Urban AmericaChapter 6

Immigration

► Old Immigration▪ Before 1890; Northern

& Western Europe► New Immigration

▪ After 1890; Eastern & Southern Europe

Push and Pull Factors► Push Factors

▪ increased population - overcrowded

▪ religious oppression▪ Political tyranny ▪ war▪ no work opportunity▪ failed crops – food shortage▪ natural disasters

► Pull Factors▪ jobs▪ higher standard of living▪ opportunity for social

advancement▪ freedom – democracy▪ available land

The Atlantic Voyage

► Difficult voyage► Journey took 14 days► Most immigrants

traveled in steerage► Steerage: the

cheapest station on the ship

“Narrow, steep and slippery stairways lead to it. Crowds everywhere, ill smelling bunks, uninviting washrooms– this is steerage. The odors of scattered orange peelings, tobacco, garlic, and disinfectants meeting but not blending. No lounge or chairs for comfort, and a continual babble of tongues– this is steerage.”

-Edward Steiner, an Iowa clergyman who posed as an immigrant to write about immigration

Ellis Island

► Located in New York► Tiny island were European

immigrants entered the U.S.► Took most one day to pass

through► Medical inspections before

being allowed to enter

Angel Island

► Located in San Francisco► Place where Asian

Immigrants arrived► Mostly young Chinese men► They could take months

to leave Angel Island

Review Push and Pull

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_4kU9cwgXM&t=114sExamples from the movie:

1. No Cats in America 2. Violence between the Cats and the Mice

3. The streets are paved with cheese

4. Religious freedom

RAFT Writing

► Role: Who am I?

- A resident of Mexico

Audience: Who are you writing to?

- Family member in America, seeking help

Format: What kind of writing will you do?

-Letter

Topic: What do you want to talk about?

- Home destroyed by earthquake, deciding to stay and rebuild or move

Nativism Resurges► Nativism: An extreme dislike of immigrants

by native-born people▪ Feared influence of other religions

▪ Catholicism

▪ Feared immigrants would take away jobs▪ Work for low wages or become strikebreakers

► Policies to stop immigration► American Protective Association► Chinese Exclusion Act► Literacy tests

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882▪ 1869 - Transcontinental Railroad completed

▪ Law barred Chinese immigrants for coming for 10 years

▪ Chinese people already in the country could not become citizens

Chinese Exclusion Act

► Renewed in 1892

► First law to prevent a specific groups from immigrating to the United States

Chinese Exclusion Activity

-Examine the historical documents to determine WHY many Americans supported the Chinese Exclusion Act

Document Analysis Q’s

For each document, in your group answer the following questions:

1. What type of document is this?2. Write a short summary.3. Based on this document, why was the

Chinese Exclusion Act created?

Current Day Immigration Debate

►Current Policies to stop immigration

▪Building the “Wall”▪Literacy tests▪Ending DACA

►Reasons▪Protect native born jobs

►How does this thought process relate to past immigration debates?

Urban/Rural Statistics

Why were people moving to cities?

Urbanization

► Why the City▪ Improve standard of

living▪ More job opportunities▪ More attractions

► Physical appearance and transportation change▪ Skyscrapers▪ Trolley car▪ Subway▪ Steel Cable bridges

Lunch Break?

Video – Building of a skyscraper 1920

New York

Separation by Class

► High Society▪ Elaborate mansions and

many servants▪ Men owned businesses ▪ Elaborate clothing

► Middle-Class Society▪ Own their homes▪ Better quality clothing▪ One servant

Separation by Class

► The Working Class▪ Lived in apartments;

single room▪ Both family members

worked

► Urban Poverty▪ Slept on the street or

built shelters ▪ unemployed

Impact of street cleaning

►Same street corners, two years apart (1893, 1895)

Urban Problems► Problems with Urban living

▪ Crime, disease and pollution

► Machine Politics▪ Political machines: an

informal political group led by party bosses

► Party Bosses▪ Helped city dwellers to gain

votes (retain power)► Provided jobs, housing, food,

heat, and police protection

Tammany hall● Most famous political machine in

New York City● Lead by William “Boss” Tweed

● corrupt● ended up in prison

Pros of machines? Provided necessary things for citizens

Cons of machines? Corruption and greed

Gilded Age► A period of enormous growth

but corruption, poverty, and crime exist

► Gilded: covered in gold on outside but made with cheap material inside

► Individualism▪ You can rise high in society▪ Success is possible

Popular Culture►Painting – Realism

►Literature – Mark Twain

►Entertainment – Coney Island and Baseball

►Music - Ragtime

Social Darwinism► Theory of Evolution (Charles Darwin)

