The New America

Old vs. New Immigrants

• Old immigrants – From North and Western Europe and some from China

• New Immigrants – Came from Southern and Eastern Europe (Greece, Italy, Poland, Russia)• Came over between 1890 and 1910• Entered through the new Ellis Island in New York City• Many fell into poor housing and bad jobs• These people would do anything to escape their old nations• Asian immigrants were held for weeks at a time because of

discriminatory laws – entered through Angel Island in San Francisco

Reaction to New Immigrants

• Reaction to Immigrants• Seen as a threat• Blamed for increase in crime• Chinese Exclusion Act passed in 1882 – no Chinese

immigrants for 10 years• Segregation swept the west coast as whites wanted Asians

in different schools• Americanization was taught in schools for immigrants – led

to loss of cultural heritage

Urbanization of America

• With rise of industry came a change in the cities• Skyscrapers were being constructed as cities grew vertically• Elevator invented – Elisha Otis

• Urban planning took hold – parks were built in cities to preserve greenery (Central Park in New York)• Frederick Law Olmstead

How the Classes Lived

• Wealthy Class – owners of industry; lived in homes built like castles

• Middle Class – lived well in the cities and had professionalized skilled jobs

• Working Class – lived in tenements (cheap apartments), with poor lighting, poor health standards, and no standards on quality of life• No indoor plumbing• Poor ventilation

Settlement Housing

• Started by Jane Addams – these were designed to help overcome the extreme poverty in cities

• Hull House in Chicago was first (built in 1889)• Other houses were built in New York City and other

major cities• First black settlement house was started by Janie Porter

Barrett in Richmond, Virginia• Called Locust Street Social Settlement

• By 1910 – 400 settlement houses around US

Political Scandal

• Era saw rise of political machines and bosses• Many funded by industrialists not wanting reform to industrial guidelines• Tammany Hall in New York – headed by Boss Tweed• These groups set up to make each other rich and usually got busted for

fraud• White House Scandals were common• President Grant – Credit Mobilier Scandal – money funneled into

congressional members pockets from Union Pacific Railroad• Republican Party Reformers:• President Garfield – Killed 4 months into office by an assassin• President Arthur – passed Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883) were

promotions based on merit not political connection

Farming Reforms

• Farming was poor in late 1800s as crop prices were falling

• Industry was getting richer – farmers were going bankrupt

• Order of Patrons of Husbandry – first farmers group• Also known as National Grange• Challenged states to regulate railroad rates• Led to Interstate Commerce Act (1887) – first law to

regulate industry

Farming Reforms

• Farmers’ Alliance – wanted more paper money printed so farmers could charge more for goods• Reaction to Congress putting U.S. on Gold Standard and

limiting the amount of money in circulation• They asked for bank regulation, government ownership of

railroads, and free coinage of Silver• Led to birth of Populist Party in politics• Led to passage of Sherman Silver Purchase Act – this was

later blamed by President Grover Cleveland as the cause of the 1893 depression (Panic of 1893)

1896 Election

• Focused on the role of Silver Coinage• Democratic Nominee – William Jennings Bryant• Favored silver coinage• Gave “Cross of Gold” speech which scared industrialist and

business owners and gained him populist support• Republican Nominee – William McKinley• Wanted Gold Standard• Reaped the benefits of the support of big business and the

money poured in to his election• McKinley won Election – nation went to Gold Standard

Segregation and Discrimination

• Legalized Segregation – Jim Crow Laws – used in southern states to separate public places for whites • Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) – Supreme Court upholds

Segregation• Led to blacks being forced to show lower status • Lynching was the eventual outcome for those who did not

heed the laws or standards – these were group or mob killings

Fighting Discrimination

• Booker T. Washington – believed that segregation had to be accepted for now but that through learning skills and trades (educating themselves) they would gain equality and freedom• Set up the Tuskeegee Institute

• W.E.B DuBois – believed blacks should have full rights now• Set up Niagara Movement in 1905• Fought for equal rights• Later founded the NAACP – National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People

Review Questions

• What regions did the Old Immigrants come from? Where the New Immigrants coming from? What was the reaction to the New Immigrants? Why?

• What changes did urbanization bring to the cities?

• What were settlement houses? Who started the first one and where was it?

• What was Tammany Hall? Who ran it?

Review Questions

• What scandal rocked Grant’s White House?

• What was the Interstate Commerce Act?

• What reforms did farmers want? What two farmers groups were formed?

• What was the major issue in the Election of 1896?

• Explain the views of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois. What were they reacting to in society? What did they establish that supported their views