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Rise of the City and New World Order. By Oseas Romero. Migrations into Cities . As already discussed immigration has come from many different loca t ions Europeans however easily outnumber all other immigrants
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Rise of the City and New World Order By Oseas Romero
Migrations into Cities As already discussed immigration has come from many different locations Europeans however easily outnumber all other immigrants They moved to the city. American cities were able to offer a slice of the home land and of the opportunity that was America Quite a number Those that moved into the cities were primarily young people from rural areas The exodus of the American Black begins
A Nation of Immigrants • By 1890, prominent urban areas around the country were filled with 1st or 2nd generation immigrants • The American experience is different because no ethnic group dominated • Italians, Polish, Jews, Slavs, Chinese, French-Canadian, Mexicans • Were able to create communities within in communities • Had some type of education • Lacked capital • America was not always guaranteed a position as the ‘melting pot’ of the world • A third of people would return back to their country of origin • Difficulty integrating into American society
Blame it on the Immigrant • The stirrings of distress were associated with the immigrant worker and not the native born white American • It is always easier to blame the new guy than those that have been there for a long time. • Europeans on the east coast –Ellis Island • Asians and Mexicans on the west coast- Angel Island • Creation of the Ethnic City • Examples? • Brought forth the rise of nativism • American Protective Association • Immigration Restriction League • Chinese Exclusion Act
The Modern City The immense growth of cities happened suddenly City leaders were unprepared to deal with the influx of Americans and immigrants alike To keep people happy, they like to see amenities Parks, sports, theatre, libraries museums, landmarks The bigger the public space, the better your city was It was your job to inspire people around the world
Where to Live • As long as people value wealth, the wealthy will always exclude themselves from the poor and middle class. • Creation of wealthy neighborhoods • Fifth Avenue, Back Bay, Nob Hill, River Oaks • Emergence of streetcar suburbs • Keep away from the trife • If you were poor, like most of the population it sucked to be you • The tenements that the poor lived in sucked. It wouldn’t be uncommon to see 7-10 people living in a one room apartment • This was actually considered an improvement from what we used to have • Progressives had to explain the troubles of the poor to the rest of America • Jacob Riis: How the Other Half Lives
Infrastructure • Without infrastructure a society will not be able to function for a long time. • In cities it was imperative that a functioning transportation system be created • Emergence of mass transportation • Streetcars, electric trolleys, elevated railways, and in 1897 the first subway system • While not as impressive as today’s skyscrapers. Tall buildings began to emerge in large cities like Chicago and New York. • Done through technological breakthroughs • Would come to define the opulence of the gilded age
City Life • It was extremely dangerous • Fires were the major concerns • Forced cities to create fireproof building and professional fire departments • Just like the cities of old, disease was also a menace • Inadequate sanitation • If one household got sick, the entire neighborhood would soon follow • Contaminated water and food • Typhoid and cholera • Urban poor everywhere (Social Gospel) • While organizations tried to offer help it was in a limited basis • Many people thought of the poor as just lazy and wanting a free handout • Only the deserving poor would receive help • Salvation Army • Jane Addams • Settlement Houses • Created to help the poor • Poverty created crime and violence • While it was on the rise everywhere in the United States, Nativist liked to blame this on immigrants • Large police departments • Would create corruption
The Boss • The emergence of so many people created opportunity for cities bosses • A vacuum of power was created with such rapid growth • City bosses were able to mobilize large number of people to action • They would win the votes of people by “helping” the constituents • Patronage on the local level • Corruption was open and expected • William Tweed- Tammany Hall • City Bosses were willing to get dirty unlike reformers • Deal with the immigrants • Political alliances with the wealthy • Weakness of local government • They were usually bought off • The creation of an invisible government • Would be challenged by reformers, but they were less organized than the political machine
Mass Consumption • The expansion of industry and markets made the growth of cities possible • For the first time we had a true middle class emerging • White collar workers • Raise in income • Still slow rise, but still a rise • Rise of cheap consumer goods • Cheap and available creates wealth • Think Wal-Mart • Department Stores and Mail Order • Large companies that would provide with everyday needs • Macy’s, Wanamaker's, and Abraham and Straus • Would destroy mom and pop stores • Montgomery Ward and Sears Roebuck • Send you a brochure, you order, and it comes to you in a few weeks • Remote rural areas
Leisure, Education and Culture • Think 8, 8, 8 • Eight hours of work, eight hours of sleep, and eight hours of fun • For the first time Americans were truly able to do something that did not involve church, work, or making children • Rise of sports and culture • Libraries, baseball, horseracing, boxing, art • All on a grand scale • No longer would it be just for the rich or well to do • Stephen Crane, Theodore Dreiser, Frank Norris, Upton Sinclair William Dean Howells • American literature was on the rise, especially when dealing with the problems of urban America • America would need specialized thinking • To do this one must have universal schooling for its citizens • Educational reformers came to prominence • Henry Pratt, Booker T Washington • Rich and powerful families donated their wealth as well • Vanderbilt, John Hopkins, Cornell, Rice, Baylor, Butler ,Carnegie-Mellon, Purdue
“The Gilded Age”- Mark Twain • Social activist were not content with the apparent greatness of the United States • People needed to look under the covers and see the truth about America • The Idea of Individualism • Any man could rise from the ground and make it big. Just needed to depend on hard work and determination. Live the American Dream • House, Wife, 2 Kids, Dog, and a White picket fence • Horatio Alger
Social Darwinism • Herbert Spencer- applied Darwin’s Theory of Evolution to society • Society evolved through competition and natural selection • Survival of the fittest • Applied by the American Elite • Christians were appalled • Decided to apply the theory to business, not life • Carnegie and the Gospel of Wealth • Its not a crime to be wealthy • Once you have made it, its time to give back • The Rich were required in good conscience to give back to their communities
