Strangers in the Land: Urbanization and Immigration Q: Was the experience of “Second Wave” immigrants significantly different from that of earlier immigrants?

Strangers in the Strangers in the Land: Urbanization Land: Urbanization and Immigrationand Immigration

Q: Was the experience of “Second Q: Was the experience of “Second Wave” immigrants significantly Wave” immigrants significantly

different from that of earlier different from that of earlier immigrants?immigrants?

• Compare and contrast the attitudes of THREE of the Compare and contrast the attitudes of THREE of the following toward the wealth that was created in the following toward the wealth that was created in the United States during the late nineteenth century. United States during the late nineteenth century. Andrew Carnegie; Horatio Alger; Ida M. Tarbell; Andrew Carnegie; Horatio Alger; Ida M. Tarbell; Eugene V. Debs; Booker T. Washington (94)Eugene V. Debs; Booker T. Washington (94)

• Analyze the impact of any TWO of the following on the Analyze the impact of any TWO of the following on the American industrial worker between 1865 and 1900.: American industrial worker between 1865 and 1900.: Government actions; Labor Unions; Immigration; Government actions; Labor Unions; Immigration; Technology changes (98) Technology changes (98)

• Identify and analyze the factors that changed the Identify and analyze the factors that changed the American city in the second half of the nineteenth American city in the second half of the nineteenth century. (02B) century. (02B)

• Americans have been a highly mobile people. Americans have been a highly mobile people. Describe and account for the dominant population Describe and account for the dominant population movements between 1820 and 1900. (82)movements between 1820 and 1900. (82)

• Although the economic growth of the United Although the economic growth of the United States between 1860 and 1900 has been States between 1860 and 1900 has been attributed to a governmental policy of laissez-attributed to a governmental policy of laissez-faire, it was in fact encouraged and sustained by faire, it was in fact encouraged and sustained by direct governmental intervention. Assess the direct governmental intervention. Assess the validity of this statement. (88) validity of this statement. (88)

I. OverviewI. Overview• Cities = source of hope, conflict, adjustment, Cities = source of hope, conflict, adjustment,

especially for “New Immigrants”especially for “New Immigrants”• New urban environment created challengesNew urban environment created challenges

– Farm=self-sufficient, city=buy everything (food); Farm=self-sufficient, city=buy everything (food); sprawl (unplanned growth, cost center city); mass sprawl (unplanned growth, cost center city); mass transittransit suburbs; inadequate housing ( suburbs; inadequate housing (tenementstenements crime, disease)crime, disease)

• City central to US life (Esp. true new City central to US life (Esp. true new immigrants)immigrants)– 51% of Americans urban (1920)51% of Americans urban (1920)

• Source of diversity & pluralism (class, race, Source of diversity & pluralism (class, race, ethnicity)ethnicity)

• Cities = centers of industrial growthCities = centers of industrial growth– Provided capital, workers, & consumersProvided capital, workers, & consumers– Often specialized in 1 product (NYC: clothing; Often specialized in 1 product (NYC: clothing;

Chicago: meat)Chicago: meat)

II. Urban Population II. Urban Population GrowthGrowth

A. Internal MigrationA. Internal Migration• 1870: 10 million Americans in cities; 1920: 1870: 10 million Americans in cities; 1920:

54 million (550% increase)54 million (550% increase)• Biggest factor = migration countryside + Biggest factor = migration countryside +

immigrationimmigration• Rural populace declined: Low crop prices & Rural populace declined: Low crop prices &

high debts (sharecropping)high debts (sharecropping) Jobs & escape Jobs & escape isolation (blacks + Hispanics: hopes for isolation (blacks + Hispanics: hopes for rights)rights)– Blacks: limited to service jobs (esp. Blacks: limited to service jobs (esp.

women)women)– Hispanics: unskilled labor, esp. Hispanics: unskilled labor, esp.

construction construction

B. Second Wave B. Second Wave ImmigrationImmigration

• 1820-1860: 5 million immigrants (95% 1820-1860: 5 million immigrants (95% N+W Europe)N+W Europe) very little restriction very little restriction

• 1890-1914: 15 million (S+E Europe)1890-1914: 15 million (S+E Europe)• Push: pop., land redistribution, & Push: pop., land redistribution, &

industrializationindustrialization, religious persecution , religious persecution (esp. Russian Jews: pogroms)(esp. Russian Jews: pogroms)

