Chapter 7.1
Why did/do immigrants come to the U.S?
- Push-pull Factors (Famine, Land shortages, religious or political persecution, war, in debt or in trouble, more opportunities)
Between 1870 and 1920, 20 millions Europeans came to US
Old Immigrants - Came from northern or western Europe
New Immigrants - Came from southern or eastern Europe
Nativism -
WASP - White, Anglo, Saxon, Protestant
Steps to America:
Step One: Leaving home
- It was common for one person from a family to come to America first
- They would save to eventually bring others
- From 1900 to 1910, almost 95% of immigrants arrive at Ellis Island were joining either family or friends
- In 1901, between 40 and 65% came either on prepaid tickets or with money sent to them from the United States
Step Two - On board the Ship
- A ticket to America cost $30
- Three types of accommodations-first class, second class and steerage
- Only steerage passengers were processed at Ellis Island
- First and second class passengers were quickly "inspected" on board the ship
- Larger ships could hold from 1,500 to 2,000 immigrants, netting a profit of $45,000 to $60,000 for a single, one-way trip
Step Three: Inspection
- Passengers were inspected for contagious diseases such as cholera, plague, smallpox, typhoid fever, yellow fever, scarlet fever, measles and diphtheria
- If immigrants had any of the diseases they would be deported
- Sick children age 12 or older were sent back to Europe alone
Step Four: Beyond Ellis or Angel Island
- As they left Ellis Island, the next stop was the money exchange
- Cashiers exchanged paper money, from countries all over Europe, for American dollars
- People either stay in New York and work or go west and farm
Why were immigrants disliked in the US in the late 1800's/early 1900's?
- Took jobs
- Kept wages low
Chinese Exclusion Act - 1882
- Banned all Chinese immigration to the US from 1882=1902
- Why ban Chinese immigrants (Took jobs, racism)
Gentleman's Agreement -1907
- Informal agreement between the United States and Japan
- The US would not restrict Japanese immigration and Japan would not allow further immigration to the US
- The goal was to reduce tension between the US and Japan
- What was the tension? (The war between Japan and Russia and became a superpower)
7.2 Key Questions
What did cities grow so quickly in the late 1800's and early 1900's?
- Immigrants
- Farmers moved to the city
- African-Americans moved to the cities
- Cities offered more jobs and opportunities
- Cities offered more entertainment
What problems did cities face due to the rapid increase in population?
- Cramped, old, dirty housing-tenements - Solution - Instead of using wood frames on buildings they used steel.
- Lack of good transportation - Solution - Electric Streetcars-late 1800's early 1900's. Automobiles, Subways, Airplanes
- Lack of safe drinking water - Solution - Early 1900's, Chlorine was added to water to help eliminate disease
- Disease was common - Solution - Horses were replaced. Adding chlorine to water. Introduction of indoor plumbing
- Streets were filthy - Solution - Had people pick up trash
- Crime - Solution - Police became a job. Lighting on the streets helped a lot
- Fires - Solution - Better building structure. Firefighters became a job
- Poverty due to low pay at work - Solution - Labor Unions: Minimum wage laws. Shorter hours. Child labor laws
Jacob Riis (How the Other Half Lives) - He was a muck raker
7.3 Key Questions
What was the political machine and what did they do for a city?
- Political Organization - Usually controlled by a single "boss", that controlled votes and had administrative control of a city, country, or state.
- These organization provided social services and jobs to people (recent immigrants) in exchange for votes
- Very corrupt
- Came about due to the rapid increase of population in cities and poor government in the 1800's
- Died out in the early 1900's
Explain Boss Tweed and the Tweed Ring
What caused all the corruption in government?
- The was a lot of corruption in gov't (Kickback system, granting favors to big business, spoils system/patronage, political boss hired/fired police)
Causes for corruption
- The Spoils System/Patronage cause a lot of the problems
- Dishonest people
- Lack of accountability
What laws came about to reform government?
Pendleton Civil Service Act - 1883
- Required most government jobs to be given through a merit system based on test scores
- 1883: 14000/117000 gov't jobs required tests
- 1900: 100,000/200,000 gov't jobs required tests
The Gilded Age
- 1870's-1900
- Gilded - To be covered with gold
Boss William Marcy Tweed
- Was the Boss of the Democratic political machine in New York City
Good President Also Brought Change
- President Grant-President Wilson
- 1869-1921
- Reform president or status quo president?
Reform President
- Rutherford B. Hayes - 1977-1881 (Republican)
- James Garfield - 1881 (Republican) - Assassination
- Chester Arthur - 1881-1885 (Republican)
- Grover Cleveland - 1885-1889, 1893-1897 (Democrat)
- Benjamin Harrison - 1889-1893 (Republican)
- Teddy Roosevelt - 1901-1901
Status Quo President
- Ulysses S. Grant - 1869-1877 (Republican) - Civil War general - one of the worst president
- William McKinley - 1897-1901
- William Howard Taft - 1909-1913
8.1
Advances and Technologies
- Skyscraper
- Electric Streetcars
- Cash registers - 1879
- Subway - 1904
- Automatic Dishwasher - 1889
- Vacuum cleaner - 1889
Expanding Public Education
- Before the mid 1800's, education was for the wealthy
- Most states had public schools by 1855
- But many school aged children skill received no formal education worked in factories instead
- Between 1865-1895, states passed laws requiring 12-15 weeks annually of school
- Classes focused on the "3 R's" reading, "riting" & "rithmetic"
- Memorization and recitation was very common
Segregation
- Literacy test
- Poll tax
- Grandfather Clause (1-1-1867)
- Jim Crow laws
- Plessy v Ferguson - 1896
- Lynching and violence
Chapter 9: The Progressive Era
1. Protecting Social Welfare
- Set up settlement houses for poor
- Opened libraries
- Sponsored education classes
- Opened swimming pools
- Set up soup kitchens
- Slum brigades - teach immigrants
2. Promoting Moral Improvement
- Prohibition
- Carrie Nation
- Why ban alcohol?
- Women's Suffrage
3. Creating Economic Reform
- There was a major unbalance in income and how people lived
- Many turned to "socialism"
- Regulation of railroads
- Regulation of business (Sherman Act)
- Child labor laws
- Women and men working hours reduced
- Workmen's compensation
Reforming Election
- States adopt secret ballot
- Direct Primary
- Initiative - a bill originated by the people rather than lawmakers
- Referendum - when voters accept or reject the initiative (bill)
- Recall - enabled voters to remove public officials from elected positions
- 17th and 19th Amendments (What did these seven aim at doing???)
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