Immigration and Urbanization Immigration Immigrants fueled the 2

Immigration and Urbanization

Immigration �Immigrants fueled the 2 nd Industrial Revolution by providing an endless supply of cheap labor �Cities were commonly segregated by ethnicity �Little Italy, Chinatown �Jews formed tight knit neighborhoods for religious safety �“New � 1910 Immigrants” Census 1 out of 7 people living in the US were foreign born

�Know Nothing Party – Anti-immigrant �Focused energies towards Catholics �Most Americans were Protestants © 2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. Immigrant Backlash

�Nativism – Belief that immigrants were a threat to jobs and a safe orderly society �Fear that immigrants will change America or not assimilate �Required immigrants to pass a literacy test �Ellis Island immigrants were checked for diseases; some were sent home �Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

Life in the Cities �Jacob Riis – Exposed the conditions working class people lived in �“How the Other Half Live” �Tenement – Overcrowded, rundown apartments �No plumbing, sewage, trash all thrown on the street = DISEASE �Outbreaks killed thousands every year �Tenement Act of 1901 - Landlords had to install lighting in hallways and at least one toilet for every two families

7 Cent Nightly Bedding

�Settlement Houses – Helped immigrants adjust / overcome poverty �Jane Addams’ Hull House

Urbanization and Political Machines

Political Corruption �Political Machines – Groups of people who got city leaders elected �Supposed to help meet the needs of urban poor in cities, but tended to be very corrupt �Political Boss – Head of the machine Usually ran on the support of one or two ethnic groups Favored their friends over the interests of all

�Patronage / Spoils System – Practice of elected official giving govt. jobs to friends or supporters regardless of their qualifications �Graft – Illegal or unfair gain

Tammany Hall �Boss Tweed – NYC; His machine gained wealth and power while others suffered; eventually went to prison for embezzlement �Supported by Irish and German immigrants �Both groups were treated very poorly by native born Americans Worst Jobs, Pay, Living Conditions Thomas the Irish Nast – Cartoonist; Extremely critical of

The Brains that achieve democratic party victory

Business Owners & Political Corruption �Govt. allowed / helped companies to produce products people needed, especially railroads �Viewed as a benefit to all Americans �Business owners made huge fortunes making these produces Rich donated heavily to politicians Again raised question if govt. only cared about the rich, especially when scandals made the news

�Credit Mobilier – VP of Union Pacific Railroad (congressman) sold land to members of Congress below value �Also charged the govt. millions more to build railroads than they cost �Credit Mobilier and his friends scandals almost cost President Grant his reelection bid

Political Reforms �Pendleton Act – Promotions to govt. jobs have to be based on ability not connections � 17 th Amendment – Direct election of Senators by voters �Primaries – Voters choose candidates �Referendum – Important laws are decided by voters, not politicians �All were an attempt to lessen the power of political bosses