• Pull: “streets paved with gold” propagandaPull: “streets paved with gold” propaganda• Foreign-born & native-born of foreign Foreign-born & native-born of foreign

parents formed majority in many US citiesparents formed majority in many US cities• Many native-born whites (old immigrant Many native-born whites (old immigrant

heritage) resented “new” immigrantsheritage) resented “new” immigrants

• Initial crowdingInitial crowding multi- multi-ethnic “urban ethnic “urban borderlands” borderlands” – But, white immigrants But, white immigrants

move up + out (limited move up + out (limited mobility)mobility)

• Movies, newspapers, Movies, newspapers, magazines, sports, magazines, sports, circuses, vaudeville, circuses, vaudeville, education, education, consumerism consumerism (American= buying)(American= buying) mass culturemass culture

C. The Melting PotC. The Melting Pot

• ButBut native language papers, ethnic native language papers, ethnic stores, internal social servicesstores, internal social services pluralismpluralism

• RacismRacism urban segregation (restrictive urban segregation (restrictive covenants): covenants): ghettosghettos w/few jobs w/few jobs– Race riots: Atlanta (1906); East St. Louis, IL Race riots: Atlanta (1906); East St. Louis, IL

(1917)(1917)• Hispanics lose landHispanics lose land barriosbarrios far from far from

center center • Nativists: “failure” Nativists: “failure” melting potmelting pot

restrict immigrationrestrict immigration

D. NativismD. Nativism• Who? 1) Labor unions, 2) “reformers”: Who? 1) Labor unions, 2) “reformers”:

Immigration Restriction LeagueImmigration Restriction League (1894 (1894 Harvard grads): literacy test weed out potential Harvard grads): literacy test weed out potential criminals + welfare cases (pass 1917criminals + welfare cases (pass 1917))

RationalesRationales• 1. Anti-Catholicism, Anti-Semitism1. Anti-Catholicism, Anti-Semitism• 2. Anti-Revolution: fear of radicalism (esp. 2. Anti-Revolution: fear of radicalism (esp.

socialists + anarchists): 1886 Haymarket; 1892 socialists + anarchists): 1886 Haymarket; 1892 H. Frick attackedH. Frick attacked some businessmen join some businessmen join anti-immigrationanti-immigration– Almost all strikes/violence/radical politics led Almost all strikes/violence/radical politics led

by + made up of native bornby + made up of native born• 3. Social Darwinism: “race suicide”: 3. Social Darwinism: “race suicide”:

immigrants’ high birth rateimmigrants’ high birth rate drown out WASPs drown out WASPs

RestrictionsRestrictions

• 1. Asian Exclusion: 1. Asian Exclusion: – Chinese: 1849-1882: 250,000 Chinese Chinese: 1849-1882: 250,000 Chinese

(RxR + mining)(RxR + mining) organized labor organized labor leads chargeleads charge gov’t caves (despite gov’t caves (despite promise to China)promise to China) 1882 1882 Chinese Chinese Exclusion ActExclusion Act (10 yr suspension, (10 yr suspension, ineligible citizenship)ineligible citizenship)

– Japanese: 1907 SF School Board Japanese: 1907 SF School Board order: segregated schoolsorder: segregated schools

– 1908: 1908: Gentleman’s AgreementGentleman’s Agreement: TR : TR gets J to agree to ban migrationgets J to agree to ban migration

2. Quotas2. Quotas

• Quota Act, 1921: 3% total # from country Quota Act, 1921: 3% total # from country in 1910 censusin 1910 census

• Immigration Act, 1924: 2% total # from Immigration Act, 1924: 2% total # from country in US based on country in US based on 18901890 census census fewer S+Efewer S+E– 1907: 685,000+ from S+E1907: 685,000+ from S+E– 1924 and on: approx. 20,000/year1924 and on: approx. 20,000/year

• Did not affect Canada or MexicoDid not affect Canada or Mexico greater % immigration (esp. 1910 greater % immigration (esp. 1910 Mexican Revolution)Mexican Revolution)

III. Gilded Age PoliticsIII. Gilded Age PoliticsA. The MachineA. The Machine

• Politics reflected pluralism; different groups Politics reflected pluralism; different groups competed for power & formed fragile coalitionscompeted for power & formed fragile coalitions

• Native-born Protestants (Republican)Native-born Protestants (Republican) active active government-enforced morality (Sabbath laws); government-enforced morality (Sabbath laws); immigrants + Catholics (Democrat) opposedimmigrants + Catholics (Democrat) opposed personal freedompersonal freedom

