women/people in jail.

In those days the mentally ill In those days the mentally ill were put in jail – and all the were put in jail – and all the jails were horrible.jails were horrible.

TheyThey’’d put criminals, mentally d put criminals, mentally ill, and even children all in the ill, and even children all in the same cells.same cells.

They also started looking at They also started looking at the possibility of rehabilitating the possibility of rehabilitating prisoners.prisoners.

Another was helping the blind Another was helping the blind and/or deaf – like Thomas and/or deaf – like Thomas Gallaudet – whoGallaudet – who’’s school is still s school is still the best school in the country the best school in the country for the deaffor the deaf

Newspapers were really starting to grow – Newspapers were really starting to grow – and then everyone could know what was and then everyone could know what was

going on and be better informed.going on and be better informed.

Papers only cost a penny Papers only cost a penny and people could hear and people could hear all the up to date news.all the up to date news.

More magazines started to be More magazines started to be published – even special published – even special interest magazines interest magazines (Ladies(Ladies’’ Magazine / GodeyMagazine / Godey’’s Ladys Lady’’s s Book)Book)