An Urban Society

1865-1914

An Urban Society

The New Immigrants

Essential Question: What were some characteristics of the wave of new immigrants?

Partner Discussion

Get to know your partner!! Where did your family come from?Which part of your heritage do you most

identify with?When did your family come to the United

States?

Old Immigration

Before 1865, most immigrants to the United States came from Northern and Western Europe

These immigrants are referred to as “old” immigrants

Ireland, Germany, England, ScandinaviaMost speak English

New Immigration

“New” immigrants began to arrive after the Civil War, (1865) seeking opportunities in the United States

What kind of opportunities might they be seeking? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Immigration

New immigrants are arriving from Eastern and Southern Europe

Greeks, Russians, Hungarians, Italians, Turks and Polish

Also, China, Japan and Mexico

Partner Discussion

Would your family be considered old or new immigrants? Why?

Discuss with your partner what the differences is between old and new immigrants.

New Immigration

Many newcomers are Catholics and JewsMany do not speak EnglishHave more difficulty blending into American

society than “old” immigrants haveOften cluster together in neighborhoods

made up of people of the same ethnicity

Leaving Troubles Behind

Why do so many people leave their homelands for the US? Pushed away by economic troubles,

overcrowding, poverty, crop failures, religious persecution of ethnic groups

Pulled by lure of opportunity

Seeking Opportunity

Immigrants saw US as a land of opportunity Jobs Land Better life

Difficult journey to AmericaCould only afford cheapest tickets and often

traveled in steerage Cramped quarters on lower decks

Entering America

Encountered the Statue of Liberty as they sailed into New York Harbor and to registration on Ellis Island

Asian Immigrants registered at Angel Island on West Coast

New immigrants were given health examinations and could be turned away

Ellis Island

The Immigrant Experience

Greatest challenge was finding work and a place to live

Some fast growing industries hired large amounts of unskilled immigrants

Many immigrant women and children worked in sweatshops Dark, crowded shops where workers made

clothing Work was repetitious and hazardous Long hours, low pay

Adjusting to America

Immigrants wanted to preserve their own culture while trying to assimilate to American culture at the same time

This creates conflict

Building Communities

People of the same ethnic group tended to form separate communities

Sought to recreate some of the life they had left behind

Developed houses of worship, published newspapers in their Native Language, opened stores and theatres, organized social clubs

All of this helped to preserve their cultural heritage

Partner Discussion

Can you think of any “immigrant communities” in buffalo?

Buffalo Cultural Heritage

Reactions Toward Immigration

At first when immigrants arrived in the United States they were extremely disliked because people thought they were taking away jobs from native born citizens.

However, they were not treated very badly because there was a steady demand for labor. During the 19th century, the United States had an open immigration policy mainly because there were plenty of jobs going around.

Nativism

The flood of immigrants in the late 1800s brought with it a new wave of nativism. What is nativism? Belief that native born Americans and their ways of

life were superior to immigrants and their ways of life.

Partner Discussion

Can you think of any modern reactions toward immigrants? Positive or negative?

Can you think of any modern hate crimes against immigrants?

Nativism

Nativists had the following beliefs Religion, customs and language were a negative

impact Stealing work away from native born citizens Believed laws should be passed to limit immigration

Nativism

As jobs became more scarce because more immigrants were coming to the United States, immigrants were often met with prejudice and discrimination.

Nativists became very vocal and active in trying to influence legislation to be passed against immigrants.

Nativism

Major groups and laws that developed out of this nativist movement

Know Nothing Party: Anti-immigrant organization set up to pass laws against immigrants

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882: No Chinese were permitted into the United States

Immigration Act of 1917: Required immigrants to pass a literacy test in order to enter the country

National Origins Act of 1924: Only immigrants from Northern and Western Europe are allowed to enter the US

Partner Discussion

Do the languages and customs of immigrants have a negative impact on American culture? What kinds of things do we get from the presence of immigrants and their cultures?

Making Connections

How did immigration change after 1865?

Moving to the Cities

Essential Question: How did cities change in the late 1800s?

Growth of the Cities

Immigrants and others flooded to American cities, where extremes of wealth and poverty existed

Industrialization made it possible to produce crops with fewer farm workers

Women in rural areas no longer had to make clothing or household goods

African Americans flocked to Southern and especially Northern cities

Tenement Living

The poorest residents, usually immigrants lived in tenements located in the slums of the city Several people living in each room Cold tap water (if lucky) Communal toilets

The Middle Class

Doctors, lawyers, ministers, managers, office clerks, etc.

Comfortable life in the suburbs made possible by new transportation Streetcars Trolleys Subways Bridges

Might have servantsLeisure time to enjoy music, art and literature

The Very Rich

Built enormous mansions in the cities and large estates in the country

Because of their extravagant wealth and the terrible poverty that lay beneath it, this period became known as the Gilded Age Something covered with a thin layer of gold

Carnegie and Vanderbilt Mansions

Cities in Crisis

Growing cities suffered from Health and sanitation problems Poverty Fire Crime High infant mortality rates Disease Gangs

Poor received assistance from people dedicated to improving urban life Settlement Houses Jane Addams – Hull House (1889)

The Changing City

New technology in transportation and architecture reshaped cities Sky scrapers Bring nature to the cities (Frederick Law

Olmstead – Central Park)

Making Connections

 Listing. What problems did cities face in the late 1800s? Disease, poor sanitation, poverty, crime, fire

Cause and Effect. What effect did the new forms of transportation have on city life? Helped people travel within cities. Contributed to

growth of suburbsAnswer the Essential Question: How did

cities change during the late 1800s?

A Changing Society

Changes in Education

In 1865, most Americans attended school for an average of 4 years

By 1914, most states required children have some schooling

Education opportunities were extended to many more Americans as the system of public schools and colleges expanded

Southern African Americans received little or no education

Boarding Schools were possible for Native Americans

A Nation of Readers

Educated Americans found new reading material in public libraries, a growing literary culture and thriving newspapers

More realistic approach to literaturePaperback books (late 1880s)Technological advances in printing,

papermaking and communication spread news quickly

Leisure Activities

Middle class has leisure time for sports, art and music

Sports including baseball, basketball and football grow in popularity

Vaudville shows, traveling circuses and the first movies offer new forms of entertainment

Jazz and ragtime (Distinctively American forms of music)

Answer the Essential Question:

In what ways did American culture change in the late 1800s?