Rise of the Party • Since Reconstruction, the country was almost evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats • 16 states Republican • 14 states Democrat (most in the South) • 5 states had to be won • Republicans won almost all the elections, but their strength was waning • People usually stayed with the party of their family. People were proud to vote • 78 percent voted in presidential elections • 60 to 80 in nonpresidential years • Still white males • It would be a few decades until everyone got the right to vote • Still people were loyal • Reflected the cultural and economic interest of people
Patronage • It got in the way of everything • Civil War Pensions were done away with because of corruption • The Federal government was weak because it deferred to the national parties • Patronage takes root • In order to better serve the country, the President needed a larger staff in order to make his constitutional appointments • Presidents would give these jobs to his friends • Split the Republican Party • Stalwarts and Half-Breeds • Hayes was a weak President and was unable to do anything definite while in office
Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, Cleveland • Garfield could have been a good President, but the patronage system caught up with him • Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881 by disgruntled Stalwart • Chester Arthur became President and unlike his previous actions he tried reform • Pendleton Act • Federal jobs needed to be filled by competent people • Arthur was maligned as President and the election of 1884 saw the return of Democrats to the highest office of the land • Grover Cleveland, the reformer • Fought corruption as governor of New York • Vetoed regularly • The economy was his primary issue • Against protectionism • Cleveland loses election to Benjamin Harrison, grandson of WH2 • Waste of a President • Sherman Antitrust Act • Gave the Justice Department authority to take legal action against companies and trust that were of the monopolistic nature • The McKinley Tariff • Most sweeping protective measure ever proposed • Republicans thought the people wanted this but were wrong • Cleveland won the election. Only President to ever do this • Not effective economic policies
Changes • Calls for regulation could no longer be ignored specifically in the railroad industry • Interstate Commerce Act • Banned discrimination in rates between long and short rides • Rates needed to be published and reasonable • Interstate Commerce Commission • Continued weakness in national state • The Grange and the Farmers’ Alliances • Agrarian protest • Policies should benefit farmers • Classical definition of an American • Led to the creation of the People’s Party • Made an impressive showing in 1892 Presidential election • Populism at work • Economically disenfranchised people • No longer felt like an American
Ocala Demands • Populist agenda • Subtreasuries • Strengthen cooperatives • Warehouses would be created throughout the country • A depository • Would serve as credit • No national banks • Direct election of senators • Regulation of important sectors of the economy • Laissez-faire polices had to go • The nation via the Populist would make sure American stay for the individual not the company
Panic of 1893 • Starts with the failure of two railroad companies • Spreads like wildfire • Depressed prices in agriculture • Weakened the purchasing power of farmers • Europe was going through a depression • American markets lost international business. • Prompted civil unrest • Coxey’s Army • Pullman and Homestead • The Money Issue is Back • What is going to back up the American dollar • In the 1870’s silver was taken out of circulation • To combat the money shortage Cleveland repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act • Caused a split in the democratic party • Free Silver or Gold Standard • William Jennings Bryan • “Cross of Gold” Speech • Considered one of the most important political speeches of all time • While important Bryan was unable to topple the conservative Republican • The Populist Party would die
McKinley • Tariffs, Tariffs, and more Tariffs • His policies on tariffs led to the Gold Stand Act of 1900 • America was behind the gold standard • America once again began to prosper
America Abroad • Turner’s contention that the frontier had closed seemed premature. • Especially considering the imperialistic route that the United States would embark on. • An American Empire would be ideal • Imperialist and Darwinist justified expansion in hopes of making other people’s lives better • “destined to go on” “divinely commissioned” • A 20th century Monroe Doctrine would be enforced and America would not be stopped
Hawaii and Samoa • American Interest, mainly fruit companies, were intent on having the islands of Hawaii • For a time, many were willing to work with the Hawaiian royal family, but American merchants wanted more • G.P. Judd • Queen Liliuokalani wanted Hawaii to remain independent of the United States • An American Tariff began to hurt the profitability of the merchants on the island • They concluded that the only way to make a profit was to overthrow the Kingdom • The American Prime Minister there ordered American Marines to invade and help the merchants • Happened in 1893 • Hawaii would be annexed until 1898 when Republicans returned to power • Samoa just like Hawaii best served as a stepping stone into Asia • Samoa would serve as a military base for American Fleets • Germany, Great Britain and America wanted it • So they split it up amongst themselves
War with Spain • 1898, Spanish American War • Cubans had already begun to protest against the Spanish • Began to destroy the island to get rid of the Spanish • Spanish were equally destructive • Butcher Weyler • American excuse • Helped along by journalist in America • Pulitzer and Hearst • Yellow Journalism • Cleveland did not want to get involved, but McKinley was willing to condemn the Spanish • A Cuban agent would steal the private letter of a Spanish Ambassador • The letter would call the President weak and feeble minded • While almost all American already though of the President like this • Teddy said he had no backbone • He was an American President • We can talk trash about him, but not you
A Splendid Little War • The American Battleship Maine blew up • Thanks to the war hysteria across the country, the United States war was guaranteed • April 25th, America is at war with the Spanish Empire • Spanish American War was a joke • Only 460 Americans would die of battle wounds in Cuba • Logistical problems were an issue • Rough Riders- Teddy Roosevelt • Buffalo Soldiers • Philippines • Thanks to Assistant Secretary of the Navy- Teddy Roosevelt • Commodore George Dewey was ordered to lead the attack on the Philippines • The Spanish’s last great outpost in the Pacific
