Gilded Age Cities Chapter 25

Characteristics of Urbanization During the Gilded Age 1.Megalopolis. 2.Mass Transit. 3.Magnet for economic and social opportunities. 4.Pronounced class distinctions. - Inner & outer core 5.New frontier of opportunity for women. 6.Squalid living conditions for many. 7.Political machines. 8.Ethnic neighborhoods.

Urban Expansion Factories moving to cities which spurred industrial growth, innovations, etc. U.S. population in 1900 = 40 million Urban population tripled Agricultural innovations forced thousands of farmers into the cities Glitter of cities attracted thousands

Urban Growth:

W. Le Baron Jenney: Central Y.M.C.A., Chicago, 1891

Louis Sullivan: Bayard Bldg., NYC, 1897

Frank Lloyd Wright: Hollyhock House [Los Angeles], 1917

Woolworth Bldg. NYC

Grand Central Station, 1913

John A. Roebling: The Brooklyn Bridge, 1883

“New Immigration” ( ) 15 million immigrants came to U.S. 75% moved to Northeast Growing number from Southern and Eastern Europe (Italy, Poland, Russia, Austria- Hungary, Greece, Turkey, Syria) etc. Made up 40% of immigrants during this era –60% were still “Old Immigrants” (Western European countries such as Britian, Germany, Ireland)

Asians and Latin Americans Many worked on railroads Performed hardest and dirtiest work By 1880, 15,000 Asian immigrants in U.S. 9% of California’s population Asians: usually stayed West Latin Americans: moved to Southwest

Nativism “Old Immigrant”, Asian and Latin American immigrants faced nativism –Job Competition –Seen as more “un-American” –Would work for lower wages –Unions were usually anti-immigration –Bosses preyed upon them

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) Gov’t laws restricting immigration Forbade the immigration of Chinese for a number of years 1898: U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark: Supreme Court ruled 14th Amendment guaranteed citizenship to all persons born in U.S. giving protection to Chinese Americans.

City Pattern Center: Poorest areas (ghetto, slums) –Was previously middle class –Usually near industry –Unsanitary Working class, middle class and rich made rings around center of cities –Transportation innovations (streetcars, trolleys, subways) allowed wealthier to move out of city Neighborhoods usually segregated by race, ethnicity

“Dumbell“ Tenement

“ Dumbell“ Tenement, NYC

Jacob Riis: How the Other Half Lived (1890)

Tenement Slum Living

Lodgers Huddled Together

Tenement Slum Living

Struggling Immigrant Families

Mulberry Street – “Little Italy”

Urban Reform Inspired by: –Poverty –Immigration –Corruption in Government (Party Bosses) –Corruption in Big Business

Jane Addams Settlement house movement Hull House (1889) Use religious ideas to deal with poverty, social ills Primary focus: immigrant families and women

Social Gospel Movement Church membership increased dramatically Social betterment tied to salvation Charles Sheldon (1897)- “What Would Jesus Do”

Impact on City Government Rapid urban growth taxed ability of local governments to provide services Bossism fueled –Filled void left by fleeing native born groups –Gave jobs, favors to poor and immigrants for votes –Positive: Did help poor and cities –Negative: corruption and offended middle class

Other programs in cities Americanize immigrants in public schools Prohibition movement

Life of Middle Class Improvements in industry raised the standard of living for many Able to purchase more consumer goods

New Freedoms for Women Image of ideal woman: Gibson Girl Several states granted women property rights Increases in athletic activity Now organizations and charities 1900: 20% of college grads

Women Continued Job opportunities still usually limited to social services, nursing, teaching Comstock Law (1873): access to birth control information was illegal Some economic freedom allowed for “new morality”

Women’s Suffrage Movement Supported by middle class so they could negate power of immigrant men –Also take power from corrupt Party Bosses Movement picks up steam after Civil War –Only Wyoming Territory granted full political equality to women by 1890

NAWSA Formation of National American Woman Suffrage Assoc. (NAWSA) by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony in 1890 Need vote to protect women

Male (and Female) Mobility Improved industry meant new careers demanding education Number of public high schools –160 in 1870 –6000 in 1900 Graduation from college –53,000 in 1870 –101,000 in 1900

Professionalism Increased need for lawyers, bankers, architects, insurance agents, managers Protestant Work Ethic –Horatio Alger

Working Class Hierarchy Ethnicity could influence your job –Native-born protestant whites –Skilled Western European immigrants –“New Immigrants” –African-Americans

Working Class Number of unskilled workers growing and threatening skilled workers Gap between rich and poor growing –Top 10% had 73% of wealth in 1890 –Skilled workers saw wages increase by 50% ( ) but their numbers decline –Unskilled saw wages increase 31% ( )

Women and children in work force Working class children worked –50% of Philadelphia’s children quit school by 14 in 1900 –20% of women in work force Wages in 1900 for factory worker –Skilled woman: $5 a week –Unskilled male: $8 a week

South in Gilded Age Still behind the North Sharecroppers and Tenant Farmers dominate the farms Most railroads in North which hindered industrialization

African-Americans 1900: 44% of non-whites were illiterate Jim Crow Plessy v. Ferguson Post-Reconstruction Redemption

Booker T. Washington Founded Tuskegee Institute Taught black students trades to gaine self- respect and economic security Blacks should work within system and gain resources that would lead to Civil Rights

W.E.B. DuBois Helped found the NAACP “Talented Tenth”