Chapter 15 Immigrants and Urbanization Common Final Terms Common Essay

The New Immigrants (15.1) Through the “Golden Door” – “Birds of passage” temporary immigrants earn $ then return home. – Europeans: left for religious freedom, rising population leaving land and jobs scarce. – Chinese: came to seek fortune after discovery of gold. (built railroads, farmed, mined, and other domestic services. – Japanese: recruited by Hawaiian planters spread to America due to prospect of higher wages. – West Indies and Mexico: Jamaica, Cuba Puerto Rico and others came for jobs and to flee political turmoil.

The New Immigrants (15.1) Life in the New Land – Difficult Journey: Across Atlantic = 1 week, Across Pacific = 3 weeks. Poor sanitary conditions, diseases spread, some died. – Ellis Island (Immigration Center) New York Harbor process took 5 hours or more, physical exam by doctors followed by interview with government inspector. Processed Europeans – Angel Island (Immigration Center) San Francisco Bay process took much longer, endured harsh questions, long detention in filthy buildings. Processed Asians. – Cooperation for Survival: Admitted – now need shelter and job. Barriers – language and customs lead to small communities. Built places of worship, orphanages, old peoples homes, cemeteries, etc.

The New Immigrants (15.1) Immigration restrictions – Melting Pot – mixture and blending of cultures, races, customs, etc. – Rise of Nativism – favoritism of native born Americans. Feared immigrants’ influences’ would undermine democracy. Literacy test 40 words in English or Native language. – Anti-Asian Sentiment: Chinese Exclusion Act – banned entry except of students, teachers, merchants, tourists, and Gov. Officials. – Gentlemen’s Agreement: Pres. Teddy Roosevelt = limit # of unskilled workers.

The Challenges of Urbanization (15.2) Urban Opportunities – Urbanization – growth of cities – Immigrants settle in cities – Americanization movement was designed to get them to assimilate (act like) the dominant culture. – Migration from Country to City: farming inventions reduce need for farm hands so they flock to cities for work.

The Challenges of Urbanization (15.2) Urban Problems – Housing: Tenements – multi-family dwellings, dirty, small, poor ventilation, diseases, etc. – Transportation: Inventions that allowed workers to get to and from work more efficiently. – Water: cities had no purified water system! – Sanitation: horse and buggy days = horse poop all over streets. No formal garbage collection = trash everywhere, – Crime: increased pickpockets led to NY first organized police department. – Fire: Poorly built tenement apartments, built too close to each other = fire hazards.

The Challenges of Urbanization (15.2) Reformers Mobilize – The Settlement House Movement Social gospel movement preached salvation through service to the poor. Settlement houses community centers in slum areas that provided assistance to immigrants run by middle- class educated women. Jane Addams most influential member of the movement.

Politics in the Gilded Age (15.3) Emergence of Political Machines – Political Machine = organized group that controlled the activities of a political party. – Political Boss = controlled access to municipal jobs, business licenses, and influenced courts. – Immigrants and the Machine = Precinct captains and political bosses were often first or second generation immigrants.

Politics in the Gilded Age (15.3) Municipal Graft and Scandal – Election Fraud and Graft (the illegal use of political influence for personal gain) granting favors, filtering cash, etc. illegally to fund the political party. – The Tweed Ring Scandal: William M. “Boss” Tweed helped bill tax payers $13 mill. To NY County Court house “Tammany Hall” but job only cost $3 mill. Thomas Nast Political Cartoonist aroused public outrage on the issue. Tweed arrested and convicted.

Politics in the Gilded Age (15.3) Civil Service Replaces Patronage – Patronage (the giving of govern. Jobs to people who helped candidate get elected) spurs reform due to unskilled people getting these jobs. – Reform under Hayes, Garfield, and Arthur Rutherford B. Hayes elected 1876 commissioned investigation of custom houses where jobs were controlled by the republican party. James A Garfield gave most of his patronage jobs once he was elected to Reformers, angered Stalwarts. He was assassinated Chester A. Arthur Pendleton Civil Service Act – commissioned that federal jobs be given through a system of merit and points based on Candidates’ performance on an examination.

Politics in the Gilded Age (15.3) Business buys influence – Harrison, Cleveland, and High Tariffs Grover Cleveland won election for democratic party 1 st time in 28 yrs. Tried to lower tariffs but congress refused to support him. Benjamin Harrison, Grandson of Pres. William Henry Harrison, signed the McKinley Tariff Act 1890 raising tariffs. Cleveland re-elected 1892 supported bill to lower taxes but didn’t sign it due to federal tax attached to bill. William McKinley inaugurated he raised taxes again.