• National: equilibriumNational: equilibrium focus swing states (CT, focus swing states (CT, NY, NJ, OH, IN, IL), voter fraud, spoils system, NY, NJ, OH, IN, IL), voter fraud, spoils system, factionalismfactionalism

• Local: party Local: party machinemachine dominance—organize dominance—organize voters: bribery, graft, violence, gambling, voters: bribery, graft, violence, gambling, prostitution, construction, jobs, social services, prostitution, construction, jobs, social services, police protection, ethnic/racial biaspolice protection, ethnic/racial bias enormous enormous loyalty despite/because corruption (Boss Tweed, loyalty despite/because corruption (Boss Tweed, Tammany Hall)Tammany Hall)

B. Civic ReformB. Civic Reform

• Disorder, corruption, poverty, high taxes Disorder, corruption, poverty, high taxes (costs inflated by corruption)(costs inflated by corruption) middle/ middle/ upper classes opposed bossesupper classes opposed bosses run city run city like a company: city managers & city like a company: city managers & city commissions to create commissions to create efficientefficient government run by expertsgovernment run by experts

• Little success late 1800s: loyalty to boss Little success late 1800s: loyalty to boss b/c boss helped w/ real problems [e.g. b/c boss helped w/ real problems [e.g. built needed infrastructure (water, built needed infrastructure (water, sanitation, housing), although at high sanitation, housing), although at high cost]cost]– Major issue of ProgressivesMajor issue of Progressives

C. Social ReformC. Social Reform• Traditional belief: poor= lazy & immoral, aidTraditional belief: poor= lazy & immoral, aid

dependencedependence• New attitude: 1) Sociology: urban New attitude: 1) Sociology: urban

environment + capitalismenvironment + capitalism systemic poverty systemic poverty gov’t action to solve social problems (later gov’t action to solve social problems (later vanguard Progressives)vanguard Progressives)

• 2) Social Gospel: apply teachings of Jesus to 2) Social Gospel: apply teachings of Jesus to society (spread to other religions)society (spread to other religions)

• Reformers: young, middle class, often female Reformers: young, middle class, often female (rise college education of women)(rise college education of women)

• Tried to help urban newcomers w/ problems Tried to help urban newcomers w/ problems (housing, poverty) (housing, poverty) andand Americanize them Americanize them (education)(education)

1. Housing1. Housing• Jacob RiisJacob Riis (photojournalist, (photojournalist, How the Other Half How the Other Half

LivesLives): environment dehumanizing, focus social ): environment dehumanizing, focus social services on childrenservices on children– Rear house tenements: mortality rate 61.97/1,000; Rear house tenements: mortality rate 61.97/1,000;

infant morality 204.54/1,000 (29.03/1000 mortality infant morality 204.54/1,000 (29.03/1000 mortality for single home on a lot)for single home on a lot)

• 1901 NYC outlaws 1901 NYC outlaws dumbbell tenementsdumbbell tenements (poor (poor ventilation, no light, terrible fire protection)ventilation, no light, terrible fire protection)

• Riis: “If there is an open space between them, Riis: “If there is an open space between them, it is never more than a slit a foot or so wide, it is never more than a slit a foot or so wide, and gets to be the receptacle of garbage and and gets to be the receptacle of garbage and filth of every kind; so that any opening made filth of every kind; so that any opening made in these walls for purposes of ventilation in these walls for purposes of ventilation becomes a source of greater danger than if becomes a source of greater danger than if there were none…The sun cannot reach them. there were none…The sun cannot reach them. They are damp and dark, and the tenants, They are damp and dark, and the tenants, who are always the poorest and most who are always the poorest and most crowded, live ‘as in a cage open only toward crowded, live ‘as in a cage open only toward the front.’”the front.’”

• Jane Addams & Hull House (Chicago): education, health care, Jane Addams & Hull House (Chicago): education, health care, public playgrounds/parkspublic playgrounds/parks– Often seen as outsiders (mid/upper class, WASP, undermine bosses), but Often seen as outsiders (mid/upper class, WASP, undermine bosses), but

made advancesmade advances– Acceptable avenue for college-educated women: still “in the home” but Acceptable avenue for college-educated women: still “in the home” but

active, outside male controlactive, outside male control the “New Woman” the “New Woman”– Influence over social policyInfluence over social policy expand to higher levels of gov’t + politics expand to higher levels of gov’t + politics

2. Settlement Houses2. Settlement Houses