The Challenges of Modern America

1. The Challenges of Modern America Immigration andUrbanization

2. New Immigration Promise of a Better Life

3. The New Immigrants • Millions of immigrants entered the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries • Why? • escape difficult times (often sent money home)

4. Europeans • 1870 -- 1920 • 20 million Europeans arrived in the U.S. • Before 1890 • most were from western & northern Europe • After 1890 • most came from southern & eastern Europe

6. Arriving in the New Land • Late 19th century most immigrants arrived by boat • trip from Europe took about a month • took about three weeks from Asia • trip was arduous many died along the way • Destination was • Ellis Islandfor Europeans • Angel Islandfor Chinese and Japanese

7. Getting to the United States was often very difficult. Many of the immigrants traveled in steerage (most basic / cheapest accommodations)

12. Ellis Island, New York 1892-1924 • 7 million European immigrants passed through Ellis Island’s facilities • processing took hours • sick were sent home Immigrants • had to show that they were not criminals • had to have some money ($25) • were able to work

13. Ellis Island

14. Angel Island, San Francisco • Chinese / Japanese arriving on the West Coast gained admission at Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay

15. Angel Island, San Francisco 쀀

17. Immigrant Populations Urbanization • Northeast and Midwest Immigrants settled in cities Why? • available jobs • affordable housing *(1910) Immigrants made up more than half the population of 18 major American cities

18. Ethnic Neighborhoods When immigrants arrived • greeted with hostility by some native-born Americans • to preserve their culture / survive in the new land: • newcomers built ethnic neighborhoods (Little Italy's, Little Poland's, Germantown's, Chinatowns) • Some came to think of themselves as hyphenated Americans

20. Migration from Country to City • Rapid improvements in farm technology(tractors, reapers, steel plows) made farming more efficient and required less labor • Many rural people left for cities to find work – including almost a quarter of a million African Americans Discrimination and segregation were often the unfortunate reality for African Americans who migrated north

22. Urban Problems Problems in American cities in the late 19th & early 20th centuries included: • Housing: Overcrowded tenements were un-healthy places to live • Sanitation: Garbage often was not collected and polluted the air Famous photographer Jacob Riis captured the struggle of living in crowded tenements

23. Urban Problems Problems in American cities in the late 19th & early 20th centuries included: • Transportation: Cities struggled to provide adequate transit systems • Water: Without safe drinking water cholera and typhoid fever were common • Crime: As populations increased thieves flourished • Fire: Limited water, wooden structures, and the use of candles led to many major urban fires Chicago 1871 and San Francisco 1906 -- two major fires.

24. “Dumbbell” Tenement

25. “Dumbell“ Tenement, NYC

26. Jacob Riis: How the Other Half Lived(1890)

27. Tenement living

28. Lodgers Huddled Together

29. Tenement Living

30. Struggling Immigrant Families

34. Politics in the Gilded AgeCity Bosses AND Political Machines

35. Political Machines The Gilded Age saw the rise of political machines -- well-organized groups that controlled a political party in a city • Machines offered services to voters & businesses in exchange for political votes • Were very influential with immigrants; Helped with jobs, housing, & naturalization

36. Political machines influenced immigrant voters by creating parks near slums, barbeques, giving away Christmas presents to children

37. Political Machines Machines were led by city bosses who used a network of ward bosses & precinct captains to: • Control access to city jobs, business licenses, courts • Arrange building projects & community services

38. Political Machines • Machine politicians were often corrupt: • Use fraud to win elections • Graft—Using their political influence for personal gain • Took kickbacks & bribes • The most notorious machine boss was BossTweed of New York’s Tammany Hall who defrauded the city of millions of dollars

39. Boss Tweed “Tweed Courthouse”—NY County Courthouse was supposed to cost $250,000 but cost $13 million