▪ Natural selection - species must adapt or die

► Herbert Spencer▪ applied Darwin’s theory to society▪ Society progresses because the

fittest survive▪ “survival of the fittest”▪ Little government interference

► Social Darwinism: ► Churches

▪ Disliked this theory

Gospel of wealthAndrew Carnegie took “Social Darwinism” to a different level…

● Gospel of Wealth - belief that the rich should give to charity and help those in need for social progress (philanthropy)

Helping the Urban Poor► The Social Gospel

▪ Based on biblical ideals of charity and justice

▪ Churches built community programs

► The Salvation Army and YMCA▪ Practical aid and religious

counseling▪ Bible studies, citizenship training

and group activities

Helping the Urban Poor►Settlement house - community

center that offered services for poor people

● Medical care● English classes● Recreational facilities

►Jane Adams▪opened Hull House in Chicago

▪wrote a book and inspired many more to open settlement homes

Populism► Movement to increase

farmers’ political power▪ Economic crisis

► The money supply▪ Money was in short supply▪ Interest rates went up,

prices went down▪ Farmers went deeper into

debt

The People’s Party► Known as the Populists

► 1892, James Weaver runs for president

▪ Unlimited coinage of silver▪ 8 hour work day▪ Graduated income tax

► 1896, William Jennings Bryan runs for president

▪ Narrowly lost election, only won rural states with low electoral votes

William Jennings Bryan

Cartoon Jigsaw Activity

►Pair up with peers sitting near you

►Discuss the meaning of the cartoon related to today’s lesson

►Answer the questions►Be prepared to present

your findings

Cartoon Analysis

1. What does this political cartoon represent (concept)? (Social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth, Populism?)

2. Analyze -- Explain how the cartoon represents that concept.

Cartoon Analysis

1. What does this political cartoon represent? (Social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth, Populism?)

2. Analyze the cartoon -- What does it mean?

Cartoon Analysis1. What does

this political cartoon represent? (Social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth, Populism?)

2. Analyze the cartoon -- What does it mean?

Cartoon Analysis

1. What does this political cartoon represent? (Social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth, Populism?)

2. Analyze the cartoon -- What does it mean?

Cartoon Analysis

1. What does this political cartoon represent? (Social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth, Populism?)

2. Analyze the cartoon -- What does it mean?

Cartoon Analysis1. What does

this political cartoon represent? (Social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth, Populism?)

2. Analyze the cartoon -- What does it mean?

Cartoon Analysis

1. What does this political cartoon represent? (Social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth, Populism?)

2. Analyze the cartoon -- What does it mean?

Cartoon Analysis

1. What does this political cartoon represent? (Social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth, Populism?)

2. Analyze the cartoon -- What does it mean?

Segregation

Segregation►Reconstruction Ends: Compromise of 1877

▪Northern troops leave south

►Lynching increases and hate groups form (KKK)►1883, Supreme Court overturned Civil Rights Act

of 1875▪Argued private organizations could practice segregation

►Jim Crow Laws ▪enforced discrimination

►Voting restriction

The Exodusters head to Kansas

► Benjamin “Pap” Singleton▪ Former slave, believed

African Americans would not have a chance in the south

▪ Urging African Americans to move west to Kansas

▪ Get a better life▪ 6000 left rural south and

moved to Kansas

Stopping the vote► Taking away the vote

▪ 15th Amendment prohibits voting discrimination based on race

▪ Southern states found new ways to prevent votes

► Making it difficult or impossible to vote▪ Poll tax: pay to vote▪ Literacy tests: reading tests▪ Grandfather clause

Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896

► Homer Plessy (1/8th black, often passed for white, ruled black by Louisiana state law)

►Arrested for riding in “whites-only” train car► Court ruled as long as facilities were equal,

states within their rights►“Separate but equal”► Justice John Marshall Harlan, disagreed with vote,

said “Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.”

Photo of Plessy vs Cartoon

Photo of Homer Plessy

Cartoon of train incidentWould public opinion of the case been different if Plessy was represented with a more accurate portrayal?

The African American Response

► Booker T. Washington▪ Achieve economic goals rather

than political►higher education►better jobs

▪ Form a compromise►postpone civil rights fight

► W.E.B. DuBois▪ Fight for civil rights▪ Protecting and exercising

voting rights