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Gilded Age

Gilded Age. Chapter 6 Section 2-4. Gilded Age. 1877-1900 is known as the Gilded Age Gilded means “covered with a thin layer of gold.” A thin, but glittering layer of prosperity covered the poverty and corruption of much of society A few were gaining considerably but most were destitute

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Gilded Age

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  1. Gilded Age Chapter 6 Section 2-4

  2. Gilded Age • 1877-1900 is known as the Gilded Age • Gilded means “covered with a thin layer of gold.” • A thin, but glittering layer of prosperity covered the poverty and corruption of much of society • A few were gaining considerably but most were destitute • Farmers • Immigrants

  3. Section 2Immigration • People were moving in the late 1800’s • From one country to another • From farms to cities • Population in the U. S. rose by 30 million between 1865-1920. • Where from? 1870-1890? Northwestern Europe • Where from? 1891-1915? Central and Eastern Europe • Immigrants wanted the freedoms afforded to citizens of the U.S.

  4. Traveled by steamship • Many could not afford cabins and traveled below deck (Titanic) 1882: Federal government started excluding certain groups of immigrants • 1891: Office of the Superintendent of Immigration: • Required physical examinations • If they had certain diseases, they had to be quarantined or deported

  5. European Immigrants • Most immigrants came through the “Golden Door” which was NYC • 1892: Ellis Island Reception area opened for steerage passengers • Many immigrants tried to settle in areas with others from their homeland • Greektown, Corktown, Mexicantown (Detroit) • Many immigrants were taken advantage of in the workplace, especially women

  6. Asian Immigrants • Most came to American through western ports such as San Francisco and Seattle • Chinese • Japanese • Due to vast cultural differences between Americans and Europeans, Asian immigrants were especially discriminated against

  7. Chinese Immigrants • Railroad companies used many Chinese immigrants—Who were recruited to work on the railroads—promised a good life and good pay—Reality: the opposite. • Many moved to areas already settled by Chinese

  8. Discrimination of Chinese • American Labor Unions wanted to exclude Chinese because they accepted low wages, bringing down the overall wage • Some claimed that the Chinese were inferior and should not become citizens • Help spread racist attitudes • Chinese Exclusion Act: 1882 • Prevented Chinese laborers from entering the U.S. • Not repealed until 1943

  9. Japanese Immigrants • Many early Japanese immigrants came from Hawaii • Most settled in the Los Angeles area • Many worked and owned private businesses and produced many crops • Did not compete with Labor Unions, but still faced discrimination • School segregation of all Asians in San Francisco • Banned non citizen Asians from owning land (Webb Alien Land Law: 1913)

  10. Mexican Immigrants • Many immigrants from Mexico came to the U.S. due to… • Newlands Reclamation Act-1902 • Irrigated arid land in Southwest: fertile farm land • Needed workers • Mexican Revolution • U.S. joining WWI (1917)-demand for workers • Immigration Restriction Act of 1921, which limited European immigration • U.S. needed workers, and Mexicans came to fill the need

  11. Cities

  12. Section 3The Challenge of the Cities • Not only immigrants were coming into the cities, farmers came too • Factories produced what farm women had • Machines replaced manual labor • Farms were failing- People moved to the cities because farm machines and factory made goods, reduced the need for farm labor • During Reconstruction, after Civil War, brought many former slaves to the city

  13. Transportation • Prior to Civil War, cities were small (3-4 square miles), people walked to work • New public trans. allowed people to live out side city • 1832: Public horse drawn carriage on rails-NYC • 1868: El-trains allowed commuters to bypass congested streets-NYC • 1873: Cable Cars in San Francisco • 1888: Electric trolleys in Richmond, VA • 1897: Subway in Boston • 1893: Automobile (1910-mass produced)

  14. Buildings • Cities grew OUT and UP • Bessemer Steel process made building tall buildings possible • First Skyscraper: Chicago’s Home Insurance Company Building =10 stories tall • Relied on elevators to get to top • Elisha Graves invented safe passenger elevators • Specialized areas of businesses • Center: government and financial offices, and retail • Surrounding the center: industrial and warehouse businesses

  15. Urban Living • Need for housing grew as cities grew • Some middle class moved to the suburbs • Urban workers found housing where they could • Tenements were low cost, run down, crowded apartments

  16. Tenements continued… • Fire danger was biggest threat—spread quickly • Great Chicago Fire of 1871 • Boston Fire of 1872 • Billons (today’s $ amount) of dollars of damage; many dead and homeless • Disease • Contagious diseases spread quickly • Tuberculosis • Children especially vulnerable

  17. Jacob Riis • Immigrant from Denmark • Worked as a reporter for NYC newspapers • Reported on the conditions of the immigrants • Used new technology of flash photography • As a result of his work, New York passed the first laws to improve tenements

  18. Jacob Riis

  19. Ghetto: area where an ethnic or racial group was dominant • Some ghettos were created because… • People felt comfortable around their own cultures • Familiar language and customs • Some ghettos were created by… • “Unspoken boundaries” drawn by streets • Restrictive covenants: Agreements by homeowners not to sell to a particular culture

  20. Results of City Growth • Middle and Upper class separated from the poor by moving out of the city • Urban growth led to the development of new city organization and worked on improving utilities and services, such as police, fire, water and sewer, and electricity • Raised taxes • Gave city governments more money and more power

  21. Political Bosses • Political machines kept a certain political party in control through favors’ giving jobs to immigrants • Headed by a “boss” • Many took advantage of immigrants • But immigrants were getting help from “bosses” where other government agencies were not helping • Some did good for cities, others were corrupt • Cincinnati’s George B. Cox: positive changes • NYC’s Democratic Party Boss, William Marcy Tweed: corrupt

  22. Ideas for Reformsection 4 • Nativism: favoring native born Americans over immigrants • Several groups and organizations got laws passed that restricted immigration and rights to immigrants • Prohibition/Temperance movement • Opposed drinking because it led to personal disasters—especially involving immigrants • Main groups: • Prohibition party-1869 • Women’s Christian Temperance Union- 1874 • Anti-Saloon League-1893

  23. Many charitable organizations created to help the needy (poor and immigrants) • Some were based on religious principles • Some interfered with immigrant life • Many wanted immigrants to adopt American way of life • Most charitable organizations really wanted to help the needy

  24. Settlement Movement • Move into needy neighborhood and provide social services—people had to experience it • Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr created the Hull House—Chicago • Very successful as it expanded to help the community as a whole • Provided economic, social, cultural, and educational help for all • Very successful - expanded throughout entire nation

  25. Michigan Department of Education Social Studies Content Expectations U.S. History and Geography • 6.1.1d • 6.1.1f • 6.1.3a • 6.1.3b • 6.1.3c • 6.1.3d • 6.1.3e • 6.3.2d • 6.3.2e

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