15.1 The New Immigrants. New Immigrants Millions of new immigrants came to the United States during the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries. Reasons.

15.1 The New Immigrants

New Immigrants

Millions of new immigrants came to the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Reasons why there were so many immigrants

Make money $$$

Famine

No land

Religious or political freedom Ex. Russia

Europeans

Between 1870-1920, over 20 million immigrants arrived from Europe

Before 1890, most of those immigrants were from NW Europe. After that, the majority came from Central and Southeastern Europe.

Came to American for:

Independence Land Religious and political freedom Jobs

Chinese and Japanese

Over 500,000 Chinese and Japanese immigrated to the American West Coast

They came to work on the RR, find gold and set up businesses

West Indies and Mexico

About 260,000 immigrants came from the West Indies…most settled in the Southeast

Over 700,000 Mexican immigrants came during this time because of political and economic problems…most settled in the Western part of America.

Immigration Stats

Germany 26%

Ireland 16%

Scandinavia 11%

England 8%

Other countries 35%

The Journey Across Immigrants traveled to America on steamships…the

journey was very difficult, conditions were horrible and disease was everywhere

Ellis Island-an immigration station located in New York Harbor. At Ellis Island immigrants had to do the following things:

Pass a physical examination-if failed sent home Interview with government officials Have money, Couldn’t be a felon, had to demonstrate that they

could work Over 17 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island

Angel Island

Angel Island-Located in San Francisco Bay…this is where Asian immigrants had to pass through before coming to America

The questioning process at Angel Island was much harsher then it was at Ellis Island

Challenges for Immigrants

Had to find a place to live, find a job, and figure out how to adjust to American culture.

Often times immigrants lived with or by immigrants from the same country (ethnic communities)

The ethnic communities provided support in a variety of ways:

Churches/synagogues Social clubs Orphanages/Nursing Homes Newspapers

Opposition to Immigrants

Many native born Americans did not like the numerous immigrants that were moving to America.

Melting Pot-mixture of different cultures and races (what America always has been)

Not all immigrants wanted to give up culture etc.

Nativism-favoring native born Americans over immigrants. This idea would lead to numerous anti-immigrant groups.

Opposition to Immigrants

Many Americans believed that ancestors of early immigrants (German, Scandinavian, English) were superior to the newer immigrants (Southern/Central Europe)

Many native born Americans did not like the new immigrants because they were either Jewish or Catholic

In 1897, Congress passed a bill that forced new immigrants to pass a literacy test to enter the country (vetoed by President Cleveland)

Anti-Chinese Movement

People were mad at the Chinese for accepting jobs for lower wages

The Chinese were also unpopular because they looked different than European immigrants

Chinese Exclusion Act-banned entry into the US for all Chinese except for teachers, students, govt. officials etc (10 years)

Anti-Japanese Movement

Gentlemen’s Agreement-Japan’s government agreed to limit the number of unskilled Japanese that were coming to America

15.2 Urbanization

Urban Opportunities

Urbanization-growth of cities. This became very prevalent during the later half of the 19th century (especially in the Northeast and Midwest)

Most immigrants who moved into America (late 19th early 20th centuries) choose to live and work in cities (many more jobs available).

By 1910, immigrants made up over half of the population in the 18 major American cities

Americanization

Americanization Movement-designed to assimilate people from different cultures into American culture.

Schools, cooking, language, etiquette, government, history.

Most immigrants did not wish to abandon their heritage and cultures. Instead they chose to stick close to people with a similar background (ethnic communities) where they could live a life they were more familiar with. (Very crowded)

Migration from country to city

New inventions is farming meant that less workers were needed to farm…this meant that more people had to move to the cities to find jobs.

200,000 African Americans moved North to cities like Chicago and Detroit around the turn of the century.

Segregation and discrimination was very common in the North and South. (Race, job competition)

Housing Problems

There were options when living in the cities: buy a house on the edge of town (transportation problems) or rent apartments in the middle of the city (very crowded)

As time progressed, most native born people moved out of the cities (suburbs) and immigrants tended to live in the center of the cities.

Tenements-multifamily early apartments that were crowded and unsanitary. (People would leave garbage out or throw thme down airshafts, sewers, etc.)

Transportation Problems

Early on it was often difficult to travel in the cities

Mass Transit-transportation systems designed to move large numbers of people

Examples would be streetcars, trains, subways etc.

Helped improve the flow of traffic in cities and eventually made it possible to live outside the city.

Water

Cities also had a difficult time finding safe drinking water.

Most cities did not have indoor plumbing and citizens were forced to get water from the streets.

Disease spread (Cholera and typhoid fever)

Finally, cities started to use filtering systems to help with the problem.

Sanitation

Horse manure piles, open sewage on streets, factories with lots of smoke, garbage everywhere.

Eventually, cities started to have sewer systems and regular garbage pickup

Crime

When populations grew, crime increased as well (mostly thieves and pickpockets)

Most cities did not have any organized police force until around 1900.

Fire

Major fires occurred in almost every major city…mostly due to the wood homes being very close together and lack of water to put out the fires

Kerosene and candles were used to light many homes as well.

San Francisco and Chicago had major fires that killed thousands of people and destroyed a combined 8 square miles of the cities.

Eventually, firemen became more popular (paid) and people started to use brick to make homes

Reform Movements

People began to search for ways to fix all the problems that were in the cities

Settlement Houses-community centers designed to provide assistance to the poor (usually immigrants).

Helped teach immigrants how to survive in America (language, health, etc.)

Jane Adams-Founded the Hull House in Chicago (one of the most famous settlement houses)

15.3 Politics of the Gilded Age

Political Machines

Organized group that controlled the activities of a political party within a certain town. Often times they would offer services in exchange for political or financial support (votes)

Organized like a pyramid

Political Boss

Controlled jobs, business licenses, courts and other municipal agencies (fire and police)

Most political bosses used their power to build good things like parks, sewers, and hospitals.

Most realized they could stay in power if they helped fix the problems that were in the cities

Immigrants and Political Machine

Most people in the political machines were first or second generation immigrants

This allowed for most of them to easily influence new immigrants to join the political machine.

Most importantly, political machines offered solutions to a lot of the problems that immigrants were facing (citizenship, housing and jobs)

Corruption

Many political bosses fell victim to corruption when it appeared they were not going to win elections (using fake names, voting numerous times, etc.)

Graft-illegal use of political influence for personal gain (usually in the form of kickbacks)

Political Machines also accepted bribes and took cask to turn their back on illegal industries such as gambling.

Tweed Ring Scandal Boss Tweed was the head of

Tammany Hall, which was NYC’s most powerful Democratic Political Machine

Built a new courthouse that cost the taxpayers 13 million (really only cost 3 million)

This corruption went on in a variety of places until the national government started to crack down on all the illegal activities.

Patronage vs. Civil Service

Patronage-giving political jobs to friends who helped you get elected (very popular during the 1800s). A lot of times these people were not qualified.

Over time people believed that Civil Service (govt. jobs) should go to the most qualified…took a long time to change.

Presidents who Changed Civil Service

Rutherford B Hayes-Decided to appoint independents to his cabinet and also began to investigate cases of patronage (esp. with the political machine)

James A Garfield (Independent) became president in 1880. He gave a lot of support to the people who wanted reform.

Garfield was killed by a man who supported the Stalwarts (people that did not want change)

Chester A Arthur became the new president.

Pendleton Civil Service Act

Ordered that a commission (group of people) were to make appointments for federal jobs. (not giving them to friends)

This did help make politics more honest; however, politicians often times turned to other means to get support.

Politicians began to turn to wealthy business owners for political support